Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1869-03-04
Communicated
Bribery at the PolIs-How shall ID he
Preypntedf

Bribery at the polls has increased so alarningy
since we fist became familiar with the working
ofpolitica parties that it is fearful to contemplate
the consequences to society in future. You
are not perhaps as familiar with the abomination
as wa OF the lower counties arc. There may per-
haps be as much money spent in New Castle as
either of the lower counties, but not with the
same unblushing boldness. We have seen num-
bera offer themselves with as much ciiroDtery and
about as little privacy as any other piece of mer-
chandize, aud demand twenty, thirty or fifty dol
lars )he price being governed by the closencss of
the contest the amount of marketable commodity
and means to purchaser and buyers as unblush-
ingiy buying the same. And VIC are sorry to say
that some OF our lawmakers and those in higher
authority arc not strangers to tho transactions.
We presume that they save their consciences with
the excuse that their opponents are dcing the
same thing But two wrongs do not make right.
Is this burning disgrace to our State to go un-
needed and unchecked indefinitely? Is there to
be no limits to either time amount2 or are we
to have this plague-spot upon society for all COM
ing timci
II is true, that there was less bribery last fail
than for years past. WhyS simply because QUE
party was sure OF winning under any crcum
stances that were likely to occur, and therefor,
had no need to buy votes. The other party wal
sure of losing and would have been fools TO spenS
much money with no hope of benefit to their par
ty or party friends. 1t is therefore iitvorab,
! opportunity to restrict by law this corrnptin.
practice to the smallest possible limits. 1t cal
be done. II should be done. If for nothing e's
J for the credit of the State. We do not claim /,
be ysrsed in legal lore, nor do we claim NOR,
than an ordisary share OF common sense; ye
with our limited knowledge of men and things
we think we could Cat least with the help of
skilllul lawyer) frame law that would curtai
this abominatiOn to such limits as would be com
paratvely harmless to morals and society in gen
eral. But if this blightning curse is to remain
fast and grow as 1t has done for the past twenty
live years an election will soon be but an0thc
name for II lottery, in which he who is able Il
} buy the most tickets will have the certainty o
carrying the prize such being the case none bu
the most wealthy need aspire to any office o
either honor or profit, -nnd to them il will be
dear bought privilege. 1t then becomes the in
terest nay, the duty of all classes to their in
fluence to put stop to IL at once. We had hoped
that our Legislature would take this matter Ii
hand ut this very favorable time, or at lie ist som
one better able than onrself to do Justice to thu
subject would so expose this polluting and dc
PRAYING custom of our politicians and voters il
all its hideous deiormty, and no such unanswer
able truths that our lawmakers would be indu
1
10 enact such laws as would speedily and effectu
) ally cure the evil. The party in power can do /
without loss OF money or popularity. The,
c should remember that bribery is game that twl
can play at, and that each party is bled at the OK
G pence Of the morals Of buyer and seller and per
1 haps not a vote gained to either that would no
! have been given had neither bought.
: 1t may seem presumption in us to even intimnt
: what kind Of law we should have to prevent Til
$ evil, nevertheless we will venture the assertion
n that ninc-tenths OF II may be stopped by THROWN.
t out all marked tickets as blanks, and by havn,
v the polls so arranged that but voter nj tim
: can get to the Inspector and he be out Of view
every one except the officers of the election, AM
: after voting retire in different direction from
. whence he entered. If after this precaulon an,
. votes arc sold and the sale be proved the par
q ty selling should be DISTINGUISHED for fourteen
ii years, which should not be restored by the Gov
: ernor, nor any other authority, except by a two
4, third vote of the Legislature. The above arrange
!. ment would leave purchasers nothing but iait
. in the honesty of the voters purchased whic
Il would not amount to much, consequently Their
: would be but little buying, for if the buyer cou
not see his voter put his vote in, nor have il mark
cd so that he could know that such vote wa
y put in, he would not spend much money for S
;, great an uncertainty. KENT
, Kent County, Feb 18th, 1862