The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-04-10

PTNVTOTNT Ny1TNW 10 IlN TNNIWIOWN NVVTWTTOH
doctrine that renders it not only practicable but
easy to surround tho returning officers OF Il
State with influences that may lead them to de-
the people. when another body of electors was
in fact chosen. You say that the two Houses OF
however depiorabie this may hc, it is n weak
spot in our political system. Do you not see
what, a door you thus open to every Kind Of
influence OF what conse e cS is to me- ca
citizen Of q state and of tho United states.
w r Sry the nra bSbs1 OF % s o
governed by tGeir Convictions tia, il viii
p party o' should retain than Hn hat another
should acquire the Executive Office? Some OF
the greatest crimes in history have been com;
mitte1 MISREPRESENTATION that the public good
required their commission. Whether the IN
il9encs or the motive se one thing or en0,Rer
false return OF the popular votes Tor Iresl-
dental electors aud it is held TINT the truth
into, 1t IL not that weak spot il revealed In our
electoral system, but the whole system Is sur
table. the Neutrality-suspicious.. the evcr-dangcr-
Gus spirit OF party. which corrupts anu ue-
sacred and its best-guaricd Institutions; Vice
and vilHiny shelter themselves under the rgls
Of the Constitution. and coolly tsll US mat US
trainers must bear tho blame. The virtue. the
sense. the reason of an indignant people make
answer: Your doctrine IL false; your plea IL
munty to crime 1t withholds no power OF in
quiry that Is necessary to determine when u Ger
tllcnte OF Presidential Electors. or any State
document that supports IT, asserts what Ii not
true. A.. .,...,.. ,-.
chise in voting for n President OF the United
States il the most lofty. the most lar reaching
in its consequences. Of all the. political priy-
lcgcs that have been bestowed upon the indi-
yidual American citizen. Run your thoughts
back for n moment to the enumeration which |
ea q tg That IN Voting IN 'nS So p S as sm na
integral part OF the nation. You exercise n
Junction that Is more direct and extensive in its
influence upon public affairs than was ever eX-
erciscd in any other republic ancient or mod
ern for in no republic in ancient or modern
magistracy TO be filed by the free and untram-
melled suffrage Of nation. IN which the powers
and duties were so directly held OF and for the
people. under written Constitution. as in this
office Of President OF the United States. Guard.
then. this great privilege, YOU who hold II. as
you would guard your life or your personal
honor, surrender y to no political doctrines
that will tcnd in any degree to impair II lest the
time NAV come when SONS power. Will say To
those bayonetsP They say to you that you may
vote: but you must vote in one way,
One OF the strongest and the proudest repuh-
lies that have ever existed, that OF ancient
Rome. in which the free cti1en held an elective
franchise in the appointment OF the Chief Mag
istrate not unlike that which the American
voter holds in the choice OF Presd OF the
United States. slid into an empire For several
centuries the forms OF the old republican Con-
stitution were kept up. while their political sig
niicance and power were utterly lost. The
but he was an absolute dictator. holding his Of
fice of Emperor by military power. and APP
pointing his successor SO long rs the mi litary
chiefs and the soldiers would support his So
lected heir All the popular elections that We're
ever held in Rome under the CAESARS. and their
successors. were held under the dictation Of
military power.
And have W. not seen the French Republic Of
our own times slide into an empire by n similar
process? When Louis Napoleon. President Of
the Republic. was transformed into Napoleon
Ill. Emperor. how was IT donet First. there
~ NNstNaa
machinery of the republic and left its former
President and the army which obewrd him.
masters ~ the nation. Then "a constitution. es-
tablishing the empire and creating Louis Napo-
leon Emperor. was offered 10 the votes ot the
people. But all the world knows that while the
people were told they might vote. the power
| which had framed and dictated the Constitution
could and did dictate it, ADOPTION The process
was simple. and IL was easy. because there was
| q physical force adequate to it, accomplishment
! To the power thus established the French ma
pire had emascuiated It's vigor and n foreign
| war destroyed what was left OF IL. Freed from
an incubus OF their own creation. tie French
nation proceeded once more To construct "A re-
public. the stability and duration OF which have
become more and more probable, in proportion
| ~ honesty and truth, and fidelity 10 the princi-
| pies Of liberty have been able to predominant
| force.
The lesson to he drawn from these examples
| II this: Study and comprehend the Institutions
of your country. Marx how they hav" been
| self government; how in some OF them the
| voice of the people finds expression in the So,
lection OF rulers; how in others the rights OF
| States rs political communities are represented
and defended; how. AT the hass Of all. lies the
elective franchi se OF the individual citizen, be-
tween whose ballot. and the object for which II
Is cast no power, no authority. no interference.
can be suffered to intervene. II the liberties OF
the republic are 70 be- preserved;
As a citizen OF THIS country. holding no oliicla
position. and bound 10y no siavish tie TO the IN
terrsts Of any party. am free to express my
convictions on any subject that concerns the
public welfare; but | feel somewhat ashamed OF
| III" necessity for win lciting the fundamental
pinciules OF our Institutions against do .trines
that have been resorted to because consum-
mated fraud In one or two States. remote from
ourselves. compelled resort 10 something that
would help US out Of an apparent difficulty. The
details Of the acts which have brought US To the
duty of defending our political system, are toe
word that Will save the honor OF aNnst bohy ol
our fellow citizens. The acts Of which we all fee
the inetlable dis trace are not 10 be imputed
10 the great political party Tor whose benen'
they were profnssedly pcrprraled. They wer,
tho acts OF Individual men, influenced or CON
nived at by other individual men. The peopl,
OF this country. throughout It's length and IL
breadth. OF Whatever party IN the politics OF tht
times, love and reverence the Institutions d
their native or adopted land. They arc no
cheats or forcers. or bride takers. or hrib'
givrrs and they Will Just as surely reject AL th'
sophistry and casuistry that afford immunity e
crimes against the safety ana perpetuity o
their republican system OF government, as they
would defend their homes and hearths asains
a foreign foe
II they donot-iithey arquiesoe IN the doctrine
that in Determining close Pres dential election
the two Houses of Congress cannot inquire int
the truth or fal-ehoOd Of electoral cert Il 'ates-,
precedent will nave been established that vii
certainly invite "A repetition of Just such n'ts a.
those which have lately been revealed. Men II
a h gh state Of political eNcit m"nt playing 10
"A great stake OF power. will dare even the poni
Tertiary. calculating on some means or clnn a.
of escape. on some protection from somebody
As to what IL past, II Is Of comparatively liu
consequence that the immediate wrong door
have escaped through legal trchncality
Heaven forbid that any man should be pun she'
save in strict accordance with the rules Of III
| criminal law. But what W. have most to fear II
the dangerous influence Of doctrines which A.
crpt as public conclusions OF constitutional law
| ia determining an election Of a PRESIDENT IN
| fruits Of crimes which rob the people OF theI
| right TO select their own rulers.
In the last lecture to which you did me IN
honor OF listening explained how II was tina
We came to have urepubllcan Government nov
republican institutions became necessity q
| our political and social condition, not only iron
taste and preference, but because there eAihte
no means for creating in tins country an
species III aristO 'ratl' or hereditary RIGHT
public Office. our condition Is Just the sam
! now: and therefore say that our republican
| form Of government Is menaced by no DANCE
| of the predOminance of any aristOcrntlc clnss Il
or through the Legislative body. Be ASSURE
that ~ long as our laws concerning the drscei
and distribution OF property remain whal the