Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1863-05-16
own testimony solely

trict where it is against fraud and impos-
ton. Suppose, for example One Thousand
Soldiers Votes shall have been polled in
the County of Lewis, they will have been
scrutinzed the same as other votes, polled
in the presence Of those who know whether
they are or are not those OF legal voters,
counted with other votes, aud the result
generally known the morning after Election
What chance is left for excitement and
Dissatisfaction But suppose the polls
close next November, and the election by
three hundred majority Of one ticket in
Lewis county is ascertained and declared !;
and suppose that, throughout the ensuing
mouth, returns keep dropping in of One
Thousand votes cast as those of Lewis
County soldiers in various camps in Mary
land, Virginia, North Carolina, South Car.
olua, Louisiana, etc., etc., by nobody
knows whom, whose claim 10 be legal
voters in Lewis County was not and could
not there be effectively scrutinized, and it
now appears that these soldier votes have
reversed the home result, electing the pre-
sumptively deiear ed candidates, and defeat.
ing those elected by the ho vote, it is
easy to foresec widespread discomfort and
soffectiun.
The passage Of Judge Lows bill had no
sooner become probable than Gov. Sey.
mour assaicd it iu al Extraordinary Mes
sage To the Senate, condemuing it in
sweeping terms, aud threatening it, if pass.
ed, with IA Veto. 1t was passed neverlhe.
less, aud iu due course Was vetoed. So it
lies dead, and our absent soldiers canno
vote next November.
Bat the Goverdor proposed, instead Of
Judge Lows plan, an amendment of the
Constit tution whereby absent soldiers should
be autho zad TO vote in camp The fact
that most Of b s Arguments against Judge
Lows bill applied with equal if not great
er force TO his project did not prevent It's pas.
sage and approval. But the.measure must
now await the election Of an entirely new
Legisla' ure, which must ratfy it afre,h,
and then it must be subitted to direct
vote of the whole people, and receive their
formal sanction. Ii is thus settled that
our soldiers cannot vote at our next State
Election, and not even at the Presidential
Election Of 1864, unless special State
Election shall he he'd in 1864, at a cost o
uol less than Half a Million dollars, ex
pressly TO his end. Should the War con
tiuue ill November, 1864, there is there
| 70 but a chance that our absent soldiers
will DC enabled to vote at that most impor
taut election. And if not we shall have
urgent and Wholesale applications for fur
loughs, attempts by Sta'e ufhcers to PFC
cure or TO prevent The return of abseut sole
iers to their State, and electoneering erie
that the administration is wirhholIin
these and sending home those with view I
control the resul. in this or that State, etc
etc, whereby our already undermined polit
cal fabric will lie shaken to its fouudI
lons
Is ii not right that those who aie i
arms for the defense of their country shout
have a voice in elections which vituaIl
control the object, the character, and !h
duration Of the War? Who should,
not they Gerrit Smith, in churaeteri
tic and fo'cble letter, urges that if eithe
he or The soldier facing the Rebels must
DISTINGUISHED, it shall he he aud not IL
soldier. Every generous heart must fe
the justice Of this Why, then, shull I'll
soldiers rem in dSfraRchised Who bt
Iieves that our Governor and his suppo
ters in the legislature would have doae thei
utmost TO postpone at all events, aud pre-
badly TO defeat entirely, the enfranchis'
ment Of our soldiers in the field, had the
not known that but for their dstranchis'
ment the Democratic party could not hav
achieved and would be utterly unable
elain power?
Is il said that our Constitution did nC
contemplate proxy voting? Admit il
But did it contemplate the necessary al
Sence from the State for years of sixth I
our voters, facing hardship, peril, and deaf
while battling for their c0untry's existence
Is not the whole existing condition anomu
ons Does any one doubt that the Const
tuition loouH hare provided for taking ii
votes of our soldiers had the present criS
been anticipated?
, Now the Constitution of our State do
, not require a vote to be presented TO Il
Inspectors by the voter IN person. \
= clause of that instrument cXacls his pt
sonal presence at the poll. But it do
: stipaate that no person shall loose his re-
; dence BY reason OF his absence in The Mi
: tary or Naval service of the State
:, Country, and imposes on the Legislatu
y The duty of prescribing proper proofs
; the discrimination OF legal voters fro
e others. | hold, then, that while the spiI
of the Constitution clearly requires l
Legislative rest GRAFTON to our soldiers
;, the Right of Suffrage which they have lC
u by proving themselves eninenuy worthy
il, the letter Of that instrument nowise fl
y :, bids that act of justice aud patriotism.
r Bat this, for the present, is preclude
" The Democratic party of New York. acli
:, =! through its chosen and recognized lead
III aud representatives, has decided that {
soldiers 10 arms against the Slaveholde
" Rebellion shall thereby lose their voles
u is the punishment prescribed for loys
. unto death by those who from the
" have insisted that Armed Treason sho
u have been turned ASIDE from its fell p
~ pose 10y abjecL submission to its deman'
IL Oar Soldiers must for the present sta
~ DISTINGUISHED but not only they but I'll
eS friends also will remember for what and
=. whom.
re A FISHING Mr.. went down