National Republican., 1881-09-01
rhlLt mOrnI nunliiIcs. nnd N

he highest moral qualities, and yet bvdmll
on account Of his mental imbecility. On the
Dther hand. the felon may be man Of superior
mental ability and refinement Of education, yet
he is disqualified In consequence Of moral imper-
fections.
THE ACT OF VOTING Is A MERE PHYSICAL ACT,
and the idiot may be led or persuaded, step by
nep, by some person known to him, to perform
That physical act, and with his own hand present
ballot TO the inspector Of an election, and that
ballot, placed in the ballot box, may turn the
scale of an entire canvass, and thus an intelligent
expression of the voice Of the people would be
lost and the object of the election which is to get
that intelligent expression, defeated. In this case
lhe idiot is but an automaton, a machine wrought
upon by the person who led him to the poll and
who placed the ballot in his hand, a passive In
urument in the hand Of the demagoguo The
convicted feion, the man void OF moral sentiment
one who is impatient Of all legal restraint and the
Zoe OF social government one whose selfish pro-
pcnsities absorb the respect due 10 wholesome
nuthority-such an one would employ his political
privileges in attempts to overflow law and order
III an unprincipled candidate should by any posi-
biity be presented for the sunrages Of the people,
That candidate would be his choice, and, inasmuch
rs that society demands the enactment oflaws, he
would seek the attainment Of such laws as would
best suit his nefarious plans. If in his power he
would punish virtue and reward vice. His policy
takes the place of right and the weak have no
protection against the strong,
THESE REFLECTIONS POINT UNERRINGLY
10 the editor OF the Daily Herald Quincy III.
which is apparently an organ of the Democratic
party who says ave believe Guiteau to be lust
as honorable as the man he shot, and a mighty
Bight less dangerous" and "When the doctors fin
ish Guiteaus work. as they seem likely to do there
will be no national sorrow" This creature-fosit
were an exaggerated reproach on human nature to
call him man-may not in alegal sense, be an idiot;
but thathe is samoral idiot no one with the ordinary
instincts of humanity viii deny. He may not be
aconvicted felon; but that he is imbued with all
the malevolent instincts and malign sentiments
of the worst class Of convicted felons Is undeni-
able. Now It is q question I'm ethics, If not
in law, whether or not this moral eper, this self
conscious malefactor, is mentally or morally COM
petent to exercise the rights and privileges OF an
American citizen, especially that OF the elective
franchisel
AGAIN, THIS PuRTREscEST FACTOR
OF debauched party asserts that he has the sup
port of all reputable Democrats everywhere The
very fact Of his publishing those sentiments is proof
or evidence per Sc Of the truth of the assertion SC
far as his subscribers and patrons are concerned
for otherwise he would undoubtedly be committing
business suicide. Here, again. the question pre-
Bents itself Arc all or any reputable Democrats
morally or mentally competent to choose repre-
scntatives of the people administrators of State
or national aflairs2 Verify, we may exclaim
Whittier are we drifting? Are we imperceptibly
approaching an epoch of Nihilism and anarchy?
We are not worst at once The course fevil
Begins so slowly. and from such small cause
An infants hand might arrest IL;
But let the stream get deeper, and philosophy,
Aye, and religion, TOO, will often strive In vain
To stop It's headlong torrent.