The Hillsborough recorder., 1877-01-24
Ii PREGS.fyT LESSON

portant election ought not to be lost upon
our .a@ makers 81 upon ihoir constituents
Neverwa there al election ID which there
was so vast an amoantuf ghripg and mex
cusabIs irregnlarity. Thsre was scarcely .
county ID which there was 4 real and strict
conformity to law, and but few IN which sue
cess might not have been j,Opardized i the
penaltios for these uegligsnces haa been
enforced Therc was liitlcscoiuparatiyely
Of fraud ir the voter; there was little IN
those conducting the election; but every
where ,here we're defects cf form which in
themselves we're fatal il they had been in
sisted on. ssl1sig igi
Ii the primitive days Of the Republic,
when honest inteut was the ruling princis
pie, there was disposition to treat these
things indulgently, fol where 20 wrong was
intended. none was presumed. But il
these latter days when ;rickery at the bal
lot box is the chief enginery Of party. the
strictest adhesion to the forms as we'll as
the spirit Of election laws becomes indis-
pcnsable.
Example is sometimes necessary to de-
noasisale to officials that there are limits
Of carelessness Or u Disregard to statutory
directions beyond which it is not safe to 60.
And such one has jast been furnished BY
the Legislature IN the case Of the sitting
member, j. j. Iloitou from tie county Of
Ilertford. M -
His case Was contested by Ii. &. Mad.
drey upon the ground that at Winton, IN
that county. the polls were not opened ut
the hour prescribed ty law, but half hour
later; that they were pot closed at the hour
prescribed by law. but kept open three
! hours and half later; that after the legal
hour bad passed. the voting was continued
with locked doors, and that none but Re-
publicaa votes we're received.
All this was admitted By the friends Of
Horton, bat excused as slight irregriari.
ties, and in their estimation. expiated. be.
cause tie votes received after tie lawfil
hour were said to have been counted out.
There was disposition gu the part q
the House % consider that there was ~
rs
election. and to reinapd the ease to the
county Of Ilertfsrd. and therefore. at fiEst
Horton was declared not entitled to his
seat. but neither was lle contestant Mad.
dry aud new election was ordered. But
the action Of the House was reconsidered
the next day aud the claim Of the conies-
tant recognized upon tie ground that since
the illeg4Iity al Wiaton was admitted
eien.by the sitting lusmbeT, aud thereforG
that box must BE- thrown Ou.. there WIS Nc
justice ii depriving other precincts. voting
legally. Of toe fruits Of tlleir ballot.
Mr. Parish Of Orange made a very happJ
reminder of tie dangers resulting from
tresti6g with icyity or indulgeUce these H.
regulurities BY inPressipg tlls fact that q
the dangers tllat now iIreaisn tbs, county
grow oul Oft4is yesy laxlsy. this disregard
10 the strict requirements Of lie las. Th'
ballot becomes iaeGeetiye % esfsbiish figh
il oa.e encroachnents beyond the bounda
ries of Law are permitted. Essry illsgn
step gained become : permanent csnqOes.
FOrms d Ian are 10. merely FORMS. Tue!
IRE facts. and must IL obserel. TLeyA
vital fOrees aud tfey must BE- defended al,
tr HA
preserved. tss =.
lile ness lom EnFOpe has or maDy
months vibr,ed between var and poace
At one lime from TIE aggressive actiOu .
Ru~is. The former seemed unavoidable
AT smother. ihp 6rm attitude If Euglau,
and Other u Tie Great Power. seemed CON
peteot Il sscurS TIC latter. In the meal
time. aii turned ufoa ,he disposition Q
Turkey d yield u csrtain rsioruls Vic
dt tie Powers sgreej ID demanding. Nov
il would appear tbp. farkey viii sonssptt &
nothing that ippairs bsr territorial iu,sg
lilly. o. whieh ipterfsres with tie suprem
control q Iisr oEn Affairs sbj 30 there
tie immediate pro.Pegi u > pithdrawal !
al ihe fgreisn Embassies. nhish mean
that Turkey e., % be lrft 10 ) trial
strength uiib Russia lt mas be tLat u
former. 10 reliance upon ibe religious ~
vor u tile whole y ,slen World i slrOngc
than ale il believed 10 be and il appesl
20 be certain that Russia is not - strong
she llas saunted hrrself iad therefore III
struggle when i COME. viii NJ. " - u
equal Is % keep alive ihase sJnpsihiys I,
the 'siek mani which have had sush powe