The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-02-09

.SANCTTTY OF THR BALL,oT-Box.-There
is more in the conduct of recent elections
in the United States to create alarm for
free institutions tllan can be found in
the revolutionary ensctments of Con
gress or the nsurpations Of the Presi-i
dent. Bad laws are not always executed
In their rigor, and even daring and
ambitious President mny be made to
pause under the indignant frown Of an
outraged people. But corruption at the
ballot-box is the fruitful source of all
political evils. There are no waters 80
bitter that they cannot flow from that
fountain, It is treason to liberty among
the people themselves, Rnd the moral
sense Of the nation must be reused
in order to check and eradicate the evil.
The reCklessness and perfect despera-
ton in the management OF elections
under the rule of Radicalisln, is without
an approach to parallel in all our
history. The evil has not only been
tolerated, but has actually become part
and parcel of the policy Of that party.
No election bill is passed by Radicnl
Congress or Legislature that is not de-
signed to exclude the people from fair
hearing at the polls. It seems to be the
uctoE mluhLlOu W uOlu On 10 power,
rightfully or wrongfully, whether the
only tho empty forms Of popular institu-
both the elections aud the Government.
It was openly announced the other day
in the Senate, in support of the House
bill of apportionment, that it would give
the Radicals so many more Representa-
tives than they would get under fair
law by which the people would be repre-
sented according to numbers. Such
questions al constitutionality, right, the
welfare of tho country, nro never inquired
into or put in issue on tho pnssnge of any
measure.
How long can this Government last
under such total abandonment of the
vital principles upon which it was fonnd
ed? The freedom and purity of the
bnllot-box Is the very essence of Rspub-
lican liberty. Thorc can be no free 60
vernment without it, and we mu st make
mp our mind to check corruption or 90
into anarchy or despotism
How shall it be done? The first step
is stringent laws against illegal voting.
and their rigid enforcement. We have
always thought the penalty provided by
law for this crime bore no proportion to
its magnitude. It has got to be one of
such common occurrence, that the popu-
lar mind hns lost it's keen sense Of it's
enormity. When we reoolleot than an
illegal vote, knowingly cast, is an attack
upon free popular government anG moral
treason to ones country, it is clear that
the penalty cannot we'll be too severe.
The offender, if not actually deserving
Of death, should be imprisoned for ut
least twenty years, and deprived of the
franchise for life. The evil ia one that
calls for exemplary punishment-liket the
severe enactment of England against
forgery, which, executed upon q distin-
guished offender, has suppressed the
crime in that kingdom for more than 100
years. 1t is only in this way that the
public mind oan be awakened to tho real
heinousuess of the offence, and bad men
deferred from its commission We have
several more important elections ap-
proaching. and we hope to see the State
of Georgia inaugurate new code that
will effectually eradicate the crime from
her borders. and by its sslutury effects
challenge the admiration of her sister
States. The law cannot be mado too
strong, nor the penalty too terrible.
SaDannah Republican.