Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1856-11-05
WARREN, WEDNESDAY. NOV. 8.
Voting.

VIM 0NNNl A4llIC khC AA1S
tonof who shall occupy the Presidential
chair for the next four years, in whose
hands shall be the disposal of the i'm.
mense executive patronage of this gov.
eminent, whether Kansas, a terrilory as
large as New York, Pennsylvania and
Ohio combined, shall be a free State.
and whether slavery shall, be the guiding
power in these United States for another
four years.
All of our Presi lential elections haze
been important, because they determined
che policy Of oar government. both for
eign and domestic for Presidential term,
and sometimes for a much longer period;
bit when compared in importance with
this present election. they sink into in
significance. 1t is q common thing to
hear public speakers on the eve Of any
and all electors, say that an important
crisis was at band, but in this case such
IS really the fact. Something more is
now to be decided than the mere ascen
dsncy Of one or another political party,
something more than the pecuuisry in
teres.s oftthe men who shall or shall not
hold Office. The Country itself has
reached a point in its career when, (te
use the language of Putnam'sM .gazine,)
a choice is 10 be made between two radi-
cally opposite. and inc nsistent courses,
and an old policy, felt 10 be grievous by
many, is to be confirmed and aggravated
in its effects, or a new policy is to be in
troduced.
There is a plain and u~nmistakeable
issue TO be decided, a positive result to
follow, which must be either absolutely
good, or absolutely evil. Either the
uphoiders and defenders OF slavery will
continue TO hold the control of the fed
eral government, will continue to use it
TO peTpe,uate that institution where it
now is, and establish it where it is not;
will continue to make the interests of sla-
very the predominating interest in the
government. or they must take their
pr p r place, be content to WELD no more
Influence, possess no more power than
that t. which they are justly entitled by
Their relaiys population; tie institu ion
oil Slavery lie confined within its present
q boundaries, and its interests made subor.
dinste TO the interests Of freedom, of
the large majoitg of the population,
and Of the country itself.
G Is there a shadow eff doubt as to The
right and wrong Of this question? None
Is there a doubt bGt that q large ma
iori y-of the voters Of the United States
are in faver of the right? None. Aud
yet there is a very great doubt as to the
result. And why? Simply because a
very large proportion of the citizens who
are entitled to vote will stay away from
the polls. The very men who are most
conscientious in other matters, best quail
lied by their int lligence to correctly
exercisefhe right of suffrage, best quail
fled tejudse of the claims of the candi-
dates. neglect or refuse to vote. How
many business men, merchants, manufac-
turers and mechanics are too busy to go
to she polls? How many are absent
frona their homes where they are entitled
to vote, on business or pleasure? How
many farmers of quiet habits. dread the
roHdyism and turmoil of an election day.
and stay at home? How many profess
sional and literary men, will take no
part, but stand aloof from vulgar politics.
How many clergymen will fear to soil
their sacerdotal robes by performing
what they ought to consider an impera-
tive duty? Who can tell the number of
these men throughout the whole country
who will fail to vote, and allow them
selves TO be governed by political trick
sters whom they despisei There are in
the United Ststss more than 5000, 900 of
men entitled TO vote, and yet ; 300, 900
is the largest number of votes ever polled
at a Presidential election.
In Massachusetts, where more men
car read and write in proportion to lis
population, than m any other State in the
Union, the number Of white males over
twenty one years of age is over 294, 900
there were only 1873 600 votes poIled in
1889. less than one half of the adult male
population voting.
The consequence of this state Of things
is that the politics of the country are
ccn'rolled by Office seekers and unprin-
cipled men who make politics their bust
ness. The officers are parcelled oui
among themselves in too May instances,
the taxes are increased 10 fill their pock-
els, the laws are made to suit their pur
poses. and administered only when, and
how. they may decree.
NhonestRnd intelligent men Hillrefuse
to take part.in political matters, will cast
away t e fleeman's dearest right, that OF
choosing his own lawgiver, and leave TO
any. and all who choose TO take the mat
ter in their own hands, the sole control
of elections. then they have no reason to
complain. when dishonest and incapable
men are chosen 10 govern the wise and
the good, and TO sway the destiny of this
gSeat nation.
1t Is not because there are more dis.
honest than honest men, more schemers
aad tricksters, than honorable aud candid
men in fhe -ounfrv hat n is hacausa tla