Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1857-09-02
UNICATI0N MS.
For the Advertiser.
TO THE MANAGERS OF ELECTIONS OF SOUTH
CAROLINA.

ton of tho Managers tnrouSnout lhe o'a'c w e''e
accompanying Resolutions passed by them at Edge
field c. H., on the 18th day Of October 1856.
WHEREAS, The Managers of Elections find it
oncrous and expensive in discharging the duty as
sirned TO them, and believing that some compcn-
cation should be allowed as incentive to faithful
discharge of duty-past experience having proved
that incompctency and neglect of Managers in sew
eral instances has caused elections to be contested
and thereby run the State to needless expense
Ayp WHEREAS, We believe that if some compen-
sation were allowed. willing and compctant persons
will be found to conduct the elections and guard
the purity of the ballot box so necessary in Re-
publican Government. BE it therefore
Resolred That Committee Of three be appoint
cd by the Chair to mcmorialize the Legislature on
the subiect-asking that Managers OF Elections be
exempt from patrol and Militia duty, and that they
open the polls but one day and count the votes at
their respective precincts.
Whereupon Messrs. E. W. SEInELs, THoxAs
GRAFTON and PATRICK COLEMAN, were appointed
by the Chair
Resolved, That we respectfully invite the Mana
gers of Elections throughout the State to join US
by making a similar petition.
Rcsolred, That the Secretary of this meeting
of the Managers in each District.
In compliance with those Resolutions we drew
up petition to the Legislature which, we are
pleased to learn met with very favorable consld-
Grafton by the Committee on Privileges and Eicc-
tions and is to be reported on at the next meeting
of the Legislature
The Committee will doubtless be Influenced IN
their report by the interest manifested by Mana
gers in other Districts, and, although we know
there is no general election which will call the
Managers together before the next Session, still II
the Chairman of the Managers at each Court
House would draw up petition, potion II not
majority, of the Managers could sign and have
their petitions before the Committee by the 4tt
Monday in November next. This would greatly
strengthen our position and insure favorable re-
port Which is very desirable for unless some law is
passed then, no change can lie effected under iou
years; for the changes, asked for in our petition
requires an alteration of the Constitution, wh'ci
can only be done by two Legislatures of ditieren
Sessions
Ans one that will examine the Records OF TIT
Legislature for the last thirty years, aud sec th'
thousands of dollars expended on contested elcc
tious (most if not all Of which may be attributed
to the negligence, and perhaps ignorance OF Mana
gers will he easily convinced, that some change II
our system of conducting elections is needed. NJ
reason can b. found, or invented, why Managers 0
Elections shcud not be compensated in some wa!
for their services which are required by law to b
rendered ON certain days, however inconvenent OF
expensive it may be to them. There arc amon'
the fifteen hundred Managers in the Stale, man.
poor men, whose absence from home two or tire
days is an item Of Importance. When hc has t
ride from twenty to sixty miles and pay the attcn
tlant expense on such a trip, it becomes bnrdc
which few arc willing to bear.
1t is needless to expect the purity Of the bal'o
box to be rsdly preserved until so" law is pasSc'
that holds out an induccment for men to bccon
Managers Under the present system y. request
that B. lie appointed in his place, which is accord
ingly done, houercr incompetent he is, or income
nicnt it mayb for him TO serre; he has neve
seen tho laws defining the duties, and powers
Managers, and Eve think it very doubtful whcthe
nctenth Of the Managers have ever seen them
it is not probable that lie can repeat the oath re
ouired to Lc taken before the polls are opened
lie proceeds therefore i'll an irregular, Illegal man
ncr in this most important business-serres on
term, has Alr. appointed in his place; and thu
| ;,, nrr
ono anxious to get out of al olli'c that brlli@
ncillcr honor nor profit, but Oh the contrary at
tended Invariably with trouble and expense.
There arc also many objections to the manner q
counting votes: it opens the door to fraud ana CO:
ruptiol in the most cntcing manner. We do II"
speak of course for all tho Districts, but GENERALLY
one Manager takes charge of the box or bag wfe
the polls close and nc thus has every Opportunity
without the possibility Of detection, of chan@n;
the votes before lie reaches H.. Court House, am
no means is lett uf asccrtainiug whether the tru
result is given or not. Perhaps ton, he may b
assisted i'll counting the ballots by some unscrlil''
lorls person, for instead OF the counting OF the bal
lots being exclusively confined to the Managers
which is the intention Of the law strictly intcrrc
ted aud (Lo perform their duty CORRECTLY 1t appear
to us that all the Managers who assemble 10 co'ili
the votes should meet in the Court ll1Ilsc aid tl;e
and there count the votes and declare the ccctl"i
it is the custom for each Manager on arriving
the Court House, to get any one nc can 10 asslS
him to count the ballots which lie has brought up
and they retire to any convenient place, and II
this loose way most important duly is discharged
Under such circumstances, it is not Impossible iol
dishonest partisan, who may be pecunarily IN
tcreslcd to change the result of the election. We
think it would be best for the ballots to be counted
at each precinct Immediately after the polls close
when persons interested on both sdcs would prooa
bly, he present, and let the Managers certify lhs
result, and sign their names and appoint one o.
their number to lake the votes and the result SC
certified to tic Court House, where lie Should DC
compelled. under penalty, TO appear with the same
,n tic day following at > O'clock, p. VI.
Having set forth our views in orr petition, We
refrain fln!n SAYING more at present. The Sulycct
is nnc of great tcrcst and we ask our brother
Managers ul the other Districts TO show some III
tc:cst in this importaIh matter which will result
bencfcially to all.
F!ga!cT :: II; SS'5y5S; co5SnAx. :,!,A.. Committee.
THOMAS GRAFTON.
sa- The papers of the Stale arc earnestly re-
quested to copy the above.