Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-12-07
MEMPHIS APPEAL
SATURDAY MORNING. DEC Z, 1872.


rs good citizens and electors, the carpers,
who make it their business to antagon-
ize the APPEAL, were shocked at the
proposition. But we are gratiied TO see
that the suggestion has met WITH gen.
eraI favor. The press throughout the
eountry is discussing the subject, not
with a fault-fnding spirit but with a
view of eliciting correct information,
and of adopting the proposition if, after
mature d~eliberation, itshOuld be thought
wise and ~expedient. A convention is
now in session in Philadelphia for the
purpose Of remOdeling the constitution
Of Pennsylvania. This convention is
composed of the sblest mel Of the State.
Chas. R. Buckalew, jeremiah 5. Black,
VIM. NJ. Meredith, Geo. w. Woodward,
Andrew G. Curtin aud George NJ. Dallas
are delegates. Already Mr.. Lilly, a del
egate in the Constitutional Convention,
has introduced 8 clause to the e con-
stitution favoring compulsory voting.
With such an array Of talent in the
convention, the discussion on the propo-
sition will be interesting, and throw
a food Of light upon the subject. In
California compulsory voting is attract
ing considerable discussion. Under the
head Of 'It is the Duty Of Every Man
10 Vote" the San Francisco Chronicle
says:
1t Is probable that at the recent Pres
idential election in California thirty
thousand voters abstained from voting.
In San Francisco county not less than
four thousand remained away from the
polls. The ~eminently satisfactory re-
suit OF the election should not make US
unmindfuI Of the dangers that might
ensue from such neglect Of duty. The
highest responsibility devOlving upon
the citizen Of this Republic is the per-
formance Of his duty as an electOr. The
bad or vicious element Of society never
fails to be the polls. IfthegOOd and viz
tuous neglect this duty a great evil may
result. The right TO vote is something
more than 3 privilege, and the man who
fails to vote fails in doing hisduty to the
Government and to the society in which
he lives. No man can in time Of neces-
sitv shirk his military obligations. Jury
service is required of all. Every citizen
Is liable to be called on by the Sheriff to
aid in the enforcement of thelaw- Why
should there not be a compulsory enact
ment requiring every citizen TO deposit
his ballot in the electoral urn on election
day? So long as the ballot is secret he
might deposit a blank paper. Let him
do so if he viii. but render ii impera-
tive that the voter, unless he have suf-
ficient excuse, shall be present at every
election and do his duty as an electOr.
With compulsory education and the
exercise of the electoral privilege rigid
" enforced, we should secure an intelli-
gent government Of the people for the
people, and might safely calculate upon
the perpetuity and success Of a republi-
can form Of government.
An election is the lOafer's para
disc. The rag tag = and = bob = tail
are always found at the polls.
Wholesome laws can never be
enacted so long as the scum and riff-raff
control elections. We will never have
a pure government until good men dis
charge their duty at the ballot-box. In
some Of the States, but little over one
half Of those entitled to vote performed
their duty as good citizens in the late
elections. The cens1 shows that in
seventy thousand voters alb
scented themselves from the polls. We
VIII never have wise laws, safe rulers,
and low taxes, until the people are made
to discharge their duty. We have COM
.ulsory education in many of the States.
Parents are forced TO educate their chill
lren. This is a duty they W. to their
children, to society, to civilization, and
10 morality. But the duty to vote is Of
equal importance. Education is worth
nothing unless it manifests itself at the
Jallot-box, generally controlled by the
and illiterate. Compulsory vot-
ing brings the whole mass of electors
into direct relations with government,
and particularly that department or
branch of government which makes the
1t forces every man to take an in
in the public welfare, and is,
therefore, in strict conformity with
Democratic principles, and realizes
more perfectly our ideas Of popular /
government. Whenever we have COM
voting the good men who do :
vote, and endeavOr to secure honest men !
nto ofics VIII start into fresh vitality, !
aud those whose political energies have {
feeble by disUse, viii interest {
themselves in securing an honest gov 7;
There is danger Of the per- :
Of our institutions when the rab- I
lie are always found at the ballOt-box, '
md the intellect Of the country sunk =
nto hopeless apathy, or found stunning
election precinct as if it were a pest
rouse. 1t may be unpleasant for an {
,ducated, refined gentleman to come in :
.)ntact with the ragamufins who crowd +
nd buster around the polls; but duty
0 society and the well-being Of the {
ountry require the sacrifice, and men :
Who viii not voluntarily perform their !
.uty as good citizens, should be COM 3
.eIled to do 80. The indifference Of tax 1
in almost every election, has !
ampened the interest and zeal Of those n
Oble men who always interest them s.
elves in striving to secure honest men +
D Office. Compel men to vote, and :
Immediately every elector will be stirred a
ltO life. Then, good citizens, instead L
T giving up all elections to the control o
+ vice and ignorance, Struggling their =
loulders and asserting that they were b
Of political influence, would u
Immediately begin to organize them g
lives as a party to form a committee to S
ominate candidates and combine t, car a
= them. The nomination Of unworthy B
sndidates, originates from the fact, that Y
who refuse to vote care not what =
,rt Of candidates are selected. Com [,
Ell men to vote, and political deafness Il
III be exchanged for political ANNA
When it is known that everybody =
III vote, the educated as well as the n
I~iterate, parties will then be driven to st
its machinery in high order; 10 y
lOose the best candidates that can be 4
und in the community, and, in short, D.
rain every nerve to cur a good c;
:ket. But when elections are con- y
oiled by the rsbble, good men d
e sccffed and candidates selected a
a view Of pandering to the appe- v
les and prejudices Of the class that are ,
re to exercise the elective franchise. =,
should be the desire Of every patriot Il
I'd statesman TO see the greatest g
mount Of intelligence and the largest e
Of persons possible engaged in h
king part ia political affairs. Such a
participation is one Of the most essen n