Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1865-02-23
Special Town Meeting.
SATURDAY, FEp, 25ru, AT . O'oLocK p. ]

L VI
The Legislature has determined who
shall be voters in Town Meeting. We
have nothing more to do with that, now,
than we have with the question who
shall be taxpayers, except to see that
the decision Of the Legislature is en-
forced.
The object OF the meeting called Tor
next Saturday, Feby 25th, is, as we have
before said. and is Osly, to see whether
the town will vote to accept the pro,
visions OF the act passed by the last
Legislature "to prevent illegal voting"
&c, We have examined the provisions
Of this act with some care, and are sat
lsaed that there is nothing in it that
can be in the least Objectionable to any
one, unless it be a person who IS in IA
vor Of illegal voting, and of fboisterous, if
not riOtous proceedings at the polls.
The act provides for record of the
names Of persons voting at the March
meeting. The object of this is, we sup
pose, to secure the eriaeHos against any
Berson who shall be guilty of any lille
gal voting. Ifit IS reasonable and right
that we should have q record of the
voters at Freemens Meetings, is there
anything unreasonable and wrong in
having q like record at the March meet
ings Our readers may be assured
when they find man who opposes this,
that he is in favor of double voting to &C
complish unworthy purposes.
The act also provides for the election
of Town officers on a general ticket-in-
cluding all officers except highway sur
veyors and jurors. This provision COM
mends itself to all as great saving of
time, and preventive Of all confusion.
1t will take no more time to elect all the
officers than it now takes to elect one.
1t also provides that plurality instead
of majority, shall elect. Can there be
any objection to an election of our town
officers on cge ticket and by the process
Of oss ballot? We now elect all of
our justices of the peace on one bal
lot. Does this work injuriously to the
Interests Of any one4 We hear Of no
one who objects TO this method. Is
there any valid reason why a plurality
should not elect? Oar senators, county
officers and justices are now all elected
by plurality, and if these high posi-
tions OF responsibility and trust are de-
termined in this way, can there be any
argument against the adoption of the
same rule ae to town officers
We may say in briet that the law dis
franchises no one; it secures and guar
antees the fullest and fairest expression
of the legal voters OF the town; il Sc
cures order and decorum at the polls: it
expedites immensely the transaction of
town business, and 1t will elevate the
standard Of fitness in men elected to
office
Many OF our townspeople have been
repelled from the polls by the disgrace
ful proceedings that have too often
characterized our town meetings When
quiet and erder shall again prevail, they
viii gladly be present TO aid by their
counsel and votes the transaction of inn
portant bushes. In such confusion,
too, Az has Of late prevailed in cur
meetings the selection Of good men must
always be more accidental than other
wise
The last and best effect OF the law will
be to divest our town elections OF all
partizaD character, The elections can
no longer be carried by shoutings and
physical endurance, but each party will
present 10 the voters for their approval
ticket selected calmly and deliberately
in reference to their qualifications. and
on this ground alone will their election
be urged upon the people. The verv
best men, without reference to their DO
litical afinities, are the men who will
be nominated for Office. and such only
will be elected.
To secure 20 desirable an object we are
sure our people will labor until the
thing Is accomplished, and TO secure II
we again call upon every legal voter in
town 10 be present at the meeting next
Saturday.