The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-07-02
COL UMBIA, s. G.
Friday Igornihg. July 3. lssa.
ceat o1 Runnina for oalee.

British Parliament are represented as
paying from e3, 900 to elo, 900 for their
seats, and receive no per diem. A seat
in Congress is often obtained by an ex-
penditure equal to the frst years salary,
but then there is q chance, if the elect
has the faculty of holding on, of ulti-
mately reimbursing himself in one way
or other. In France, candidate in the
city of Paris for Deputy is subjected to
about 50, 600 election expenses, consist
ing OF charges for printing and posting
his address to the electors, advertising
in the journals, renting the sales where
speeches are made, and paying the men
who distribute the tickets ut the entrance
tothe polls. But this expenditure is re-
duced by very admirable custom, which
allows the voters to contribute towards
it. At each meeting held by the candi-
dates prior to the election, there is box
placed on table at the entrance of the
sale, and into this the voters each throw
o few francs. The box is given to the
candidate. and the money thus received
generally remuneratcs him for about
one-half of his expenses; so that his
election or defeat will not cost him more
than 81. 900. In the provinces the pro-
cess is described as more costly, the
rural mind being most susceptible of
conviction through dinners and sour
wine. The deputy, however. holds Office
for six years, and as living is cheap, the
pay is sufficient, even without extras.
Running for Office in this country, how
ever, nowadays, in too many instances,
costs more to the candidate in u moral
than pecuniary sense; and so it may be
elsewhere. Unless men of high personal
character generally shall be induced to
enter the lists for public position, there
is little chance of any great reform in this
matter. The Baltimore Sun gives the
following interesting account of the
manner in which elections are conducted
in Europe:
The process of voting ut elections in
France is conducted with q quietness
and sobriety in marked contrast to tho
unceremoniousness end occasional disor-
der md violence which characterize cleo
tions in this country. A Paris cores
pondent speaks of the extreme propriety
with which an election by universal suf-
frage is conducted in that country. He
says the voting is of very simple and
sedate character; the elector has merely
to walk into room as quiet rs church
indeed, a great deal quietcr than most
Paris churches on sunday-where he
finds five persons seated together as
grave as judges, and there, first present
ing his electoral card" to be compared
with the register. he drops his voting
ticket into the ballot-box. and the thing
is done. It is impossible to imagine
anything better conducted, and the de-
cornm OF the proceeding certainly makes
1t Il serious" affair. Were the freedom
OF elections in France as perfect rs their
good order. they would leave little to be
desired Each elector, before voting,
must take ont for himself in person an
electoral card from his OWN mnirie,
where his lame and address are known,
and without which he cannot vote AS
every card is cancelled by tearing off the
corner when used, and is never issued
twice to the same person, there can be
neither fraudulent voting nor personifi-
cation. and no delay or dispute ever
seems to arise. The bureau which su-
p0Ai .ehNo oio pOliuS Is iOTIncU OF
president and four assessors. The for
NOR is appointed by the local admins
tration; the latter. according to the terms
OF the law, onght to consist of the "two
Oldest and two youngest electors present
who can read and write" The ballot
box, which stands before the president,
has two padlocks, with different keys,
which are kept by the assessors.
When an elector goes to the Marie Of
his district to take ont his electoral card,
a blank voting ticket is also supplied
him, on which he may himself write the
name Of his candidate if he likes. But
most voters use the printed tickets
which they find at the door of tho poll
ing place, and the habit is to take one of
these tickets of each candidate, SO that
no one who is looking on can tell which
the elector intends to use. When his
card has been compared with
er. one of the assessors tears
Qf it. SO that it may not
d returns it to the elector,
IN l.