The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1871-09-23
FROM ILLINOIS.

FkUM ILLINOIS.
CHICAGO, Sept. IL, 1871.
70 M Editor q the " HKBoHAA's AIvocArn
l am Republican, and my next door
nelghbor Is Democrat; and We two
sometimes have chat on politics.. II
our discussions concerning the merita
and dement's Of the two parties We
mostly have disagreed; hut never could
We help agreeing upon one thing, name
y, that if my neighbours statement is
As correct concerning the action Of Re-
Publicans, as mine concerning that Of
Democrats, about election time, and
even at the Polls-there il q set OF un-
scruPulous and unprincipled men in
both parties, who ought to loose their
franchise forever, and be confined for
any length Of time in our illustrious
county jail.
1t happens so, you see, that am en-
Ployed by Democratic firm, and nv
Democratic neighbor by Republican;
and whenever an election comes round
and have good reason to believe
that also my neighbor does not tell but
the truth-when an election comes
round, our employers, or our bosses or
some one else-accideniaily Of course
Jet us know our meaning a. to the
personages to be voted for; and if, as
sometimes | have done-I have said
that | did not know that, | have at last
received some answer like this: But
you must knOv it. Do you understan
You must And 50, my neighbor, about
likewise.
Now, sir, as we are both OF US de-
pendent of our employers for the sup
port Of our families, and labor is not
always easy to get, you may be sure
hat sometimes we are not very slow to
take the hint, forced as We are by our
poverty or dependence to trespass upon
our consciences and submit 10 the ty-
ranny of our masters.
Yet what right-morally politically
or otherwise-have such men to de-
prive US of our political any more than
Of our religious freedom to crush our
sense, Whatever it be, Of right and
wrong, and thus make us their equals in
the sovereign rights Of this people
their political slaves, aud make US
hypocrites, or gradually Indifferent as
to our political duty, immoral, venal,
degraded?
But, this is not all For, as they
still entertain doubt as to our vote, any
one may see, on election day, from the
early hour till late, host OF lOaters-
such mems he pers aud helpers help
ers-around and iii the vicinity Of the
polls, not only offering their masters
aud masters masters ticket 10 their
poor and deluded acquaintances among
The voters, but thrusting il upon them,
sometimes almost dragging Us hurried
ly TO the polls, continually watching
that We do not have "A chance 10 ex-
change their ticket while On The way,
and closely glanoing At the ticket a. we
cast II /; and that with bold and Impu-
dent interest. as f they feel that they
themselves are the voters on this ocua-
sIon-votlng by proxy. And off they
20, laughing III their httle hearts, Ia
search OF another victim.
NoS, M. Editor, shat we wish Won
10 w ID. 20 write aud MgstaAR ihata nh
llect, and in the naTfe N W. S0vert ~
people thrs outraged. GrruAnd and cat ~
sneh Arrangements TO be made about
and in front Of tie puis As 10 fully
Illustrate the attempts " such inter
meddlers-tor instance, hat every voter
can or shall, t. deposit his ticket, walk
through a dark passage where, for
few seconds, he can be with his ticket
unObserved; and thai no persons but
the usual officers and full Board OF
Ballot Receivers, chosen 10 the numbers
Of two or three, by or from each party,
to represent the people, shall be per
mItIed TO See, Or admitted within dis
lance from the ballot box, that IN ght
enable them to distinguish the color,
size, folding, &c, Of tie ticket offered,
or dropped in the box, or something
else that might thoroughly remedy the
nefarIous evil; and the ?, ople, the best
and nobest men among them will surely
thank you for it. To say that such
wrong eannos be corrected by some
proper arrangement, or that no more
proper, or better arrangement than the
present can exist, is sheer nonsense.
Yours, for our rights, J.