The Rutland weekly globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-11-10
TLErTInN LhVG.

There is reasonable prospect thtt the
general assembly will make some altcra-
tlons in the election laws in the interest Of
| honest voting, and 90 that the intention Of
the voter m6y not be defeated by too
much regard for teehnicalties. While it
is always right and proper that the forms
of law should be strictly complied with,
and that any departure tAerefrom should
be visited with certain penalties, yet there
is such thing as too much 'rcd-.ape'; and
while we would not advocate any teplr'uJe
from strict compliance with the letter of
the law, go long as It remains a law, yet we
have always thought, AMI siill think, that
our election laws should be go amended
that much Of the pres n. machinery of
elections would lc dispensed with and,
while guarding the ballot box from the
danger of fraud, the whole eysicm would
be so simplifcd that fraud Gc1ideut OF
mistake would not, aud could not deprive q
citizcl Of his right of sulf age.
Is ore measure looking to this cd, Mr..
Sheldon, the Representatives from Ru,lnnt,
early in the session, Introduced bill pro-
vding, in effect, that vote, though de-
posted in the wrong box, should be CT mt
ed for the person for whom it was in'end-
ed, even if declaration cf election had
been made before the diecovery Of the mis-
take. That is 10 say, that n vote for John
Doe for "town representative if found in
the congress box after five o'cock, should
count for him and dotarmig the election
even if, on CANVASS Of the votes in the
town representative box At three o'clock
it appears that Richard Roe hal been
elected, and the result Of the election had
been so declared. The reason for the in
PRODUCTION Of this bill is undcrst0cd to BE-
the Cas- Of PAU d. Dear, tie represent
alive from BARNARD, VINO being constable
ard hence, presiding lilcer at fTelmen's
mcctng6-on the canvass uf the votes for
town representative, found, in the rtpre-
sentative box, two votes for Dudley G.
Dcnison for represtnt>tiye in congress.
Thee votes he rejected counting them
i-lbiiNi O. Al~liNo Va OtItl " anu ht-
clared hin self duly tlec cd town represent
ative but upon opening the congress box,
two votes for Dcau's opponent were found,
which, if counted, would have defeated an
election for town representative
The election, or rather the declaration of
the election, tf Dean and his taking his
seat as the representative from Barnard,
was gross fraud upon the tights Of the
voters of that tosn; but il IL, 50 least,
Objectionable whether by tie strict islle7 of
the Law, he was not duly and legally elect
! ed representative. 1t was tbs class OF
cases that Mr.. SAeldon's bill proposed 10
remedy, or rather, to prevent. The diff
Gully with the proposed remedy werointed
out at the tine of the Introduction of the
bill, and, At the same time, suggested The
manner in which the whole difficulty could
be remedied ard similar complications
avoided in the future.
That suggestion the committee on elect
ions, to whom Mr.. Sboldon's bill wGs re-
ferred, have adopted, aud. with his aclui
essence, have agreed upon substitute bill
providing that, hereafter, only two bal'o
boxes shall be required at our freemen's
meelng-one for votes for town represtn.
tative, and one for state and county off,
| GERS, representative in congress, aud just-
ces of the peace, and requiring that the
votes for all officers, except town represtn-
tative, shall be printed on one and the same
ticket. 1t is evident that such a require.
ment will prevent mistakes for il ia impos-
sible to conceive of a constable 50 stupid
as to mistake in depositipg a ballot contain
ing single name and one cort4iaing ten
or more names.
So far SO good. But while altering these
election laws, we desire TO call tie atlen-
tion of the general assembly to another
provision Of law which leaves The door
wide open for frauds. Wrlc'cr to the law
which permits citizen to Y, te for presi-
| dental electors, Iepres eltdtjye in congress,
or state and county officers in ;. town ether
than where he resides. We do not in'oud
| to spend any time In pointing out the evils
of this law. They must be patent to every
one. 1t is sufficient to say that one hun
dred and twenty-siX non-residents voted in
Rutland, Tuesday that no ether state al
lows citizens TO vote except in the town of
their esderce that the law invites re-
peatng, opens the door to fraud, and null
lifies the require ment of a check list and
that, at least, ore representative in con-
gress fromVermont has been elected by the
repeating which the present law makes &c
easy, in fact, invites. We trust the gen.
eral assembly-which has, go far, shown a
commendable disposition to do IigLt-wilj
not neglect to shut this door TO election
| frau1a