The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1870-11-04
Harrisburg Correspondence.

ALEW's address on ELECTORAL Reform
delivered before the Social Science AS.
sociation, at Philadelphia, as published
in your paper of the 2Sth inst.
The clear and noble simplicity of the
address was we'll calculated to carry to
the intellects and hearts of his distin-
guished audience, composed as 1t was,
of men of all parties, that intimate
conviction which always follows in the
footsteps of unpretendlng truth.
If Senator BUcKALEw eventually
succeeds in his patriotic and perse
vering efforts to give practical effect tc
this great political reform, of which
have no doubt, he will have placed
himself high on the roll of those public
benefactors to whom future generations
shall be indebted for the continued bles
sings of enlightened self government
At least the friends of the distinguished
Senator may safely believe that "Jus
Representation" and "Purity Of E2ec
tions," lettered upon his monument
will hand down his fame, and embalm
his memory in the heart of posterity
to much better purpose than the san
culinary record of noted fields of car
mage inscribed upon the tomb of the
professional military chieftain!
But, to my mind, the "free vote
will lead not only to just representation
and to the purity of elections, but il
will necessarily also induce the people
to be more particular in the choice o
their officers By this new system, 6
nomination being equal TO- an election
the moral character and competency o
candidates will be more closely scrutin
lied: and it is to be inferred that al
the people, having an interest in the
elections, will cease to consider offices
as created for the sole benefit of the in
cumbents, but will rather view the of
ficers whom they elect, in their trut
light: as public servants, elected t.
serve the people, for the good of The
people, and not to serve themselves t.
the exclusion of the people, as is tor
frequently the fashion nowadays.
The Whole people, having resumed the
control of public affairs, will feel {
proper interest in their ma nagement
They will no longer consider the public
Treasury as public crib, at which ev
cry jackass shall be entitled to feed il
his turn; but as a common fund fol
public expenditures, to be administered
with the same prudence, economy ano
thrift which they themselves individu
ally exercise in the management Of
their own private purse. To this effect
they will choose their public servants
upon the same principles which govern
| them in the choice of their own private
servants. Thus, the merchant who
wants clerk, looks for man of good
moral character a good book keeper
writing good hand and disposed tc
serve his employer with honesty, zeal
and energy. Your merchant will moi
pick up ia the street the first loaier
upon whom he may stumble: neither
will he leave the choice of his clerk tc
be decided by half dozen jolly fellow.
we'll met, who feel little or no interest
in his own welfare. No, he will indulge
in no such absurdities: but, industri.
ously seeking, he will find and eventu
ally get suited. So with the people
in choosing their representatives to thu
| legislative halls of the Nation and o.
| the State, the minority will feel the ad
| vantage of selecting their shrewdes
| and best men to watch the action of the
majority. While the majority being
made thus to feel the fullness of theil
responsibility, will be compelled tC
elect men of high character and capa
city to represent their political interest
and to battle the argus eyes of their op
ponents. The consequence Of this .ful
representation Of The people will produce
an infinitely better class of men who
will soon eXpel from our Legislature!
the contemplate wretches who annu
ally disgrace themselves and the people
whom they pretend to represent.
The people then, waking up to a full
realization of their true interests, will
cease to pervert JEFFERsoN's doctrine
of "rotation in Office" (intended by
him to apply solely to executive offices
by applying that doctrine to represent
ative offices. They will fully appreci
ate the great advantage of keeping il
their service honest, competent an(
jealous representatives, and they will
continue to re-elect them so long a
they shall render themselves worthy o
their confidence. On the other hand
whenever representative shall fall OF
from the faithful discharge of his leg
islative duties, they will, without mer
cy, turn him out, whether he shall hav
served one year or ten terms. The
will abandon the stupid rule of rotatin
out of office honest and efficient repre-
rentatives, to make room for ignoran
greenhorns, and the equally absur,
practice of keeping in Office faithless O
incompetent representatives., on tn
|, sole ground that they have not ye
served out the term arbitrarily fixe,
for them to misrepre5ent their constitu
ents!
Mr.. Editor, let US have the free Uote:
and we shall have not only just repre-
sentation and pure elections, but ais
pure men to govern us.
Let US have the Stree vote" and q
} one fell swoop, we shall be rid of polit
ical ruftians; political drones politica
asses; and above all, of the splendi,
political rascals who now defile tn
seats once occupied by the patriots G
the glorious past. "JUNIUs."