The Kansas herald of freedom., 1859-10-08
tn. ps.potisru Of Parry.

Y
since, commented on the citizens move
ment in Baltimore, which called out the
Baltimore Patriot in an article against
such action, and in favor of party drill
The position Of the Patriot finds its coun-
terpsrt in Kansas politics. The criticism
Of the Times is as pertinent to the posi-
ton of parties here as it is truthful il
general. We clip portion Of the article
for our own columns:
ut is useless to talk about ignoring poll
tical distinctions. The whole community
is divided into two great parties In one
or the other of these ,oiQ be found every man
,rlo feels interest in public qFairs sufficient
to cause him to uote at all. And the rem
edy for the evils under which we suffer,
is to be found in selecting honest, upright |
men, and using party machinery and par
ty drill to elect them"
In other words, every man who cares
to vote at all. win vote NTH his party and
for its candidates, regardless Of other con-
si5erstions. This is the plain English Of
| LILO 4 ud tOt D otdtCu1Cut. w wv NV 4uOo-
ton its truth on the contrary, we believe
it to be much too true to be compatible
with the public good. When men thus
surrender their patriotism to their parti-
sanship, they deserve just the sort of gov
ernment which partisans will give them.
They become the passive, willing tools OF
other men and if those men use them
for their own purposes-make them mere
instruments and accomplices in schemes
of robbery and plunder-they have no
reason to complain; it is the fate they
court and cOyet.
The remedy which the Patriot suggests
indicates a degree of simplicity more rare
than refreshing: Select honest men and
use the party drill to elect them" But
who is to make the selection? The very
men who control the party drill-who
give the orders which all members of the
party must obey. Suppose "honest" can
didates do not answer their purpose
Suppose dishonest meu themselves get
the control of all this party machinery,
and nominate themselves for Office, what
then is to be done ? But "let the order
loving portion of the community go to the
primary nominating assemblies" and vote
for honest candidates, says the Patriot,
and then all will be right, and all wrongs
can be redressed. This is most excellent
theory, but let US see how it works in
practice
The first point established is that all
men belong to one party or the other, and
3 every mai feels bound to vote for the
D candidates Of his own party; all that is tc
D be done, therefore, is to secure the party
4 nomination. That nomination is made BY
z delegates elected at primary meetings.
= Suppose now bold, reckless, schemins
2 speculator takes it into his head to be Al
0 derman in any Ward, with view o.
8 making money corruptly in that Office
q He can give all his time, and can afforC
to spend one or two thousand dollars il
the accomplishment Of that object. Tn,
primary mseting is exclusively party af
t. fair the inspectors who receive and coun
the votes are appointed by the party com
mittees, and act without any restraints o
oath or other obligations; so that in mos
cases it is the easiest thing in the world b
purchase their blindness to any tricker
he may choose to practice. He may stul
the box with ballots, hire men to vote te
times over, bring in men from othe
Wards, or take any other step necessar
III to give him all the votes he needs
Against him is an "honest man." occupie
? with his business, candidate against hi
will and at the request of his fellow. cit
zens-sure to suffer in pocket and chal
acter if elected, and neither willing nc
able to give his time or his money to th
advancement of his own nomination
What are his chances against his compe,
itor? The "order- loving portion of th
community" rally to bis support-br
they vote only once each while their o,
ponents vote just as often as they are pal
for voting, or as long as their votes al
needed. "But this should be stopped
laj Undoubtedly-but how ? This is n,
any voting known to law-so there is {
penalty for voting fifty times You al
peal to the inspectors, but they have n,
seen the supposed offender vote befor
-; and think he has not done so. You NAL
- fuss about it-protest, scold. and prob
bly, get hustled out of the room, with
IN. black eye and damaged bones, and igul
IN the party organs next morning as di
n. turber of public meeting The vot,
are against you; the active, sharp, III
3 scrupulous scoundrel is nominated, and
IN. praised by the party papers as one of II
most upright and reliable men in Il
n Ward. Every man sufficiently interes
ed in public affairs to vote at ALL" vot,
for htns as the party candidate; he is tr
u umphantly elected, and .devotes. himse
assiduously TO recovering his expens,
and paying himself for the time he h:
lost in the public service. This is IL
Dir way in which our political candidates al
ii. nominated and elected. The ,oorst ma
-, under the present system, stands infnit,
" ly the best chance, because he can an
nd will use the means which give success.
DR.. The root Of the whole evil lies in IL
assumed obligation of men to vOte for the
party candidates. As long as this oblig,
- tion is acknowledged, it will be utteTl
". impossible to have decent governmel
IL in any city where there is plunder enoug
to make stealing profitable. And until
l. great mass Of the honest portion of th
TX people in Baltimore, in Philadelphia an
or in New York are ready to repudiate
principle of action, which degrades an
disgraces as much as it robs and injurs
them, they must submit to just such cor
to sequences as they now experience
Whenever they can unite, upon ticks
: made up of the honest and true men o
e' the two party tickets, and act steadily
tn and with resolution, against the mere wi
i'll gar party tyranny to which they are no,
ar willing slaves, they can effect reform, an
not till then. And that day, we are so,
ry to say, does not seem to be dawning q
or yet upon either Baltimore or New York.
10 OF The merchants of Lawrence ar
now il receipt of their entire stock of fal
aud winter goods. Their purchases thi
outnpon arcaad that of anv pya v;ous vaa,