Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1857-09-17
For the Enquirer.
VOTING VIVA vOCE.
September IA, 1857.

That it is the part Of patriotic and loyal citi-
zen, not only to exert an influence in sustaining
and executing the laws Of his country, but also
to perfect, as far as 1t may be expedent both the
statute and fundamental law Of the land, need not
be reiterated at this advanced stage Of civilization.
It must be admitted that this duty of the citizen
lies at the very foundation of all free institutions
as brief review of the pages Of history will sbun
dantly prove.
South Carolina, we are proud to say, has laws
remarkable for their adaptation to the necessities
and wants of all ranks and conditions of her peo-
pie. The humblest peasant that claims hsbts-
ton upon her soil, and the honored noble who fills
the highest Office in her gift alike protected by
the genial sway of her conservative policy. Her
legislators we assert without hesitation, In point
of rare learning and exalted craftsmanship, mot
surpassed by those Of any other state in the Union
Her Judiciary in all probability, will compare fs-
vorably with the Judiciary Of the Keystone or
Empire State, in legal and judicial knowledge.
But to that section in her fundamental law and
tuOoc AClo III ucE otdIdbco3 WulSu u6ko pEoNIoAon
for the manner in which her citizens shall cast
their votes in elections, we would especially direct
the attention of our Legislators and the Press Of
the State, to see if q reform could be made. All
are aware, that our manner Of holding elections
under the Constitution and Statutes as they stand,
is by ballot. Now would it not be better to amend
and rspeals as to give the voters the privilege Of
voting, UiDa poce ?
Every man could then walk up to the polls, not
with folded ticket in his hand, but without any
thing except bis mind and tongue, and call out
with living uoice the name of the candidate Of
his choice and the managers of elections could
enter his vote so expressed in register kept for
the purpose.
We do not contend that there is any great in
convenience arising from the law in its present
form, but we feel that modification, wherein we
have specified, would be an improvement. There
would then be no way, for designing men, to cheat
or defraud the illiteratc (those who can neither
read nor write) in the exercise Of the right Of
suffrage. Demagogues and ofice-seekers could
not change about so easily the honest yeomsnry,
as they can under the present system; for there
could be no conceang nor dodgng at the polls.
In this way it would havea tendency to make eve
ry individual more independent, honest, and de-
cisive, knowing that there could be no evasion or
duplicity acted at the polls; and in the end the
moral tone of the people would be elevated to q
considerable extent. And in fine, elections would
be more apt than under the present system to re-
suit according to the unbiased will of the people.
I am informed that this is the mode Of voting
in Virginia, and that it works there admirably.
There is no doubt that it was bane to Know
Nothingism in the Old Dominion, and that it con-
tributed greatly to enable the eloquent and intrep-
id WISE to sound the death-knel of that ingorious
party; and such the system, if adopted, would
prove here to all innovations of kindred nature.
We submit this proposed change to our Legisls-
tors, at this particular time, in the absence Of all
elections, that no hobby may be made Of it to ride
into Office, but that they weigh duly the matter in
their minds, and see whether an alteration of this
nature would result in any practical good.
| LAScAsTERvILLE, s. c. CIVIS.