Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1861-11-30
The Elective Franchise.


for members Of Congress and Presidential Electors
in State, which it would be well for the peoplesto
ponder upon aud remember. = .s.-7E.sss ..,a-sSs
We allade first to the manifest Indifference which
prevailed in regard to its results and the small val
ue,' which the vote would indicate, placed by our
people IN our present circumstances, upon the cleo
tive franchise. Never before in the history Of North
Carolina has so meagre vote been given in Pres
idential election. We are far from believing, how
ever, as some would have it. that the people of this
State are fast vergng to that point, when they
would be willing to surrender that dear bought and
invaluable prerogative of freemen. They were new
er more tenacious of that right than now, as would
be readily exhibited if attempts were made to wrest
it from them; but their recent indifference is the
result of circumstances, and, to some extent the
erroneous and dangerous idea which prevailed that
It's exercise in the present condition Of the country
and the status of the candidates. rendered it either
unnecessary unimportant
If the elective franchise be Of any value a time
of peace it is doubly so in time of war. At no
time is the truth of the proverb that power is al
ways stealing from the many to the few" more full
ly and more dangerously verified than during the
existence of a war of the character which now pre-
walls When all are on one Sde-all agreed to
prosecute the war to successful ISSUE the utmost
vigilance should be exercised to guard :he treasure
of the country and the rights of the people, against
the unwashed hands of ofice,seekers, demagogues
and oligarchs. The great body of the people, both
in the army and out of It, are looking to the best
means, domestic and military, to end the war as
soon as possible. They are not looking so much to
r
seeking to live by the Offices and honors of the gov
eminent. Yet, 1t is evident that if the people and
the army become indifferent to the proper filling of
the public offices of the country, by neglecting to
go the ballot-boXes they are as much in danger of
a g fire IN the rear" as they are from the fire in
front
1t was, therefore, with the view of preventing this
indifference to the elective franchise and to keep up
in the army well as among the people watch
rul guardianship over their rights, that we sup
ported the ordinance in the State Convention at its
first session. securing to officers and soldiers
the right to vote, wherever they might be camp,
in this as well as in any of the States. We hold
that the exercise of this right at all times is duty
which every freeman owes to his country and to
Posterity. 1t lies at the very foundation of our
liberties and should never be omitted except for
! causes over which we have no control
We have intimated that at the late election our
| people were too deeply engroSsed in their econom
! cal pursuits to secure living and to provide for
the maintenance of the war; to give themselves con-
| Germ about it. There were other reasons no doubt
| which had their influence But, what is living
worth, or, of what importance the results of the
war; if ready to fling away the dearest
| right of a freeman, (which, of all others, makes
every man equal among his fellows in this land
of popular rights and constitutional liberty? The
fact that there was but candidate for the Pres-
dency and Vice Presidency, and that all were agreed
upon those candidates, is not sufficient to account
for the indifference. Members were to be elected
to the first permanent Congress of the Southern
Confederacy-a most important mattcr-and the
candidates in several of the Districts canvassed but
all to no purpose-tne people were bent upon other
matters and ore turned to his farm and another to
his merchandise. We deeply regret it, not because
of the results of the election for that is a small mat
ter but because of the effect such meagre vote
is to have upon the people themselves tending to
habitua neglect of this great duty and because OF
the false impression it is likely to make upon our
Northern enemies.
End The next fact developed by the meagre vote,
is the very decided rebuke it gives to the spirit OF
partyism, sought to be encouraged and promoted
by noisy, oifice-huntng faction in this State
Equally clear does it show the weakness and short
lived character of that faction among the original
secessOniss in this State who are bent upon secu-
ring the Offices and honors of the wholly them
selves Were these the only consequences of the
small vote, every conservative in the State must re-
joce. We say, the tlctiOR among the original Sc.
c.ssionists; for candor compes us to say, that
among the original secesSionistS are to be found
many intelligent, high-mnded men, who as fully
detest and ignore all sympathy with that partzan,
Office huntng faction, as the conservatives do.
The people of North Carolina by a very large
majority are, Enthusiastically, to all partyisn
during the war. They evidently desired but one
ticket for Presidential Electors. The conservatives
were anxious to secure but ticket but every
proposition they made to that partzan faction was
rejected Nothing but ticket composed of four old
Union men and eight original secesSionists would suit
them Hence, when the conservative ticket, equal
ly divided between the old Union men and original
secessionists presented to the people, thousands
of the old Union men refused to vote at ALL This
is manifest from the fact that in the old secession
Counties and the secession precincts the old Union
Countess the partizan secession ticket polled nearly
its entire strength, while twothids more of the
conservative or old Union men did not go to the
polls. Most extraordinary efforts made fqI
the Rodman ticket as we learn, and these efforts
were crowned with success in bringing out three
fourths of the vote of that faction in the State.
That we are correct in this position, is also clear
ly demonstrated by the results of the Congressional
elections. In five of the Districts five conserva
tives were elected In the other fve the gentle
men elected had pursued so little offensive