West-Jersey pioneer., 1866-11-09
POLITICAL PROGRESS.

The acerbity exhibited in political con.
tests appears to become more violent
every year. Instead Of melting to mea
sures calculated to harmonize the differ.
enccs Of opinion entertained by partisan
adherents-instead Of inducing to fair
impartial and statesmanlike discussions ol
various questions-the heart of party
strife produces personal animosity and
vindictiveness, and leads men to defame
each other in terms of bitter and dis
respectful denunciation. Were we to
Judge candidates and parties by the char
acter given each other in their respective
organs and by the speeches and language
of their champions, orators and wire
pullers, we would naturally conclude that
the very worst men in the nation
lead the van of political progress, become
candidates for the various Offices, and are
elected to the most prominent positions
in the gift of the people! Men without
character-wit less brains than dollars
simply ignorant and destitute Of those
qualifying characteristics which fit an
incumbent for office, thrust themselves
upon primary meetings and conventions
for nominative honors. and the voters
and delegates without inquiring into
their abilities and fitness, consent to
honor them on the foolish plea of
auailaJihty. By this process encourage
ment is given to the idea Of making
dollars instead of merit the representative
sine gasa non in the selection of candidates
"a measure which is subversive of the
best interests of society and the commu-
nifty at large-as we'll as deteriorating
the standard of moral worth which every
occupant of Office should possess.
The time was when Office sought occu-
pants; then they were filled creditably
and honorably. No spirit of peculation
manifested itself in the discharge of duty
and the political status was preserved
unimpaired. Now every Office from that
of pound-keeper up to President of the
United States, has its scores of aspirants,
from the bar-room politician to the shod.
dyite with heavy gold chain, kid
gloves, and lamentable vacuum in the
brain-pan. In all seriousness, is not this
true and is it not ridiculous condition
for an intelligent people to be placed in ?
It is an imputation on the character of
the American people, and disgrace
that they themselves should suffer it SO
to remain We know this is plain Ian
guage, but the sad results Of the practices
INDUCED in our political affairs are also
painfully plain, and require plain words
to expose them. That man who has no
greater idea or respect for the privileges
of franchise which he enjoys than to sell
his vote for what it will realize him, is
unworthy Of the prerogative his privileges
confer, and he who would attempt to buy
his way into Office should be promptly
made to feel that merit not money is the
only criterion by which man should be
judged or permitted to exercise functions
of authority in free and Republican
form of Government
The buying and selling of votes has
been, and still is, curse to the country
Office is prostituted through its influence
laws are violated-partisan aims and
purposes usurp justice and right-and
judicial mercy is often made to bend in
favor of dominant parties. There is
remedy for these evils in the hands Of
the people. They alone possess the antidote
they alone can cure these public and
political maladies. When they realize
the enormity of the evils complained of
when they are conscious that the integ-
rity and status of the National Govern
ment are of more essential interest to
the future advancement and success of
the country than the aggrandizement of
any lndividual-when they will feel
ashamed to sell their elective franchises
to those unprincipled demagogues who
may offer to bribe them, then, and not
till then, may we expect to see a radical
change wrought in our political campaigns
and election canvasses.
The right to vote is an important
privilege, and should be scrupulously
guarded. This right is enjoyed in no
country to such liberal extent as it is
in ours, and no people on the face of the
earth are so free in its exercise as the
American people. They should, therefore,
zealously guard that right from everything
in the shape Of fraud and corruption.-
The ballot-box is the palladium of our
safety-a free, moral and Independent
press is.the conservator of the public good.
When these are properly respected the
Government Of our country will be wisely
and honestly administered, and the people
themselves will become exempt from those
annoyances which evil-disposed men
practice in the furtherance of their own
schemes. The progress of politics would
then be conservative of the public veal
A moral element would be given to
election campaigns compatible with the
original designs Of our free institutions,
and, instead of the chickering's and harsh !
ness of expression which now enter into
al the discussion Of the day, on the stump,
md in our State and National Councils, we
,hould find each man iudicious1v and |