The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-01-03


These Suggestions, although man with especial
90 All large cities. CITY charters must OF necessity,
according 70 populatioa and circumstances,
IN CITY OF million OF people, would not
ba required IN one OF nity or hundred
uniformity in such charters Is, m my Judgment,
not desirable. The people OF any city, with cnar
ter embracing the general provisions TO which
have referred, can, they choose, keep up simple,
honest and efficient local government; and under
among the seekers as wei as the holders OF o1ice
they will condemn the lavish expenditure OF
as the stealing or 1t afterward; If they Will maze
sh0sc who ask thelr suilTage5 understand that the
81 much q criminal as the representative who takes
bTlbe; If they VIII bear IN mind that spasmodic re-
form movements work no permanent good, but that
persistent attention To puOlic Affairs on their part
Is necessary IL insure faithful administration by
their representatlyes-they can secure all that Is
Simplicity Is one great requisite IN the cnarter OF
. CITY, Without IT responsibility can never be
clearly and Enthusiastically defined and fixed. All
complicated schemes winch aim TO secure TO the
minority an equal or unequal portion OF the execu-
tive aud administrative offices or 4 municipality,
ana so to make 1t snare witn the majority the re-
sponsiollty OF government WIN prove failures.
AT 1ts last session the legislature adopted concur.
rent resolutions proposing an amendment OF the
constitution relative 10 bribery lhey have been
duly published, and viii. trust be lavoraUly acted
upon by you so tnat they may be submitted to the
people for their approval at the next general cleo
ton The proposed amendment relates 10 cor
rupt expenditure Of money TO influence electors IN
acted which VIII, If rgdly enforced, tend to cheek
an evil which has assumed proportions of great
magnitude. II may believe current rumors, men
Of Otherwise good repute are in the practice OF
standing at the polls III many portions OF the state
money carried openly in their nands, and OF paying
on the spot 10 electors Tor their votes NO sucn
char ged in tile city OF New York, much as is said OF
The TACT That large sums OF money are expended
known. Much Of IL must lie spent for corruptlng
dominated 10 Office because taey nave been abe to
purchase majority In nominating conventions in
sae hrst instance and because It Is known tney
mote their own election and thar Of their
sses Ss W Sn s same a IA e pap nc' aTs
are called upon to contribute, and do contribute lib
orally, toward securing party success Individuals
who hope IN tins way to secure favorable legislation
for their own interests or to buy tne countenonce
ceive their privileges. In this Way the mOneyed
power Of the country Is brought IN 70 control eiec
but IL does at tue risk Of lis own safety, Tor It
thus debauches the moral sentiment OF the cOmmu.
nity The love OF money, we are told Is she root OF
ali evn. 1t 49, assuredly the root OF all evil IN Tree
governments anu the lavish expenditure of money
In elections Is the cnier cause OF the corruption
our pon,lcs. man who expends large sums
OF money u secure an Office Is apt to seek TO
make 1t up to himself whom In Oice. l DO not
doubt that the multiplication OF officers TO be
elecled by the people has haa much to do with IN
ties. The struggle between candidates for local .
Offices is apt TO be- more intense than the competi-
IL Is easier too to calculate the influence OF corrupt
MEANS ana It Is easier by them to effect the eiec
lion OF candidates when the constituency taking
part IN the election Is limited III NUMBER. The
amendment submitted to you will enable che Legis
lature 10 deprive OF the right OF suffrage every one
who shall be convicted OF receiving bribe for his
vote Of BIRDING elector, and TO pass laws pro-
electors shall be deprived Of tine Office to which, at
any election where he was guilty oI this offence, he
The Inconvenience OccasIoned to the electors ny
registry laws IS not to be counted against tlem m
Dy theH means, we can insure pure elecllOnS. have
little faith in them prevent fraud at the polls
Yney have been tiled and failed TO prevent It, More
character, have been made since registry laws
were put IN operation than before. Many VINO have
easily maae ana nave Seea made ey
cover for frauds, VIII Oh, without them, could not
taply. that the vigilance necessary TO detect Illegal
voting has to be extended over several days, IN.
Tor TINS purpose Than men viii spare from Their pri
yete business and SO The watchulness over the poll
LIST IL, ordinarily less general, and probably less
complete than under tne system OF challenging on
the day Of election.
should apply 10 ali parts OF the State alike Yet /
am satisfied that intelligent public OpDi0n in The
favor one there. The inconvenience and expense
70 the electors IN such districts, from such law,
compensation. The conviction. however, prevails
extensively among intelligent men That, IN large
Che purify OF the ballot and this conviction is 20
strong that the continuance OF the system In the
cues 81 aS DC M Avs wv
shOuld be made as little vexatious and oppressive
a1nSs1 V0ers a. II @ w
ing the right to vote and due examination OF his
ngh, II must be borne In mind that 1t Is not the
province oil a registry law to define the qualidca-
lions OF voters, or TO confer or restrict the right or
voting Tnat right is conferred by the constitution
and cannot be taken away by act OF The Legislature.
except IN the few cases specified In The constitu-
sion: Any law which you may pass, therefore,
franchiscment on the day Of election OF any eector
who, for good reasons, such as sickness or absence
from home, or his not having rrrived at full age
Snu AFTER the last Gay or registry, was unable 10
The complaints with regard to the late election In
New York and Brooklyn made through the press,
are chleny OF false counting Of ballots ana false re-
turns by inspectors or election. The general sus-
pIcOn OF the sence OF sucn evil Is almost as
injurious as the practice itself; people, II led 10
believe that 1t Is carried on extensively, viii neg.
ieCt to VOTE and Will lose their habit OF submitting
quietly TO the result OF IN election. The
worst us nature and in ITS efects, and should be
punished accordingly: II Is practice which, per-
than any open war that can be LEVIED against IT,
We have wisely. In our statutes, restricted def
against the State government and to combinations
OF one or more persons TO overturn II by force The
eecon Is nevertheless of the naS fSe as an
Tor 1t seeks to take away the lawful power and
destroy the rights Of the true sovereign IN our gov
You have the power to attach what penalty you
tnink necessary 10 any species OF offence against the
laws, and those imposed should be sufficiently
severe to deter men from committing crimes,
set not 60 extreme as to be likely 10 protect them
from conviction F"-~- +No~
: EfIectua laws against bribery OF the electors aud
TO take away an office obtained BY bribery, thor.
Ough protection OF the right Of challenge election
DAY, severe penalties against miscountng Of woes
and against Illegal voting, ought to suffice for the
protection OF the ballot, and will suffice If citizens
lures and public officers Will do their duty.
.4.,-zzs---] 1UniII Or LEGISLATION. ~--
The people cannot be TOO fully awakened to the
dangers inseparabe from the growth OF moneyed
power in this country, whether welded by lndiy.
duala or CORPORATIONS. IL MAKES Itself felt 0YerY-