, 1856-01-11
tn, Viva VO,s System Of Voting.

For years we have imagined, as demo-
crat, that the rirG rOoe system of voting, at
oil elections Of the public servants of the
people-especally in the middle, western,
and some of the southern States, was most
in conformity with the views Of the people
who elected them. Here, on the Pacific
coast, more emphatically than elsewhere Z
we find the imperative necessity of a return
from the ballot system to the uipa rOoe sys-
TEN Of voting. Our reasons for this posi-
= tion, we will make as concise as possible.
There is vast difference between the
influences which control elections in the east
ern and western States. In the former,
capital controls labor, and in the latter,
labor controls capital. In the former, the
capitalists generally wings, who have all
their capital invested in the manufacture Of
calico, shirting, and fine linen Of broad
cloth, hats and boots for the million, and
who fare sumptuously every day, have more
or less under their control, the operatives
who bring coin into their Golfers. They ex-
ert an undue influence in controlling the
votes Of their operatives, not unfrefuently
holding over their heads club which they
threaten TO use uigilently, in case they do
not act in conformity to their wishes in
matters of elections Were we a resident
Of Massachusetts, we might be induced to
be in favor of the secret ballot system as a
democrat, from the fact that the capital
Of the opposition might be made use of as
q coercion, for the purpose of carrying an
election against the principles for which we
might be in favor The same reasons, as
above stated, might induce us were We q
resident Of New York, Philadelphia, Bal
timore, Boston, Charleston, or New Or
leans, to become member of the Native
American porty, or what is termed gener-
ally, in the States, the Know Nothings; and
these reasons are or might be obvious to
every thinking mind. As for instance, as
a single Illustration, we might refer to the
Tammany Hall politicians Of New York,
and the exertions put forth by both parties,
on the arrival Of every immigrant vessel,
steamer, &C., to cajole, honeyfuggle and
cahogle the parties on board into the en-
brace of measures and men Of which they
are entirely ignorant. In those places,
gold, corruption, dishonesty, political knave-
ry, fraud and deception, stalk hand in hand,
not more with one party than with nnoth-
er. Experience has taught us that the
wrongs practiced in ''pipe laying" decep-
tIon, &c, is more strictly confined to the
whig than the democratic party. Generally
speaking, the former have ever exertcd on
influence opposed to the rights Of franchise,
whilst the latter have been in favor Of an
extension of that right. AS an evidence,
we can point with pride and pleasure TO the
leading organs Of the democratic party in
the south, the western and middle States,
and peculiarly, to the old Keystone of the
federal Massachusetts,, Connecticut,
Rhode Island, New Jersey, Maine, New
York and Michigan,
Various questions might be asked as to
the adoption of the rira vOce system of vo-
ting, in this territory, and on the Pacific
coast. The inquiry might be instituted, in
this wise: Are we not all a common fam
ily-members Of great confoderacy-with
a commonwealth Of interest-each member
requiring Of the balance Of that family a
right to know how he discharges bis duty
in the election of delegated servants to
comply with the views Of the whole ? Has