Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-11-15

storm-washod highways, cutters and fields
To have an intelligent ballot, we must have
intelligent men behind IT, To have an hon
est ballot. we must have honest men behind
it, Any other philosophy is destitute Of
common sense, and would expect figs to
grow ON thorus and grapes ON thistles. But
We have adopted another system which per-
nits large masses of ignorant or supersti
tous men TO be driven to the polls by their
leaders like sheep TO the shambles and now
we have got to make the best of it, y
kingdom is rs well Off when a child is its
king as q popular government is when great
herds of It's voters ase the tools Of ambitious
demagoguos and INSCRIPTIONS leaders
This policy increases the difficulties and
dangers in the way Of our institutions, but
IL does not make our case hopeless, 10y any
means. The problem is now complicated
by 10, but perhaps isuot incapable of solution.
We are Loyalty to accept our policy as it
stands. But vc must protect the purity of
the ballot as the Roman empire protected
the purity OF the prestesses Of Nesta. As
any invasion Of their absolute purity woke
the wrath Of the Empire and brought upon
the heads of its spoilers condigu and swift
destruction, so any foul dealing with the bal
lot, 10y which the people are deiNuded Of
their viii ia any way should bs punished
as we punish the greatest crime that can be
committed against the state. And in order
to the preservation Of the symbol and
agent Of our sovereignty there must be
strengthening Of the law-abding spirit Of
the people. The supremacy Of law is the
sheet anchor OF liberty in a popular govern
mont And then there should be a national
and conclusive movement to educate all the
children Of the country 10 the point neces-
sary to give them intelligence to exercise an
| independent franchise The celebrated
Italian reformer, Manin, to whom Italy is
a thousand times more indebted than to
Garibaldi or Victor Emanuel, began a sys-
tenn Of extended popular enlightenment and
education thirty years before the enfran-
chisement of Italy lie foresaw that the
only hope OF his nation lay in its mental
and moral improvement. And II TINS coun-
try is ever to be permanently saved to popu-
lar liberty 1t is to be by the universal process
OF compulsory education by when eaeh
man Is invested with sufficient qualification
Tor intelligent voting Wherever hperIy Is
built ON Intelligence and the supremacy oil
law it is safe But II 1T Is invaded 10y the
hordes OF superstition and Ignorance and
oyerpowered 10y those incapable o. the IN
telligent exercise Of the duties OF lreemen,
we may look out Tor anarchy
The present deep excitement IN lhe coun-
try lustites and calls Tor the proioundest re-
Election as to ways and means to be taken
to avoid in the future the gull winch has
seemed almost to open before us. 1t IS no
slight peril which Is upon u.s. We believe
our people, however are too sell-contalned
to be carried into civil war 10y any fraud, III
justice or wrong now which may have been
done or may be done to that symbol OF ib-
erty, the ballot box Law may be invoked
against injustice, and there IS no danger OF
any attempt to remedy 10y force an evil
which may be redressed or prevented IN the
future by peaceful change of the laws. But
for the desperate politicians, north and