The Arizona sentinel., 1876-11-04
TIE ELECTION.

decide at the ballot box who shall
fill the various offices of the Ter
ritory for the next two years. The
exercise of the elective franchise
is the highest and most sacred pO-
litical privilege ever conferred
upon man. 1t is this that makes
the citizen a sovereign. But let
the citizen remember that when
he casts his vote there is grave
and weighty responsibility resting
upon him that cannot be over-es-
timated. If bad, unworthy and
incompetent men are chosen to ill
offices of public trust, it is the
fault of the voters who place them
there. No voter can shrink from
this responsibility, and it is the
duty of every good citizen to vote
honestly, faithfully and under
standingly for such men as hecon-
ceives to be best fitted for the po-
sitions to which they aspire. 1t
is laIuentabIe fact that many
men exercise the sacred right of
suffrage lightly and frivolously
and without any regard to their
duty as citizens. Many are influ-
enced by personal favoritism to
vote for men who they know are
utterly unfit for the Office they
seek. This is all wrong and un-
worthy of the dignity and respon-
sibility of an American citizen.
All offices, from the smallest to the
greatest should be filled by honest
and incompatible men. and all citi-
zens who have a due regard for the
purity of government, the perpe-
tuity of our free institutions and
the Just and faithful administra-
tion of the laws, will bear this in
mind when they cast their votes.
Happily for our Territory, our
people are not yet divided by the
curse of partisan politics, and are
free to vote for the best men, re-
CARELESS of the blatiUg of political
demagogues In one settlement,
few Old political hacks endeavor-
Ell to draw party lines, by intro
ducing national political issues,
with which the people of Terri.
tory have nothing to DO. But the
insane effort was confued to that
locality and has had no general
effect.
People of Yuma County; let US
not forget that the election just at
hand will be the most important
one ever held in the Territory,
and every thing depends upon
selecting the right men. Let no
personal preferences sway you, let
no considerations of friendship or
sympathy cause you to vote for
bad and incompetent men to fill
any Office, however small. Let
the men we elect to represent US
IN the legislature be staunch, up
right, honorable and competent.
Let those We elect to fill our coun-
ty and township Offices be men
whose characters are guarantee
that they will perform the duties
OF their stations honestly faith full
ly and fearlesSly; and in the cleo
ton OF all officers, of whatever
grade, let the conditions be exact
ed IS he honest? is he capa6Les
Yuma county occupies a very
Important position and is Just en-.
terlng upon career of prosperity.
Sitting at the maritime gate of
the Territory, Yuma sees with
pride and satisfaction the increase
OF her commerce and the general
happiness and contentment ofhe
people. She can almost hear the
snort of the iron horse, which will
soon salute the steamer. Let us
I'LL our offices with men who well
do honor to their positions, that
our people may become noted for
their respect for la W and order and
Tor the security ofIife and properi-
~. Fellow citizens, let us do our
duty at the polls.