Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1879-12-29
PUBLISHED DAILY AND TKI-WEEELY BY
EIOG = r. SNOW DE- IVA
MONDAY EvEN'e.. DECEMBER - 1873.
TIE republic rests upon the Independence

Tie republic rests upon the Independence
the voters. Ia proportion as either is W .utine
the commonwealth veers fr,n is normal course
ofsccurgg TIE creates! coed 10 the greatest nun
Der. ii Intelligence is wanting among the holders
Of tha; pH9eltul scop:rc-a trc"msp's vote
the state Sr4vilates toward anarchy; il the III
dependence o! the voter is iesseued, tyranny il
begun; if hia ibdepende. C is totally subvered
dcspot:srn is accomplished. Virginia, 10 old
dsys, never lacked Independent voters, and yely
seldom la{ upintclligcnt ones The stump
educated all iu the elements Of craftsmanship,
aDd gave, by the ablest men of the time, lessons
% political policy every court day. Two sides
We're always repres ,nted, and many OF the
voters, to whom i!hfjr:une had denicd az OPP
poTtnnity to learn to read, became as thor
0ughly Conscious Of their rights as men and Of
their duly as COED citz!ns as the wiscst grsdu
Gte OF William AID Mary or the University.
The independence Of the voter WAS sustained
By SQUAD pubic Opinion. which held attempts,
covert OF open to overawe, harrass, or hirder
voters Is MORA! teasou 10 the community. This
seatlncnt vas Upheld by that magnificent out
come OF trccman's will that s1uorous voice
OF Inc pccp'c--thc VIVA VOCE VOTE. Men
cried aloud their sentiments. They ruci tie
commonwealth ky open proclamation. A vote
was thing 10 be shown in the light-inallcn
able aud b.yoEd price rot bit of paper. like
,,r-in ., n.L !
over by election tr kers aud vote shayers We
owe the change to Judge Underwood. But it
has b,cu though! that the Underwood sys ell
suits 50 Well cur altered condition that il is in
txpcdeot to make alteration. We have 20
su.g'siOo 10 make now concerning i. But
the case e representative bJdl.s Is Of another
class. There the votes cast Gre representative
votes, for when each memb is responsible to
his Constituents. Undcr such c .nditon CT
Affairs secret ballot for anything is an anomaly.
The vote glveo is trust eX Gu ed. Surely
the mGCnCr 10 Which the trust is DISCHARGED
should DC pub ic. 1t must have been eratiiy-
Ins to cur CT zans 10 see proposition 10 the
City Council at lt5 last meeting that elections
should take place there. as laws arc enacted and
resolutions passed, By call of the roll and an
open vote. We thisk se express the sc1trsl
sentiment when We call upon the Common
Council to take up the resolution from the table
to Which It wss consigned without yea or Gay
vote and ppt it On is way to adoption. 1t
seems range IDd, ed tia! the City Council Of
Alexandria should be the ony representative
body 10 h. cIuntry where offcyr arc elected
~ sect biot. The House OF Representa-
lives Of tbs Uaiicd States, The House of Dele
gates ci FirgiLia-s!l vote openly FIR officers.
The exception is without reason ADD should be
abolished. Certainly, ii the constituent is en-.
titled 10 see how his representative votes Oh
laying gas pipe or tctring up a pavement, he
ought to see who he votes for to fill stations On
which the most Important interests Of the c,m
muniy depend. Let US hereafter have al
open vote Ia the City Council.