Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1875-06-19

The right Of every duly qualified citizen and Of
no other 20 vote once and only once, 90 every
election, cannot be 10 strongly guarded; without
IL Our elections are farce, our government iall-
urc and anarchy the ultimate result.
| invite your careful and earnest attention 10
the inquiry, whether by any legislation on your
Part the purity Of the ballot box can be more
efrpctJIaliv protected Allow NE Ia hope that in
matter Of such vital importance We may forget
party and consider only oar duty q the Stale
That YOU will give this matter your serious ,llen
ton am sure is the earnest desire OF candid
men of all partie..
Nearly allied 70 this subject is another feature
Of our elections, which seems TO me 70 demand
early attention. I refer TO what Is sometimes
called cover representation" With no increase
| in population, the members OF the popular branch
Of the Legislature have increased some twenty
/ five per cent in twenty-five years. \ portion Of
this increase is legitimate and easily explained.
Much of it, however, arises from the fact that
l towns are left 30 determine for themselves the
number of Representatives 10 which they are "a
titled aud in the heat of a holly contested cleo
/ ton are constantly tempted 20 return members
/ without a sufficient constituency behind them
| The evil has been considerably increased under
| the law Of ISL which is construed to make all
| adult males ratable polls, without regard to the
time they have resided in the town or ward where
counted. such law is plainly susceptible Of
great abuse. IL seems TO me that it should be 80
modified that only those persons who have re
sided in u town or ward six months previous e
an election shall be counted. suggest, also
whether representatives in excess of the number
! previously elected by the town or ward which
/ they represent may not be required to demon
strae, 10 the satisfaction Of the House, before ad
mission thereto, the right of such town or ware
to such additional representative.
In view of the questions recently agit1ing tn
public mind, 1t may be well to inquire, also
whether the statute requiring the full christian
name of candidates to be written or printed upol
all ballots is not liable to be so construed as &
defeat, rather than accomplish, the purpose o
its trainers.
1t is a very serious matter THAI several thousan,
voters having cast their votes in entire gOot
faith, should be dsiranchsed. Yet suchhas bee
the construction of this law as to produce thi
result. | would suggest whether it would not b
well to enquire if this statute is consistent wit
the provisions of the Constitution.
The message closes with the followin,
well-timed suggestions concerning the oh
servance of the coming
..E. CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY.
We are rapidly approaching the Tooth anniyel
| sary Of our national existence. The OCcasio
:, ought not to be allowed to pass without such oil
seryances as will show our appreciation of fire.
, government, and our veneration for those me
whose heroic deeds and wise cotmsels gave us S
goodly heritage. 1t should, and no doubt will
be made the occasion of impressng upon tn
: people of the United States lessons of selfdenl
, ing patriotism and exalted public virtue, rs we
! as of amity and good will Rightly observing
may cement more closely the Union Of the State
the North and South, the East, the gran
, central valley, and the Pacific slop
. 1t will have failed of its most dcsirab
results if it shall not beget in the hear
i of our common country deep-seated purpose
enter upon the second century of the Republ
I "wth malice towards none, and with charity *
all" and if, also, it shall not impress upon the
minds the fact, lying at the foundation Of OF
whole political structure, that they are first of
! American citizens, whose first and highest earth
u allegiance is due to the National Constitution III
e Government In the events which it is propose
to celebrate, our State occupied proud postio
: The valOr of her citizen soldiery, and the wi
II the pages of history. No true son of hers, | Il
sure, win care to see her backward in commemC
ating the nations birth, and in recounting &
deeds of the fathers. What action is desirable
&, order that the voice of New Hampshire may uni
, with the voices Of the great sisterhood of Stat
y now thirty eight instead of thirteen in number
$ cannot doubt that it win be such as will reflC
< honor upon the State