The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1866-12-13
Orr strlcm 81 s.lcctlen-.

LoFJyille journal a lengthy and well
written paper from the pen Of Dr. J.
r. Bi1hanan' Of Louisville, in which
he urges q reform in the American sys-
TEN Of elections as necessary to secure
equal rights TO the people He starts
out with the assertion that the funda.
mental principle Of republican govern
ment is the sovereignty Of the people,
aud then goes on 10 show the machine
~ Of expression derived by our
fathers was imperfectly planned, in the
simplest fashion, and has signally
failed to give true expression, in all
cases, to the peoples will. The pres
ent system il imperfect, he argues, be-
cause it annihilatcs the rights Of mi
norities, and exposes them TO oppres
sion; it gives as much power 10 a
majority OF one as a majority Of one
hundred thousand, and thus enables
political jugglcrs, by Il mere power Of
numbers, which are often very small,
to defeat the will Of the people. The
terrible calamities Of the last five years
are alluded to TO illustrate how our
present electoral system works, when
the votes Of 2,813,7l1 citizens were
nullilied by the votes Of 1856 52 abo-
litiOnists, and new sectional reyolu
tionary policy installed in the seat Of
Washington by an INSCRIPTIONS set Of
politicians, before whom majority Of
the people are almost entirely ig
norcd as far rs the executive depart.
ment Of the government is concerned,
and whose will is now represented by
n mere handful Of Congressman while
the minority has one hundred and
forty one representatives in the lower
house. After dcyoting considerable
space to the evils Of our present mode
Of election, DR.. Buchanan comes to his
plan Of election. In order that the
reader will properly understand it we
quote from it;
The State being entitled in the supposed
case TO ten Representatives, each party will |
nominate that number If the Democratic |
receive 10000 votes, and the anti |
Democratic 10000, the former would be mo-
rally entitled to six Representatives, and |
the hitter 10 four How can we arrive at |
that Just result practically Simply by en-
acting that the votes of each party shall be
given to its candidates in the order of their
relative rank, rs determined by the party.
Thus, the first ten thousand Democratic
vote, shall be credited to Mr. A. and shall
,lcct him; the second ten thousand shall
llect Mr. i, and so on, the last ten thousand
'lrctng Mr. i, the sixth candidate. In like
manner, the goo votes of the other party
,hall elect their Mcssr1 A, Is, G and d. Thus
,rssrs. T., L, &, II, !, j, of the radical party
md Messrs &. II, l. j, of the Democratic par
y, Will be defeated, and the election will
Nactly represent the strength of parties
With fairness that is satisfactory to ALL
In ease there shall he no general ticket
dominated by tho Contesting parties eacb |
oter,will make his owa ticket, placing the ,
lndiHates in the ordcs'which he prefers, as y
rst, second, or third choice. The first choice !
light he indicated by the lowest number,
ne
The votes being recorded and examined in !
prescribed order the candidates who have
'ceived the full number of ten thousand ,
otes as the first choice of their voters, shall
= declared elected, and their lists of voters
'parated from the remainder. The names
the elected shall then be removed from the 4
ltcs of the remaining voters, leaving their
cond choice to stand as the first, &c
This plan, DIR. Buchanan thinks, will o
reyent majorities from being juggled y
ut of their rights or deprived of their I
lluence in legislation Each princi-
e and interest would be secure in its J,
presentation. 1t may be applied di- J
,ctly TO Congressional elections, ard a
} the choosing of electors for each
late for President and Vice President e.,
/ the choice of any single officer, as
overnor, Judge, President. this sys-
m ofnumeral order would not be so
,ccssary, as it would be sufficient to |,
ave a simple requisition that 4 ma b
rity of all the votes should be neces- n
Try to elect, and that Il no such ma Al
rity appears, the choice shall then be !
ade between the two leading candi- il
ltos t'
As soon as restoration is completed a,
Id the negro question settled, we may AT
,pect this and kindred subjects to
me up for consideration. The con ~
elton is gaining ground every day
at franchise must be reduced, and
me plan devised that will oyerturn
rrupt legislation, patronage, and the
'litical gerrymandering arrangements Fl
lich so often robs equitable MAORI I'll
IS Of their rights, and places the bal r,
ce Of power in the hands of shrewd IL
cksters. y,