Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-11-04

A correspondent of the New Orleans Crescent.
writing from Havana, Cuba, gives us some in.
Sigh, ia.s the way 10 which elections are conduc.
ted ia that beautiful island. We make an extract
from his letter:
The lat Of electors for the municipal cleo
ton VI this city which is ~ take place next month
has been published In the Gacefd since ] last
wrote The total number of electors IL one
hundred and seven, almost one to every
1--WE hundred Of the free white inhabitants Of this
city. Thirty.six Of the electors are the highest
contributors Of direct taxes Imposed upcn terri
torial, rural and city properties; thirty-i the
highest contributors Of taxes imposed upon
professions, ninteen Of whom lawyers, elk doc
ters, Hvc physicians and Ave apo'hecaries; thirty
six of the highest contributors ut taxes imposed
upon industry and commerce
The reader will observe wonderful difference
in the qualifications Of voters, between Cuba. and
this land Of the free. aud home III the brave. Out
II more than half million Of free white ishabi-
mt in the city Of Havana. me hundred and sew
III oply are allow red the right Of suffrage.
But II will be seen that the electors nrc chosen
with a strict regard to the preservation Of the
rights of property One third of them are Of
thoSc who paw the hishes taxes upon real estate
another third. # those who pay the highest tax
es upon professional gains-and the remaining
third. i. Of those whose contributions nre the
grea IS, To the taxes imposed upon Industry aud
commerce
II i. MAN. then, that Cuha Ar's upon the prin-
cplr that those who pay the taxes OF pcople
should have decisive voice in determining the
wav in which those taxes shall be expended. The
principle is undoubtedly right-and no man can
successfully gaining it. 1t is the principle r"eog-
ni.ed by oil the Governments Of the earth except
our own. We have bee mo SO excessively demr
cratic and agrarian. that We give tho right OF ""i
frare To everybody without exception, and, in some
cases, even l.. foreigners before they become cit.
gems. ia Cuban were to come to some OF our
States he could vote in election the week utter
he landed here. But an American who gees to
Cuba, We rather think, would have . lively time
of it in voting hese, even il he lived to tho age of
Methusaleh. If they exclude four hundred and
ninety nine out Of every Ave bundled Of Their opn
citi1e"s, what chance would foreigner have
The RICH, Of property. und 'ubicdly. is ut the
bottom Of all other rights. Everything else de-
ponds upon IL. The right 10 life differs from the
RICH, to property in this that it isa natural right
which no law can either enlarge diminish. But
The rights Of property. constituting the basis Of
all other acquired rights, are Of that dignity that
they should always have the precedence over all
others. Even with US, the principle is constantly
re gnized. In our railroad meetings do we let
everybody vote? Not at all. None but stockholi-
e-s. and heir representatives, ara ent''ied 10 the
privilege. The o9ners Of cur Ra.lrual'. Banas,
and all other public private - u Us. npl
none but the opne,s are admitted 10 The right If
suffrage.
But when we come to municipal AFFAIR.". what do
We sees We have absolutely enlarged the right
Of suffrage To such degree that it is incapable Of
further extension. Every man who can, Ivy posi-.
blty. have the privilege conferred upon him, has
it. Loafers, vagabonds, foreigners, men without
any personal stake 10 the community whatever,
have 4 controlling voice in all our elections, mum
opal and political.
The man who pays thousand dollars per an
num taxes, has voice in the disposition
of the money than he who does not pay dollnr,
and whose name graces the front of tho Market
House 10 the list If delinquents.
Well-this may be I'll right--we hope it is. 1t
certainly has the quality u being Democratic Gu
ough. It is true no other people on earth act up
on the 80 ne principle. But then the American
nation. younger than all the others, may possibly
also DO wiser. They think so at lea,t. whether
they are or not. Banks, railroads. canals, mills
farms.and the like are managed aud controlled by
those who own them-but those who own cities
and States are practically ous,ed from the dispo
sltion of their own property. We live in demo,
cratic age, where one man is no, only MS pol as
another, but great deal better" The best we
can do, we suppose, is to close our eyes. aud ,aAo
things u they como.