Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1870-01-07
so1pIERs, oRfRANs, HosIH.

During the war for the Union, the
people of this State acknowledg ged
their obligations to support the fami
lies of their absent soldiers, and under
took to meet it, not as a charity, but as
a partial compensation justly due for
services rendered. The nation is saved,
and the obligation to care for the
orphans of the men who died to save
it still remains to be fulfilled. 1t is Of
ficialIy. estimated that three hundred
soldiers orphans, during the past year,
have been inmates Of the county in
firm aries Of theState. It is the uniform
testimony of the directors of county
inffrmaTies that those institutions are
wholly unfit for children that IN a
majority of cases they are sadly neg
Iected, and thai even in the best in
firmaries the children are subject to
the worst moral influences Left by
the death of their patriotic fathers in
Ehis deplOrable condition, it is-the duty
of the State. to ass unae their guardians
ship; and to provide suppoFh,1 ieduca-
ton and homes to all who need them.
The people of Ohio regret thatthis duty
has been 50 long neglected. do not
doubt that it viii afford you great
qualification to give tothis sabjeet ear
Iy and favorable attention.
EPREsENTATIONeoF MINORITY IN ELEC-
TIoN BOARDS.
All agree that a republican govern
ment will fail unless che purity of cleo
Uions is preserved. Convinced that
great abuses Of the elective franchise
can not be prevented under existing
legislation, L have heretofore recon-
mended the enactment of registry
law, and also of somee appropriate
measure to secure to the minority, as
far as practicable, a representation up
on all boards of elections. There is
much opposition to the enactment of g
registry law. Without yielding my
own settled convictions in favor o1
such a law, I content myself, in this
communication, with urging upon yOul
attention a measure of reform in the
manner of conducting elections, the
importance and justice of which no one
ventures to deny. The conduct of the
officers whose duty at elections it is tC
receive and count the ballots, and K
make returns of the result, ought tC
be above suspicion. This can rarely
be the case where they all belong tC
the same political party. A fair repre-
sentation of the minority will go far
not only to prevent fraud, out, what i:
almost of equal Importance, remOVs
the suspicion of fraud.
l do not express any preference fol
any particular plan of securing minor
| ity representation in the boards o
| judges and clerks of elections. Various
modes have been suggested, and it vii
not be difficult to adopt a means of at
tanning the desired result which vii
| harmonic with our system of election
laws.
RIGHT OF SUFFRAGE OF SOLDIERS A.
NATIONAL ASYLUM, sc.
The ere-enactment of the law securing
! to the disabled, volunteer soldiers, whS
are inmates of the National Asylum
near Dayton, the right of suffrage il
the county and township in which sale
Asylum is located, which was repealed
April II, 1868, and the repeal of Tho
legislation of the last General Assem-
bly,, imposing special restrictions upoI
! the exercise of the right of suffrage by
students and by citizens having a Wis
ibIe admixture of African blood, are
measures so clearly demanded by i'm
partial justice and public sentiment
that no argument in their support is
deemed necessary.
EXECUTIVE REPORTS.