The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-10-18
The ELECTION in Frazce.

It is more than probable that we shall |
not have full and complete returns Of the
French elections for several days yet, In
deed, weeks may elapse before we will
know the whole truth, except by inference.
while the correct list Of persons elected to
the assembly may not be made up for a
month. This delay in returns is conse-
quence of the paternal spirit that liDgers
in all possible parts of the administrative
machinery. 1t is to be regretted that in
France there is not greater rapidity in the
publication Of election returns. In this
country, with all our rapidity. there is
frequent fraudulent manipulation of the
returns, and the result of the voting is
sometimes falsifed. But if scoundrels in
Office can cheat the people, where rapid
publication supplies public suspension of
their acts, what might they do if they
might labor at their will in continued OBJ
security, as they do in France-if they
could delay their count for the convenience
of party leaders, and repel public curios-
| ity as impertinence? This was shown
strikingly in the Louisiana and South Car
Dina returns in the late presidential cleo
ton, and fraud and delayed returns have
been the common features Of the southern
states for years where the republicans had
control of the machinery of elections,
Indeed, the southern republicans must
| have stolen leaf out of the French code
in the way of manipulating or manufacture
ing votes, for it was shown few years
ago in remarkable inquiry set on foot by
the national assembly that singular kline
of wholesale Justification was habitually
practised under the Empire to the a0van
tage of all official candidates. The func
tionary who is equivalent to our inspector
of election sat at the polls all day With tn
list before him of the voters of his dis
trict. As each one voted his name wa
checked off, but when night came it wa
found that many-often the larger mum
ber-had not appeared at the polls at all
Then the functionary rose to the dignit
of the occasion. He read the names Q
those who had not voted. He recognize
that they were men whom he knew to b
good citizens What is the impulse of
good citizen? To support the government
clearly, Therefore the fuuctionary did a
these good citizens the service of voting
, their names as he knew they would vote
they were there-that is, he cast all the
e votes for the official candidates.
Referring to this matter, the N. ]
Herald says:
Never before was the abominable sy
TEN Of official candidates more fragrant
e operated than it has been 10 this canvas
G By comparison with the government
+ Marshal MacMahon the government
= Louis Napoleon might be regarded as
punctious concern on points OF polite
,. fair play. ALI the electoral machinery
D the country is manipulated by the tools {
. an utterly INSCRIPTIONS ministry dete
mined to win, and, therefore, there is I
occasion to regret the delay and obscurit
that can so we'll cover their iniquitol
practices.
y In the present election, France is to d
termine not simply on form of cover
ment, but on it's fate as nation. 1t nj
be said that the existence Of the Fren
people is at stake. France, to-day, is 7
= publican; republican in the sense that S
;, will be controlled in her political functio
by her own will, and not by the will of a
individual who fancies himself fit to be h
r. master. Every nation that is proud,
s; telligent, aud self conscious is and must
republican in this sense.