The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1877-03-23

! FL IhACIO phON IhuEito| 'sA'-
Col. Bob Ingersoll was in New
York, on Wednesday night OF last
week. and delivered lecture in Stein
way Hall, which was crowded. Itwas
purely political, and many of bis ideas
in regard TO what should be done, will
meet hearty approval. Others again
are hardly So practical. The following
extract can hardly fail of meeting the
appreciation of every upright citizen
who desires that the will of the people
shall govern-and that every effort
should be made to have that will hon
estly and fairly made known:
WEAK POINTS IN THE CONSTITUTION
AND LAWS.
While the election failed to decide
who was elected it clearly pointed out
weak places in our laws and in our
Constitution. 1t discovered defects
that must be remedied. 1t suggested
amendments that must be made if cur
fcIm of government is to be preserved.
Applause. Our government is suppos'
ed to b. based upon, and to rest upon,
the legally expressed will of the people.
Applause. / have said it a great
many times-it will do 70 harm to say II
again-that this government is the only
government that pretends to derive al
its powers from the people, and from
no other source whatsoever. Ap
plause Before the foundation oi
| this government every particle of auth
ority was derived, 2r pretended 10 be
derived, from on high. The kings
were annointed with holy oil, and this
divine petroleum trickled from head
to head until tile last drop resting upon
i the skull of the parish beadle constitu,
ted the only right they had to rob mar
kind. In theory our government i
perfect. IN practice ! admit that 1t Il
imperfect. There is but one way, SC
far as knox (outside, of course, o.
the newspnpeIs,l to ascertain the vii
of the people, and that is by ballot
But the laws have been so lmperfec
and fraud 20 easy of Accomplishment
that the real will of the people has re
manned as mysterious as most OF III
| DEGREES of fate. Great cities were th
the mothers of election frauds, AIT
New York has had as many children o
that character a any other city in TIL
tworid. Laughter They inaugurate
violence and intimidation. They Pre-
duced the repeaters and the false boxei
They invented faptailed tickets an
pastors, and gradually these deiisaill IL
and patriotic hearts,arts, ano pract,ce
: have spread almost over the eptr
+ country. Unless something Is done
preserve the purity of the ballot DO
our form of government must ceas,
d The fountain of power is poisoned
!. the sovereignty of the people is stole
and destroyed: government become
) organized fraud; all respect will 500
q be lost for laws and the decisions
the courts; legislators are elected
i many instances by fraud; the Judg'
II are in many instances chosen by 1raut
If Every department of the governmeI
n becomes tainted and corrupted. 1t
;, no longer Ii republic unless some wa
al can be devised to ascertain with ce
e tainty the real, honest will of the so
ereign people
For the accomplishment OF this d
d ject, the good and patriotic meil OF .
n parties should most heartily unite. 1
-, cast an illegal vote should be conside
ed by all as crime. Applause. Va
" ious States have passed laws Tor Il
le registration of voters, but they d
IF leave wide open the doors of frau
a Men are allowed TO vote if they ha'
been a year, say, in the State or thir
'e or sixty days III the ward or precinc
lie ard when they have failed to ha'
their names registered before the d'
of election, they can avoic the effe
y of this neglect by making few at
$ davits, certified TO by reputable hcus
holders. Laughter. Of course ;
the necessary afIidavits are made, wi
1T hundreds and thousands TO spare
s. Ny idea is that the period of registr
n ton in the frat place is too short. In q
second place, no way should be Civ
- by Which they can vote unless til
ID have been properly resistered. aftida
=. it or no affidavit. Applause. Eve
e man, when lie comes into a ward
20 precinct, should be registered.
:. should be his duty to see TO it that he
IL registered. Offices should be kept
that purpose and never be allowed
pass a vote until the voter has be
a registered at least one year. Applaus
w Sixty days or thirty days-siXty da
IL would be better-before the electi
the registry list should be correcte
e Every citizen should have the right
no enter a complaint or objection again
be any man found upon that list. Thil
4 DAYS or twenty days before the electi
that list should be published-Li
on pleusel-and should be exposed
en- several public places in each ward d
Ct in each precinc-, aud upon the day
ut election no man should be allowed
vote whose name is not upon that r
0n istry list. [Applause. Our wa
To- and precincts should be made snt
so that the people can vote withC
loss-so that they can vote withC
ng wasting the entire day-so that
~ honest business man who wishes
csst his ballot for the Governor of
Vi choice can walk to the ballot box
'rl- gentleman. deposit his vote and
ust about his affairs. Applause. 4
allow me to say that unless some 81
=. plan is adopted in the United Sta
~. there will not be another fair elect
in this country. During the late C;
/. paign all the arts aud articles of
city all the arts and artitices of
lowest ward were spread, as il ",
over the entiie country, and un
something is done to preserve the |
ity of the ballot box, and guard a
were, the sovereign will of the peo
we shall cease 20 have a republi
form of government. Appiau
Another thing-and cannot say il
ofteu-fraud at the ballot box un
mines all respect in the minds OF
a. &C people for the ballot. When they
satisfied that the election is fl,
ndi- they dispise the officers elected; "
they are satisfied that Il Ii q fraud .