Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1868-11-27

great abuses of the right of Suffrage
were urletiefd. ] an not ORE epafet 10
admit that the reports 60 DnmOnIy eirCu-
lated and believed in regard TO such
abuses, wau 50 far as the eleciions
in Ohi0 are eoncerned be fully sustain
cd bv thdrsugh Investigation 0f the
facts. But i Is not aonbted thar even
at the elections in our own state frauds
were perpetrated to such an extent that
all good citizens earnestly desire that
effective measures may be adopted by
Won to prevent their repetition. No
elaborate attempt to portray the cOnse-
queuces of this evil Is required. II g. rs
allowed to increase, the confidence Of
I the people in the purity Of elections
will be lost, and the exercise OF the
right of suffrage will be neglected. To
c.orrrpt The balIot-bax Is to destroy our
I free institutions. Let all good citizens,
I therefore unite in enacting and eHfore-
ing laws which VIII secure honest cleo
tiOns.
Submit 10 your Judgment the pro-
Z priety of such 4mendments 10 the elee-
I ton laws as viii provide, hFst, for
the reoresenfaffou of Tninorities in the
I bnards of the judges and clerks OF the
elections. and second, for the Tegistra-
( tiOn Of ali the lawful voters ID each
{ township, ward and election precinct,
Z prior TO the election.
That the boards of elections ought to
E be 50 constituted that minOrities as well
as maiorities will have a fair Tepresen-
ration in them, is so plainly Justthat IN
some parts of the State. even IN times
Z OF the highest political excitement, such
l representiOn has been obtained, in the
i absence of law. BY arrangement be-
Z cal parties. Il is not probable that any
mode Of selecting judges and clerks
I Of elections can lie adopted which viii ,
I in every case, accomplish this object
4 But in all cases where the strength OF
the minority is half, or nearly half as
I great as that of the majority, tue desir-
ed representation of the minority may
Il be ems Sured with sufficient certainty by
Z several different plans For eEa mple,
it may be provided at the election Of the
/ three judges who are to decide all
questions at the polls, each elector may
Z be allowed TO vote for two Candidates
only, and that the three candidates
i having the highest number of votes
shall be declared elected, and in like
manner that at the election Of the two
i clerks ofthe elections each elector may
I the e4,-o-sanCTiudtes receiving the hlgh-
/ est number Of votes shall be declared
elected.
do not lay much stress on the par
( ticular plan here suggested, but your at
I tentiou is invited to the importance OF a
4 fair represent alton of the minority IN
all boards of elections, not dOubtlng
that your wisdom will be able to de-
/ wise suitable measure to accomplish
tft. N
All parts OF the State Of Ohio are now
so closely connected with each other,
I and with other States, by lines of rail-
/ way, that great and constantly inereas-
4 ing facilities are afforded for the perpe-
tration of the class OF frauds, on the
4 elective franchise, commonly known as
I ''colOnizing.'' In the cities, men called
| etFnnpaf3FE - It Is said. are paid wages
according to the mum Der OF unlawful
votes they succeed in casting at the
J same election. The increase of pOpuia-
( tiOn adds TO the dimculty Of detecting
aud preventing fraudulent voting, in
( whatever mode it be practiced- 1t is
4 manifestly impossible, amid the hurry
I and the excitement of an election, that
1.-THE legal right to vote, of every person
4 who may Offer his ballot, should be full
Z lY and fairly investigated and decided.
z The experience of many of the Older
States has proved that this can be done
4 at some period prior to the election, SO
4 as TO give to every legal voter, in an
election precinct, an opportunity 10
} challenge the claim of any person
whose right is deemed quesiionable.-
I Laws to accomplish this have been in
I force IN several other States for MANY
years, and have been carried out success
I fally and with the general approval Oi
the people. Believing that anae ct provid-
! ing for the registration of aIllegal Vo-
( ters is the most elective remedy yet de-
4 vised for the prevention Of frauds OF
the sacred right of suffrage, and that a
registry law can be so framed that il
/ Will deprive no citizen, either native
/ born or natur3lized, OF his Just rights,
4 respectfully recommend. TO your earn
4 est consideration the pr0priety of en-
acting sueh a law. r. b. HAYES