Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-08-15
TI,c nn1K Of Voting.

One of that class, not very numerous, per-
haps, yet larger than it should be, who do not
exercise their political rights and consequently
neglect their political duties, has written letter
to the Boston Journal, conlessing his error and
promising amendment. The duty Of every cit-
zen to inform himself as TO the political ques-
lions Of the day and TO act according to the
conclusions thus formed, has been often urged
though il seems too obvious TO need much said
in its support. The persons who fail in this
duty are to be found generally among those
whose education and opportunities make their
neg more inexcusable and more injurious.
Many Of the evils of our politics spring
from the fact that too many men
of intelligence and culture shun political
contests, eyade their proper responsibility, and
leave the work to be done by persons whose
moral and intellectual qualifications for it are
inferior. The only good effect of this, and that
falls far short of compensating for its evils, is
that, when a political emergency calls out this
reserve force, it finds class of voters free from
partisan bias, who are able to regard public
affairs and public men with a calm and I'M
preiudiced judgment. Their weight is, there
fore, in such emergencies, pretty sure to be
thrown on the right side, from which, if they
had been active politicians, party associations
might have swayed them. Many such men will,
we trust, recognize their duty in the coming
election, and be guided in performing it by the
same considerations which influence the Jour
na's correspondent He says:
l claim to be a representative man, of class
that sadly need reforming TOO, the head and front
| of my Offense being this-I have never in my life
| cast a vote for any governmental officer what
ever though having had the right to do so any
time these ten years. That have failed in this
duty may have been because the right man was
never nominated-doubtess the right man, the
ideal man, never will be--or it may have been
out of pure Indifference, certainly not from any
fear of going with the minority, for it seems
have been with them all along. On thinking
this over have concluded TO give in my ale
glance by voting in the coming presiden-
tial election. l am now anxious to do
So believing it TO be a sacred duty.
| have also decided to whom my vote shall
be given; no difficult choice to make. Shall
vote for Horace Greeley? No. Why2 Well,
were | an honest democrat couldn't do it, and
were | an honest republican | couldn't do it,
and for the same obvious reasons; and assum-
ing that am OF no party, but merely lover of
my country, in general way, il would be still
to a man, the record whose later life at least,
| has nothing TO show but a constant vacilaton
| between | ought not and will. Ought my vote
| 10 be given TO President Grant3 | think So.
| Why? Because of the fact, which cannot be
| worried away, that the country has prOSpered
under his past administration. Perhaps the
| unpolitical people aforesaid (ofwhom am one),
| who have never voted for any man,
| good or bad, for some reason best
| known to themselves, or for no reason at
| all (Which is my CASE, have never once thought
of what this word Country" means. "Thnk
| of your rights and your duties, your affections
and your wants, your pa and present bless
| ings-write them all under a single name, and
| that name will be Your Country"
Now, the member of a family who does not
| contribute his share towards its maintenance,
fails in his duty, and is poor knSman; the
| member of mercantile partnership who does
not enrich il, delrauds it. So is he bad citi-
zen, forfeited OF honor, who, enjoying the adj
Yantages Of having a country, does not accept
his share OF its burdens, be they light or heavy.
"fle who has right TO vote is in duty bound 10
vote"