Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1864-08-02
The Vote nv HaIIot.

tuition, ordained in 1FTe, revised in 1885, and
amended several times since, that all voting for
representatives Of the people shall be BY ballot
[See State Constitution sections 2and g. and amend
ments Of 1886, art l, sec !, clauses and 81 This
mode of voting has not been prescribed BY accident
or without design, for in 1885 the mode Of choosing
officers appointed by the Legislature was changed
from ballot to VioG poce. This change was in per-
feet harmony with the popular vote by ballot, for
the selection by the members of the Legislature OF
proper officers, as Judges, Senators, &C., being OF
as much concern to the constituent as the enact
ment Of goodaws it was equally essential oProyide
in this election also for the responsibility Of the
members to the people, and this was done by the
OiUa ceyote But the fundamental principle OF
popular voting is that the qualified voter should
be wholly free to vote as he may choose and should
be bound to render q reason for his choice to no
man; and should be subject to no question for it
any where It has ever been prime study with
statesmen in free countries how best to secure u
true and unbiased expression of the will Of each
and every voter. Ssch vas the case in the ancient
republics of Greece and Rome, where the ballot
was adopted; and such has been the ease in the
land Of our ancestors, where the ballot has like
wise been adopted It is the Constitutional privi.
lege Of every man 10 vote either with an open
folded ticket; and the mode of voting by ballot was
chosen expressly 10 enable the voter to escape the
influences and annoyances which sometimes attend
the exercise OF the franchise And no one can, be
ignorant that in proportion to the extension of the
right of suffrage to the poorer and the humber
classes of men, the field of influence is wdend for
the operations of wealth, power and patronage.
1t is stated that such was the exercise Of the roy
al influence over the Scottish Parliament in the
reign of Charles the Second that after frequent de-
mands by the popular party for the ballot in the
passage of laws, it was conceded; and 1T was ar
ranged that the Lord Clerk Register should hold
bag to receive the ballots at the foot of the throne
and these should be secretly examined and burned,
WHICH was faithfully observed, only the Register,
having rooted quarrel against Southesk, did mark
his ballot With nip when he received it, and there
by discovered his vote" He had been suspected
Of voting against the wishes Of royalty, and this
mode was adopted to detect him and bring him into
disfavor.
Gov. Vance, by printing his tickets on paper of
peculiar and unusual color, and his newspaper
organs, by calling on the public to notice what
kind of tickets are offered 6y the voter, has resort
ed to the process Of npping practiced by the Lord
Clerk Register. SOuthesk was nipped and marked
because it was suspected he was opposed to the un
just demands Of royalty; and the soldiers have
been nipped and marked, As the people will be on
Thursday next as far as the Governor can do 1t.
1t IS both the constitutional and legal right Of
the voter to present his ballot or ticket to the in
spector either open folded up. If he presents it
folded up, the polhOlier has no right to open it.
Nor has the poll holder any right to Spen the ticket
for the purpose Of writing any thing the back of
it But we understand the tickets of the soldiers
toere opened by the pollholders, and the names Of
their respective Counties written the back, as
to distinguish the ballots. This was not only un-
constitutional and Illegal but unnecessary. If any
st ch writing on the back Of the ticket was necesSa
~ to distinguish the tickets from each other that
were cast by soldiers from different Counties, the
soldier himself should have been directed to write
the of his County his ticket before he offer
ed it to the poll holder and the fact that different
mode was adopted proves that the object was to
prevent free voting by opening the tickets and ex-
posing them to the observation of by-standers.