Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-06-19
WERKEEsS OF The AMERICAN
REPUBLiC.
Evils Incident to Elections in Cities-DaH-
gers from the Ignorant Rabble.

Hri > % otA AuN taHNA ana Aat--sies
From the Westminster Review
We. proceed to examine briefly what
sppesrs TO Us as among its elements OF
yFas Izness, One of these is the short
ness of the term for which representa-
tfyes are elected. It is, we are aware,
difficult TO fix 8 term which would be
free from objection, either on the one
side "a rendering them too iudepen-
dent and fOrgetful Of their response
biIitv to their constituents; or, on the
other. as making them too subservient
10 the popular passion, and as con
jucjnp too much TO that excess Of
poIiticsl agitation which charaCteriZes
America. But il seems t. US vel
nigh impossible for q representative,
especially if holding such an office for
The first time, to make himself &C
3usinted with the laws Of deliberative
essemblies. the arts Of cunning and
uI,serupuI0us partisans, the history Of
Dre.existing legislation, and the re-
luiremeGts Of the country, IN the
snort spsce of two years. To be sure,
q good representative may sJano a ldlt
chance of reelection, ana not feW OF
the best men who now occupy seats IN
the House have, in tact, been occupy
ing them during several successive
terms. This is more particularly the
case, however, as regards the rural
districts. In cities, especially In those
where the ignorant foreign element I
largely prevails, the quiet working
representative who cOnsclenuOusly
devOtes his time and abilities to the
duties Of his position, is very liable
to be set aside for the noisy sydemagOgue
at elections in which those who have
the most at stake often take the least
interest.
TOO FREQUENT ELECTIONS AND TOO
MANY OFFICES AND OFFICEHOLD-
EKs.
And this leads US to note another
DANGER which threatens the demo-
cratic institutions Of America, owing,
40 TO speak, to the very excess Of
democracy which exists there-and
that is. the too great frequency Of
elections. There are so many officers
10 be chosen by the people that there
As almost always some election In pro-
gress-nOW for mayor, aldermen or
cOuncilmen; now for county officials,
now for Governor, State Senate or
Assembly: and now for President or
Representatives in Congress. Not
having the time to devote even 70 an
examination Of the merits Of so many
rival candidates and Ofthe platforms
on which they respectively stand, and
still less to any active cooper
alton in the work Of constructing such
platforms and nominating such can
siidates, the more intelligent aud in
siustriOus members Of the community
are tempted TO abandan the field OF
politics to those who make il trade,
and who, by means Of primary as
semblies," backed with their own
adherents, first nominate the candi-
dates for their party, and then bring
them into notice by means Of dill
gent plac5rding, extensive advertis-
ing and newspaper putting, monster
meetings resonant with eloquent ep'
Deals and fiery denunciatiOns, torch
light professions, and other expensive
devices, until when election day ar
rives the honest citizen, beWideTed
by the glare and stunned by the noise
OF the canvass, finds himself utterly
unable to decide between the relative
dement's Of the respective candidates
for Office, and either 'ivOtes with has
party" as q matter Of course, or else
shirks ''the first duty Of a citizen be-
cause ne can not cOnscientiOusly in
dorse either Of the party "tickets."
In other words, there is no proper
Vense Of the term an election by the
maple, but only a selection by them OF
one o,It Of two or more tickets, all
perbaDs equally obnoxious, which
~ ~eead NnrV { nn
respective paS,rty-mansgers.
EyGAyFRy OF PARTY LEADERS AND
WARD POLITICIANS,
Ifap independent voter has the coUr-
.,,oa IA s,scrstc9'' of We names OF can
.didates whom he knows 70 be dishon-
est or incapable, and to IA the blanks
with the names Of others whom ne
considers more worthy, he indeSu saves
his conscience, but leaves the pOlI
with the consciousness that his vete Is
except as regards 5self-9pprOval and ex-
ampie's sake completely thrown away. l
Tt need hardly be added that the man
who thus refuses a blind obedience to |
the dictates OF either party, stands |
himself scarcely the shadow OF a 1
chance Of ever being elected or ap- |
pointed to Office. This frequent recur- !
renee Of popular elections, while /
plausibly presented as being most 10 |
accordance with republican institE- /
tiOns, is thus 8drOitly turned TO ae-
count by political demagOgues as q /
means Of securing their own influ- 1
ence and gaining their own personal /
ends.
DIVINITY OF UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE. |
Another source Of danger to Amer
lean institutions Is the UNQUALIFIED /
extension O. the right Of suffrage to all |
men Of fsuitable age Except non-natu-
rallied fOreigners) without regard to /
race, color, religion, property, or educa-
ton. 1t is thought by many, that under 4
the practical operation Of the Amer /
icsu political system, property own !
ers have not the power TO which 4
thew are fairly entitled, and which 1
the protection OF their interests seems !
70 demand. Why the street beggar, |
the OCCUPANT Of the almshOuse, or the 1
habituai drunkard, should have an /
equal voice in the government OF the /
country to which he is only a burden, /
II not a disgrace, with the industrious /
citizen who contributes by his indus /
try 10 the support Of that government |
and Of al the bene6cent institutions |
Of society, is not, in TACT, very easy to /
Determine. As, however, the small /
uess of the former class prevents anvil
Great harm sccruing from the power I
fhev p0ssess, the question may be con
sidered,as OfnO practical consequence. /
But. advancing q step higher, the in. |
-,r1I1v fDresents itself-Ought not some /
disfinctiou to be made in the distribu.