The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1859-10-07
Our Elections.

excited elections, those for President that
seem to arouse the depths of the political
elements-we never bring out more Than
three quarters of the voters of the country
and, in our ordinary elections, sometimes
not one half and commonly not more
than sixty per cent. of those who enjoy the
franchise, perform the duty of going to the
polls. In every election of an unworthy or
unsuitable man to Office, there are opponents
enough to defeat him, who stay away from
the polls, from sheer remissness of sacred
public duty. a
We deplore the degeneration in the char
acter of our public men--the decentralization
and corruption that pervades all depart
ments of the public service-and complain
of the elevation of men of inferior capaci-
ties and doubtful morality to the highest
posts in the gift of the people, as if it were
the fault of the system of our institutions;
but the truth is, the evil arises from the
gross dereliction Of duty by those who SUI
pinely deplore it. The machinery of free
government was never eon'',u''eu " "A
oy i'Sen II iequi'' ''''""
keep it in healthful operation. No princi-
pal can have good agents who uses no care
in their selection, and keeps no regular and
"a'cniui Supei' iSio" Vi '"'"' fO'
must DO the same.
Inc men VINO are most hesiiseh' VI ' 'n'
duties as voters are generally the men
VINO nave me Tue most =. '''Ae III .ne 'A' p''-
ltic. lhey taNe ho snare III poii'cS' Oe0"u'0
as tney say IL Is LOO uirty Pooi ioi sen'eei
and Respectable men 10 uaooie IN. incy
therefore aDdicate the highest privileges Oh
freemen ana repudiate the most Sacreu oo-
hgatlons Oh CITIZENS anu aoaiuon 'ne ha''-
agemeht OIL uheir puoiic all'irS W iiieu 'ne'
"ouiu NOT 'ru7s VII" 'ne'' S'-''''e'' p'''''''
ihVeres'S' t...- -
men arc 81 Ao0o' Deu - '''-". $50
lntereSls-aiiu na'e ~ h'1o "pP'e'i"'on "
the privileges tney ehJoy-'na' 'ney WIN
give no attentlon 10 their poii'icai uu'ieS'
they VIII nave as an ine 'i'aoie consequence,
demoraiized government anu oppreS'Ne
taxes, from wnich capi'ai anu en'efp'i'e WI" WIN
finally by as from pestnence.
Ii this community mas one iaui' winch
distinguishes II from all others, Is
lack OF Puolic spirit1-ah ihuisPoSilion "
make the slightest lndiVlduai Sacrihces iof
the public weai-a disregard oil winch Is
often the shortest sighted private pohcy'
Our prosperity has been SO great, IN spite Oh
bad laws and worse administration OF
them, that men seem to feel that the affairs
OF their local government are Oh very little
Importance 10 them personally ar r1e'a
They don't realize the evils OF lniSsS'o'erh-
ment, till they find taxes OF various Kinds
absorbing one-third, OF the rental o.
their lands and houses. Then they grumbl'
about it for day, but forget it the next.
On Tuesday next We are to have al
election of the highest concern to the loca
interests of this county and section-on'
that will determine the character OF ou
most important court, and have aninhuenc'
upon the administration of our county al
fairs. which every one complains have Ions
been grossly mismanaged. Yet no one ap
narently takes any deep interest in it.
There is not a citizen who is willing t,
give an hour of his time, or a dollar of hi
money. even to see that the rural precinct
are furnished with tickets for voters 1t i
not probable that more than half, or posi-
bly two-thirds of the voters will take tn
trouble of going to the polls; and the resul
is likely to be, as usual, that the schemers-
who know how TO make politics a lucrativ
rsda.w;Il carry the election BY the de
e,,r, Of those who onobt 10 decide il.
In olden times. when 1T was thought tina
tho conntrv might he in danger. at som
time from externo, enemies. a militia wa
oroan;zed and trained to defend it an
very e;,;,e, ,vos obl;qea ~ rive his finn