The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1868-12-01

missioners Of other States, to be held I
for the consideration Of this subject, at
Springfield, Illinois, on the first of De
cember neXt-said Commissioners to re-
port the results of their investigation
in time for action by the present General
Assembly.
/ submit to your consideration the
Importance Of providing for thorough |
and comprehensive geological survey
of the State. Many years ago partial
survey was prosecuted under many
difficulties and embarrassments, which |
was fruitful Of valuable results. 1t is,
beyond doubt, that such work as it is
now practicable to carry out, will, by
making known the mining, manufacture
ing and agricultural resources of the
State, lead to their development to an
extent which will, within few years,
amply reimburse the State for its cost |
The annual report of pardons granted
and the combinations of the sentences
of convicts required by law; a state
ment in detail of the expenditure Of the
Governors Contingent Fund; the semi
annual report Of the Commissioners of
the Sinking Fund, for May; copies of
proclamations issued during the last
year; and an acknowledgment Of the
presentation to the state of several of
the portraits of former Governors Of
Ohio, are transmitted herewith.
The most important subject of legis
lation which, in my judgment, requires
the attention of the General Assembly
at its present session, relates to the pre-
vention of frauds upon the elective
franchise. Intelligent men of all par
ties are persuaded that at the recent i'm
portant State and National elections
great abuse of the right of suffrage
were practiced. | am not prepared to
admit that the reports commonly circu
lated and believed in regard to such
abuses, would, so far as the elections in
Ohio are concerned, be fully sustained
by a thorough investigation Of the facts.
But it is not doubted that even at the
elections in our own State frauds were
perpetrated to such an extent that all
good citizens earnestly desire that effect
i've measures may be adopted by YOU to
prevent their repetition. No elaborate
attempt to portray the consequences Of
this evil is required. If it is allowed to
increase, the confidence of the people in
the purity Of elections will be lost, and
the exercise of the right of suffrage will
be neglected. To corrupt the ballot box
is to destroy our free institutions. Let
all good citizens, therefore, unite in en-
acting and enforcing laws which will Sc
cure honest elections.
l submit to your judgment the pro-
priety of such amendments to the cleo
tionla as will provide, first, for the
representation of minorities in the
boards of the judges and clerks of the
elections; and second, for the registra-
ton of all the lawful voters in each
township, ward and election precinct,
prior to the election.
That the boards of elections ought to
be so constituted that minorities as well
as majorities will have fair representa-
ticn in them, is so plainly just that in
some parts of the State, even i'll times
of the highest political excitement, such
representation has been obtained, in the
absence Of law, by arrangement between
the committees of the rival political par
ties. 1t is not probable that any mode
of selecting Judge and clerks of elections
can be adopted which will, in every case
accomplish this object. But in all cases
where the strength of the minority is
half, or nearly half as great as that of
the majority, the desired representation
of the minority may be ensured with
sufficient certainty by several different
plans. For example, it may be, provi
ded that at the election of the three
judges who are to decide all questions
at the polls, each elector may be allowed
to vote for two candidates only, and that
the three candidates having the highest
number Of votes shall be declared cleo
ted, and in like manner that at the cleo
ton of the two clerks of election each
elector may vote for one candidate only,
and that the two candidates receiving
the highest number Of votes shall be de-
clared elected.
do not lay much stress on the par
ticular plan here suggested, but your at
tention is invited to the importance of a
fair representation of the minority in all
boards of elections, not doubling that
your wisdom will be able to devise q
suitable measure to accomplish it.
All parts of the State of Ohio are
now so closely connected with each
other, and with other States,' by lines of
railway, that great and constantly in
creasing facilities are afforded for the
preparation of the class of frauds, on
the elective franchise, commonly known
as "colonizing" In the cities, men
called ''repeaters, it is said, are paid
wages according to the number of I'M
lawful votes they succeed in casting at
the same election. The increase of pop
ulation adds to the difficulty Of detecting
and preventing fraudulent voting, in
whatever mode it may be practiced. 1t
is manifestly impossible, amid the hurry
and excitement of an election, that the
legal right to vote, Of every person who
may offer his ballot, should be fully and
ttilIl OSNittSN. hC
experience Of many Of the older States
has proved that this can best be done at
some period prior to the election, so as
to give to every legal voter, in an cleo
ton precinct, an opportunity to chal-
lenge the claim of any person whose
right is deemed questionable. Laws to
accomplish this have been in force in
several other States for many years, and
have been carried out successfully and
with the general approval of the people
Believing that an act providing for the
registration of all legal voters is the
most effective remedy yet devised for
the prevcntation of frauds on the sacred
right of suffrage, and that registry
law can be so framed that it will deprive
!. no citizen, either native born or natural
lied, Of his just rights, l respectfully
recommend to your earnest considera-
ton the propricty of enacting such a
law r. B. HAYES.
x.n,>,r,ls.,,np.f