Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1856-10-09
politifal Matter.

Only One Vote,

| Only One Vote.
Christians sometime excuse themselves
from going to the polls and from taking
any active interest in politics, on the plea
that few votes more or less cannot mate
rally affect the result of an election, and,
therefore, since they can do no good by
voting, they choose to avoid the excitements
of a political campaign. Let us look at
this plea. Does the fact that we cannot
be sure of accomplishing great and mani
fest good, lessen our obligation to use all
reasonable effort for that end? Shall
Christians reason thus, because in given
community they chance to be in minority,
or because they are very small minority
of the population of the globe? The abili-
ty and the opportunity to act, and not the
estimated results of action, are the measures
of Christian obligation. But the possible
results Of our action may also come in to
enhance that obligation. The mag be of
ten gives additional emphasis to the ought.
We must obey the dictates Of concience, the
sense of right, the calls of humanity and of
Providence, even when we cannot see the
promise of immediate good; but when to
the plain dictates of Conscience, Humanity,
and Religion, are added even the possible
results of good from our action or of evil
from our inaction, the obligation to ado
with our might that which our hand find
eth to do" becomes more urgent and i'm
pressive. . 90 sfu2ifiaoT '.i---Gi
Now nothing can be more Elusive than
this veryplea that a single vote will accom-
plish nothing for the good of the country,
nothing to secure Just counsels, nothing to
hinder the triumph Of deceit and oppression,
because it is but one. There have been
crises memorable in history, both in the
British Parliament and in the early Colonial
legislation in this country, when measures
gportentous with the destiny of nations and
of ages hung upon single vote. And nm
der our popular form Of government, sin
gle vote is likely atany time to determine
the electionof public officers, or in lcgisla-
tive bodies to settle measures of moment
uous interest to State or to the Nation.
Twice, within recent date, was Govern
or of the State of Massachusetts, elected by
one vote. In one instance single vote
gave him a majority in the popular election.
In the; other he was elected BY majority
of one, in the Legislature, in default Of cleo
tion by the people. By how small ma
jority was Nj. Banks chosen Speaker of
the House of Representatives. And yet
how much of the efficiency of the present
Congress in behalf of Constitutional free
dom is due to the two or three votes that
placed him in the Speakers chair. The
other day the vote to admit Kansas as
Free State under the Topeka Constitution,
was lost by one vote, after every Preliminary
measure had been carried. Again, the mo
ton to reconsider, that fatal resolve was
carried by two votes, and then the bill to
recognize freedom in Kansas prevailed by
only two votes. One single vote may in
fold within itself blessings or miseries that
future generations alone can estimate.
To apply this to the case in hand. The
following is the appointment of Presiden-
tial electors in the Free and Slave States
respectively: ~ E