Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1865-1872, 1868-05-08
LETTER FROM INDIANAPOLIS.
The Popular Vote System Congressional
Candidans and Conrentions-Recent
Changes and Ne,o Developments.


Special Correspondence Of the Cincinnati Gazette.
INDIANAPOLIS, April 27.
In two or three counties the result Of
the recent primary election has not been
satisfactory, aud the occasion is taken ad-
vantage of by those who are opposed to
the popular vote system, TO urge It's aban-
donment hereafter. The principal diff
Guilty in the way Of its proper working lies
in the fact that il Is merely q party bal
loting, and there can be no penalty for
illegal voting, or for even siufiing the
ballot box, if that should be resorted to.
As the contest is merely among friends,
there is not the same vigilance exercised
to prevent persons from voting, who have
no right TO do SO, or from voting two or
three times ii they choose The inspectors,
too, have been known, upon more than
one occasion, TO allow few extra tickets
inserted and counted for fayorite cand-
date, qnieting their owo oouecionees with
the belief that the votes 20 for the best
and strongest man, whereas another would
be in great danger Of being defeated.
There is really, however, very mrch TO
be said in favor Of this system; the ballots
being cast merely as Instructions to dele.
gates who are TO vote in accordance with
them in Convention. If candidates will
see that the box is in tho control of good
and reliable men, and will have friends
constantly prepared 10 challenge Demo-
cratic votes, or see that no double voting
is done, there will be but little cause for
dissatisfaction. Even then, there will be
some cheating, at times. but it will not
nearly equal that Of the Convention sys-
TEN. Wire workers had got TO running
the conventions so almost exclusively, that
IL was quite impossible TO detect fraud
The primary vote system is death TO them,
aud they struggle hard against It, but the
fact is, that they are tho principal persons
who strenuously oppose il. Ii gives each
farmer in the most remote portion Of the
county, the same voice aud strength in
making the nomination that the profess
ional Convention "runncr" has at the
county seat.
When fraud arc perpotraied under this
system, they are readily detected, as was
the case ut the recent primary election in
Tippecanoo county, whore there appear to
have been more votes cast than there were
Republican voters in the county. The
excess was not great, however, when 1t is
considered that the interest shown was
sufficient to draw out the full strength Of
the party, ana 80 overwhelming was the
minority in favor Of 0nh for Congress,
that no one could honestly suppose that
fair vote would have given the county 70
any other candidate, even upon the highly
improbable presumption that ALL or even
minority Of tbs illegal votes cast, wore for
him. Indeed. so plain was the wish Of tho
people indicated that all other candidates
In iho county withdrew, Col Wilson, one
Of them, with special good grace tender
ing hearty support to Mr. Orth I'm
fortunately, one Of the Lafayette papers,
the journal, does not show so honest
purpose, but seems TO be cndcavoring 10
stir up feeling against Ortiz by harping
upon tho results OF the election, and chare-
ing that he can not carry the strength Of
the party with him to the polls. In this
II exhibits very bad taste, and in its en-
deavor to get up dissatisfaction, Is work
ing into the hands Of the enemy. The
popular vote has shown that the people Of
J Tippecanoo county are overwheliniugly
for Orth, and that If any persons are dis
satisfied, they are the politicians. There
arc other counties in the district, however,
where no election was held, and whore no
preference has yet been expressed, In
some OF those Gen. Lew. Wallace. Of
CrAwfordyiIlc who Is the only remaining
candidate in opposition to 0rth, possesses
decided strength, and he may secure the
nomination, but tho indications are quite
strong that he will not do so. The Con
yeution will DO held az Lafayette on tho
| lth Of june. .Hi' ~
Ia the Third District the question OF
candidates is exciting good deal of in
terest General Ben spooner, the Uni.
ted States Marshal, who was regarded as
the probable nominee for some time posi-
lively declines the race. Judge r.. N.
Lamb OF Voesy, Is ono OF the best men
In the district, aud will bo urged by his
friends for the nomination. As he was a
candidate for Auditor Of State before the
last Conysntion, this may work 10 some