National Republican., 1876-11-07
ILLEGAL VOTING. MORAL TREASON.

The purity Of the ballot is necessary to
the success of popular government. To
vote illegally is to commit moral treason
against the people. Cheating at elections
in this country is like stocking the cards in
the games of euchre, poker or whist. The
man who would be guilty Of voting illegally
or Of countenancing ballot-box stuffing
would not hesitate to cheat at cards to pro-
mote his own interests. As no honorable
man will play at cards with blackleg with
out watching his opponent, with a view of
protecting himself from being victimized
by his tricks SO must Republicans be on
the vigilant watch to- day in all those loc IL.
tiles that are noted for Democratic frauds.
They should not hesitate TO challenge ard
expose all attempts OF fraud. 1t is equally
important that they should insist upon the
right Of every legal voter to exercise the
high privilege Of casting his blltot in ac-
cordance with his palttical preferences.
The safety and rerpe;uity of our institu-
tions depend upon the purity of the ballot.
Without this Cur boosted freedom, our
vdunted system of self government are but
q pretense, fraud, sham aud a mDckery.
The tyranny Of King Caucus, which has
made such fearful inroads upon the liber-
ties of the people in the selection Of candi
dates, is bad enough, indeed almost insult
ferable, but if to this we permit ballot box
stufing, dictation, intimidation and vic
lence at the polls to be addedro prevent Il e
fair and free expression of preferences for
those candidates, we shall become the most
abject slsyes to the worst tyranny upon the
face of the earth. We shall find that our
century of boasted freedom and independ-
ence is but another name for political serf-
dom.
When We see political party led, Off
cered and controlled by gamblers and spec
ulators of every sort, peddling out its nomi-
nations to the highest bidders, and strain
ing every nerve to foist its carS2.iatCs upon
the people hE- .iauds, misrepresentation
and lss,Iw may well indulge the gravest
fears for the perpetuity Of those instltu-
tions which our fathers fought bled and
died to establish. When we see a party
pledged to carry an election at every
hazard in States where it is in confessed
minority. and can only be accomplished
by violence at the polls and false counting
in the canvass of the ballots it is time for
all true patriots to feel the most serious
alarm for the welfare Of the nation. It is
no wonder, then, that peaceful and law
abiding citizens should indulge the mos
fearful forebodings and snxieties as to the
result of the elections to-day.
What do we seer On the one hand q
party which has successfully maintained
the Union of these States intact and wisely
administered the Government during six
teen years of the most trying and critical
period in its history period that in
yolved the very existence OF the Govern
ment in its popular form as established by
our ancestors, including the emancipation
of four millions of slaves and the rehabIli-
tation of the revolving States, the substitu-
ton Of free labor in lieu of the compulsory
system and the conference Of the sacred
right Of the elective franchise upon those
recent slaves, with legal guarantees that
such right shall forever be secured and re.
spected. We see this party which has
handled over twenty-five thousand mil
lions OF treasure with one tenth of the per
centage OF loss that lad accrued duriua
the Administrations Of its predecessors,
modestly seeking out true and
tried patriot of the same political faith, who
has been faithful to all public trusts, and
presenting him 10 the people for their suf
frages TO fill the highest executive Office in
the giltof the nation. On the other hand,
we see party which opposed the wise pol
icy that maintained the Government intaci
during the period of the rebellion; which
sympathized with the attempt to disrup
the Union and repudiated the doctrine thai
the Government possessed the power tC
suppress rebellion and maintain itself in
tact which opposed the emancipation o.
the slaves and the substitution of free
labor system in the place Of slavery which
denounced and opposed the enfranchise
ment Of the late seris but advocated the
leaving of them to the tender ,mercies o.
their late masters without any voice in the
H