The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1858-08-21
Tho Duties of Freemen.


We hear much in oil our political discus.
sions, Of Frecmcn's Rights, seldom anything
Of their duties, Mutitudcs are ready 10 fight,
and even die in maintaining their right 70 vote
at oyory popular election, who, whenever that
right is conceded and guaranteed to them by
State constitutions, seem TO forget that it,
exercise is n duty from which they may not
be excused for any trihing consideration
Many Of our intelligent and conscientious
frccmen Of Vermont are accustomed 10 alb
sent Themselves from tho polls on the rceur
renee Of every annual town or State election
il the weather bc unfavorablc, or tho roads In
q bad condition, or, which oitcncr happens, #
their ordinary business needs their attention,
They charge Themselves with no dercliclion
Of duty-ure conscious OF no inildclty 20
their social obligations, and scarcely dream
Of being blamcworthy in any respect, while
thus neglccting the highest privilege and
most responsible duty Of a Republican ci,i.
zen. They imagine that their votes may not
alter the result Of the election, and therefore
conclude that the town, county, OF state will
suffer no dctrimcnt il they are not counted
either in support Of principles which they ups
prove, or in opposition to those which, in
their Judgment, tend to suhvcrt the public
good and deserve the public rrprnhat:as,--
Now all this is wrong, and II is time that
those accustomed to excuse their inddclity to
The pubic welfare should be disubuscd OF the
idea that they arc either good citizens, or
even honest and respectable men. They can
justly claim to be noithcri for they arc with
holding the voluntary tribute owed and paid
by every good citizen for the maintenance Of
the civil institutions under which they live
and have protection for their persons and
property. They allow and expect their
ncighbors TO incur the expense Of going an
nually Or ohcncr, to the polls to elect the
necessary officers OF tho town, county and
state, while they, under prctcnce that their
votes arc not needed, stay at home, attend to
their private business, and reserve 10 them
selves the privilege Of blaming every body
else, if the public affairs are not conducted
economically or according to their liking
This, to say the least, is acting mcany, il not
as individuals obligated to the I
performance of the common duties, while |.
they expect and claim 10 be tho recipients of
the common privileges and blessings of the /.
civil confcdcracy. II motifs true moreover, that
their votes are not needed at any or every
election. 1t matters not, for this, whether I
they would, or would not, il given, change
the result Of any popular decision 1t they
would only add to the majority already in ia |
ynr- of any particular measure or principle. !
they arc needed and should be given to give .
certainty and emphasis TO such representation. |
If, on the contrary, they would only add to
the minority without changing the result, |
they arc needed none the less, and should be /
given to indicate the character and extent of
the opposition.
We say, therefore, to every man who has n
vote to give at the coming election, whether |
he be Republican, Democrat Old Line
Wing, or a Radical Ant-Slavery man, fail not
to give it in support of the men and princi- |
pies in which you confde and through which /
YOU honestly intend and expect to uphold and
promote the public welfarei for whilo we b
wsuld gladly welcome to the support of our
own views the erring adherents Of every 9TH
,r party we should least of all rejoice to find
by their absence from the polls that to their
sins Of ignorance in voting for men and
measures such as they ought not, they were
adding that also Of neglecting frccman's
most obvious and important duty.