New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-11-26
PRE- WILL SUFFRAGE.

The right of suffrage is the right Of
choice, and, therefore, entire freedom from
any influence not voluntarily accepted by
the person called on to determine how
that suffrage shall be cast is indispensa-
bic to the existence of suffrage. The
choice by one man at the will Of another
is but an agency-nothing more. The
law sccords to man and woman the right
to determine for themselves the sacred
bond of marriage. II, however, it should
appear that such bond had been entered
upon under duress which so controlled
the freedom Of party, that no such OBJ
legation would have been incurred but for
such duress, the lawful authority would
have the power to dissolve such legal OBJ
legation.
The exclusion Of voters and-even
worse-the compulsion of the voter to
give his suffrage against his wishes, af-
fects such votes with nullity. In strict
justice, vote SO perverted should be
taken from the side for which it has been
cast upon compulsion and carried to that
which its free exercise would have pre-
ferred. The voter compelled by major
force to support an opposite TO his aim is
in the same situation with those Ameri-
cans who were impressed by the British
and compelled, in the war of 1924, to
serve at the guns for the slaughter Of their
own countrymen, and to be logged and
pulled at the capstan, or shot for DISC
bedience if they refused to do SO.
With this proposition that perfect free
will is indispensable to suffrage, and that
compulsory suffrage is q nullity and no
suffrage at all, we will leave to such of
our visitors as may have commended for the
political equality of man, to determine
how far man who can not go to or from
the polls save at the risk of his life or the
loss of his home and wages can be the
equal of another man who has no such
fears Also, how man who is compelled
to bestow his vote against his convictions
can have cast vote legally binding upon
himself or others. We remind the public
that the vote Of Q citizen belongs as well
to others as to himself The sentinel who
may lay down his musket or gives up the
password, from seduction or fear, can not
think that no one except himself is con-
cerned in the surrender. The vote Of
citizen belongs as we'll to others as to
himself, and should be properly placed as
the citizen would of his own free will have
done but for the compulsory intimida-
ton of others; for if citizen can not call
it his own because he can not bestow it as
he would wish, or when he is even COM
PEELED to cast it against his wishes, in
what respect is such q vote entitled to
bind the person who has cast it or others
whose rights depend upon its entire free
dom9 If such q vote be even withheld
in reason of terror, and preponderant
force thereby given to an opposite vote
cast under antagonist protection, in what
respect can an election conducted with
hands tied on one side and hands armed
on the other be either q free or fair ex-
position Of suffrage?
The powers of government are ade-
quate to secure entire freedom of will in
the voter. If voter be not perfectly
free agent he is no voter. His vote under
any duress is not merely voidable but
void a6 inuio. A vote given under open
Or tacit threat of consequences dependent |
upon the effect to which it shall be cast,
is no more binding on the voter or upon |
The public'than q promise to pay made to
\ bandit, or q burglar, under similar cir
of constraint or duress
It is upon this principle of free will
suffrage that the judicial authority of
tribunal empowered to inquire into the
node and manner of elections may be exer-
Used. It is as court-the guardian of
right in the feeble or in the ignorant 1t
IAN call the voter or his witness, and ask
he has signed this deed in aliena-
ion of his rights; whether he has accord
I'd his general letter of attorney dele
eating his political power to this OF that
This Judicial authority
IAN inquire of voter as another court
could if minor had signed bond or re.
ease, whether q married woman had re-
inquished her dover fully, freely and