The Republican journal., 1871-11-09
Buying and Selling of Votes.

to wh'oh the paper is sent.-sa
Buying and Selling of Votes.
Every thoughtful an conscientious man
who has had occasion to know the in
! t1uences which are used to control votes at
! the elections must have been startled at the
number of men who deliberately and cor
ruptly barter aythat which should be the
most sacred right of freeman In spite
has grown till it casts baneful shadow
over the whole system of elections whether
for representative in Legislature or Con-
gress, whether Governor or President it
has come 10 such complexion that in
many cases the longest purse wins. We
are glad to notice that this evil is attract
ing attention in other localities, and trust
that the time is not far distant when the
practice here in Maine may become as
disreputable as theft and the penalty
much more severe than now provided
One OF the ablest of our exchanges, the
Concord Patriot. has a forcible article on
this subject. 1t says that the Democratic
State Committee of New jersey recently
adopted preamble and resolution, recit-
ing that "the use of money at elections
has become so fragrant and undisguised as
to create a doubt as to the duration of our
! republican form Of government, and a
fear that the practice, if continued, will
eventually lead to the establishment of a
monied oligarchv in its stead" and urging
all their local committees and the citizens
at large to exercise the greatest vigilance
in the detection and punishment of any
violation of the rigid State law upon the
| subject. The Governor of that State has
! also called public attention To this matter
in a proclamation in which he o fters a re-
ward of 300, for the arrest and convic-
ton of any one violating the laws against
bribery at elections.
1t is evident to all that the corrupt use
OF money in elections has become an
| alar mng evil, and Il rapidly growing one
also. 1t is plain that when the sutfrages
of the people can be bought, there is an
end of popular government; brains and
principle cease TO rule and money becomes
the governing power. And it is painful
to see that we are rapidly approaching
that condition. All intelligent men know
that a Tree, honest, untrammeled exercise
of the right of suffrage is the essential
element and means of selfgovernment
and the fundamental principle of republic
can institutions. Without that there is no
free government, no rule of the people,
no management of public affairs for the
good of the people. The right of suf-
frage is not a purchasable commodity
but sacred trust to be exercised for the
benefit of the voter and the best interest
of the public; and when it is not 50 used,
it is a dangerous power and a perpetual
menace to the freedom and prosperity of
the community.
Now it is sad truth that in many States
elections have come to be habitually con-
trolled by money carried by the winning
side by bribery and corruption. In many
cases, voters are brought at the polls as
freely and almost as openly as sheep and
cattle in the market. And the same is
true of party nominations. In conventions
IN this and other States, men have been
known to cause it to be announced that !,
if nominated for the positions they sought,
| they were ready to expend certain sums
of money to secure their elections, and
the consequence has been that they have
gathered around them persons who, in
order to have the handling of the proffer-
ed funds, set to work to create false
public opinion and to manipulate the
| primary meetings in the interest of their
liberal patrons. The effect of this is to
drive every man of moderate means from
the political arena. Let his talents and
innate honesty be ever SO great, he can
not enter the field with any chance of sue
cess. He must stand back, and give way
to the power of money, in the hands of
men who, in nine cases out of ten, are far
inferior to him in what should constitute a
faithful and honest representative of the
people. Thus money and audacious knav-
cry take the place and exert the power in
the management of public affairs which
should pertain alone to honest merit, in
tegrity and brains.
We could cite many cases in illustration
of these remarks; and although the De-
mocracy in some localities may not be
wholly without blame in this behalf, we
are bold to say that this sort of manage
ment has become the rule with the Radi-
calls while with the Democracy it is the
exception. Money is the chief reliance
of the Radical leaders for success in cleo
lions; its corrupt use is constantly resort
ed to, and TO that, more than all else have
they owed their long lease of power in
this and many other States. By this means
alone they carried the election in Califor-
MIA, and to this alone is due their recent
triumph in Pennsylvania. By this means
they hope for success in New Jersey,
where they nominated a man for Governor
solely because he was willing to furnish a
large sum of money to buy his election