The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1865-11-16
THE SECRET BALLOT.

The constitution oil tne ssaec VI ii4'Ho'S
guarantees to its inhabitants the right TO
elect their officers by ballot, and guarantees
that the secrecy and sacredness OF the ballot
shall be preserved, and there is no law which
permits any officer, or any person having
charge of the ballots, to examine them at all
except in a case of contested election. Yet
the Union the negro suffrage and Maine law
organ, in It's rage because nearly hundred
republicans in this city voted for the demo-
cratic candidate for county Judge, in its
coarse and vulgar way, says:
ssIt cannot be known till the end of six months
who voted for s'Pap'' in this CITY, Then it can be
if any one curious enough to know
If the newly elected county clerk violates
the laws of this state, and the oath he must
take to obey the laws, then it can be, but not
otherwise. Sec. I, of law of this state, ''to
provide for ascertainiug the qualifications OF
voters and to prevent fraudulent voting"
approved February %, 1861, provides as fol-
lows:
PRESERVATION OF BALLOTS.
T. All the ballots counted by the judges OF
election shall, after being read, be strung upon
have been read and shall then be carefully eRvel-
oped and sealed up by the judges, who shall direct
the same to the officer officers TO whom by law
they are required to return the poll books, and
shall be delivered, together with said poll books,
to said officer officers, who shall carefully pre-
serre said ballots for six MONTHS and at the expra-
ton of that time shall destroy them. And IN all
cases of contested election the parties contestng
the same shall have the right to have the said
package of ballots op med, and said ballots refer
red to By witnesses for the purpose OF such con-
test. But said ballots shall only be so examined
and referred to in the presence OF the ottcer hsV-
ing the custody thereof.
1t will bs seen that no person has any
right (even if they are curious to know to
examine the ballots at all, except in case of q
contested election, and then only to ascertain
for whom a contested voter cast his ballot
All ballots are required to be folded by the
voter, before he offers TO vote, and folded so
that it cannot be discovered for whom he
votes. And after the ballots are cast, sorted
and counted, they must be carefully sealed
up by the judges" and returned TO the coun-
ty clerk, and he is required to carefully
preserve said ballots for SIX months, and, at
the expiration of that time, shall destroy
them" He has no right, even to open the
bundles when he destroys them-nor can
they be opened at all, except in the case of a
contested election.
That Is the law, and that law the county
clerk must swear to regard and obey. But
from the fippant manner in which the organ
of the county clerk refers to what will be
done, at "the end OF six months" we infer
that the court house clique has already deci-
ded to violate the laws of the state, mold an
inquisition upon the ballots and visit their
wrath upon every freeman who has dared to
exercise the sacred right of voting for whoever
he pleased, instead of bowling his neck to the
yoke of the clique.
Let it be known, therefore, that the organ
of the court house clique threatens to violate
the laws of the state and hold an inquisition
upon the ballots of the peOple,-and also that
the people have not sufficient confidence IN
the honor and integrity of those who will
have charge of the ballots to expect that they
will honorabIy and faithfully regard and OBJ
serve the law.