The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1877-05-12
THE PURITY OF THE BALLOT.


THE PURITY OF THE BALLOT.
When de Tocqueville, the French
author, writing Of American institu-
tons, prophesied that their downfall,
if it ever should occur, would be due
to the oppression of the minority by
the majority, he did not lose sight Of
the fact that the ballot would be one of
the chief instruments of that oppres-
sion. He saw in that instrument n
power of immense proportions, Il ready
tool to serve the purposes of bold and
unscrupulous leaders, and while he
recognized that it might, in truth be
the palladium of our rights, he did not
fail to perceive that it could readily be
made to strike the death blow of our
liberties.
Time may prove the correctness Of
these reflections, but we are inclined to
think that the danger is more imminent
from the oppression of the majority by
the minority As long as the maxim
"maiorties should rule obtains and
is generally accepted the danger can
not be pressing nor free government
greatly imperiled. The minority will
gladly consent that the greater number
shall control, and while it may feel that
justice is too often forgotten in the harsh
measures that the dominant party may
enact, it will see that the evils follow
ing such injustice are not to be COM
pared to the woes that are consequent
upon the downfall of government and
the introduction of political chaos
But the outlook will lie far different
when the majority is, to any great en-
tent, deprived by the minority Of the
rule to which it is fairly entitled. The
peated triumph of ballot-hox stuffing, the
continued success of corruption, the re-
iterated victory of intrigue and chicane,
the ceaseIess pollution of the franchise,
the never-ending reversal of figures can
have, at last, but one result When
honesty finds its one vote ever and al
ways opposed by dishonesty's half
dozen, when prohigacy and political
rascalty have so eflectually secured
the ballot-box as to be able to laugh to
scorn the efforts of integrity and politi-
cal purity, when majorities elect and
minorties continue to induct THEIR can
ddate into Office, the woes of govern
mental chaos can be no greater than
the woes of governmental degeneracy
In the purity of the ballot, therefore,
rests the hope Of good government.
Administrative reform is very we'll in
its way. The prosecution and punish
ment of corrupt officials is a step en-
nently worthy of commentator. But
in ballot-box that gives TRUE expires
sion to the will of the people remains
the best and only prospect of correct
and scrupulous government in all its
ramifcations. IT is the fountain
head The streams which flow from it
may be streams either of purity or i'm
purity, and the blessings of upright
authority can not survive in waters
impregnated with filth and the stencil
of decay.
The despotiSm of force may present
some redeeming features when com
pared with the despotism of rottenness.
The performances of White Leagues and
White Liners, of Kuklux Klans and
masked political banditti are, in some
respects, more easily to be endured than
the acts which mark the history of Tam
many Halls and Boss Tweeds, Whisky
Rings and Bannonism. But they are
all equally prejudical in their effects.
The mastery of might, the domination
of artiice, the political desperation hat
dcsccnds to midnight assassination or
pulls the wires from the back Offices of
christian statesmen in the effort to
achieve success, the masked murderer
who strives to control the frcemap's
vote at the point of the pistol or the
superior (,) intellect that quietly dis
tributes its "pudden tickets and mar
shals its clans of rulfians, are all upon
an equality in every essential particu-
lar. They each plan the rape of the
ballot. They each endeavor to over
ride the popular wish in the anxiety to
perpetuate their power or to secure that
which belongs to others, and they too
frequently succeed. In this Union to-
day the startling spectacle is presented
Of four State Governments at least in
the hands of men who are not Justly
entitled and who never were legally
elected. The triumph of White Leagues
in Louisiana, Kuklu1 Kians in Florida.
Rifle Clubs in South Carolina and "pud-