Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1884-12-10
An Ancient Roman Election.

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er-we borrow most Of our political ideas
and even language. Our elections vary
little from that Of the Roman forum. To
the Latins we owe our candidates and our
orators, tribuitian arts and tribuitian veto,
the ballot and the ballot box, the register
and the polling, the conception Of personal
independence, the sovereignty of the peo-
pie. The free Roman would bow to no
man and Cicero and Cesar were forced to
solicit the votes of their fellow citizens with
humility that was never feigned.
To obtain an Office at Rome the candi-
date toiled for months, and even years.
Clad in his white robe he walked the TO-
rum and the busy streets of the city, sa-
luting every one, asking votes, and seeking
what we now term popularity. lie spoke
to every citizen he met familiarity, he grasp
ed his hand, he begged his support; he
spoke of his own merits, decried his OPP
ponent, promised to advocate some liberal
measure, and sometimes bride. Cicero,
who was above bribery, has left us in his
letters curious picture of the tolls, ankle
ties, and interior life OF the Roman candi-
date.
An election day at Rome was scene of
singular excitement. Every year the chief
magistrates of Italy were renewed, and
every year voters crowded the capital. The
city was agitated by intense party feel
ing The rural population from Latinum
and the distant colonies over the Tiber
ha.tened 10 exercise the priced right of
suffrage. Chariots filled with citizens came
from the Sabine villages, footmen crossed
the Sublcan bridge, great multitude wan
dercd through the streets of Rome, aston
ished at the magnifcence of the city.
If it was consular election the people
gathered at sunrise in the Campus Martius,
where the voting was to take place. The
candidates. in their white robes, before day
break were seen mingling with the voters,
followed by their partisans, and proclaim
ing their political principles. Sometimes
they stood OH a high position, where they
could be seen by all sometimes the great
multitude covered the tops of the houses
and filled all the extensive plain from the
capitol to the river.
At length, at the sound Of horn, the
voters assembled in the Campus Martius.
II the auspices we're favorable and no peal
of thunder heard, standard was raised on
the Janiculum, and the consul began the
ceremonies with prayers and sacrifices the
people, deeply superstitious, awaited awe
stricken until he closed. The spectacle was
one Of great interest it was an aSsemblage
OF freemen. In the late comitia, at least,
all were equal. The rich noble, accustom-
ed to luxury and power; the cquites who
had sprung from poverty TO wealth, the
prosperous traders of the forum and SUI
burra the farmers, even sometimes the
freedmen, the manumitted slaves - were
blended by the Roman law into one har-
monious and momentary equality. Each
was gifted with vote.
The voting next began. The excitement
rose. The people, arranged in centuries or
hundreds, passed over bridge Of wood into
the polling place. Here in the earlier age,
they voted orally, and later with wooden
tablets. Each vote was recorded and
counted at once, and the result announced.
The ballot box and the register were
watched over by citizens of undoubted hon.
or and fraud was scarcely possible. As
one by one the centuries gave in their bal
lots the excitement was redoubled. The
candidates and the people hung breathless
upon the cries of the heralds as they pro-
claimed the progress of the election.
Livy has left many picture Of these
fierce political struggles. Now OH one side,
now OH another, the balance hung. AT last
il was fixed forever. A Scipio, Cato,
Gracious, Cesar had triumphed, and the
victors shouted in wild strain Of Southern |
enthusiasm that echoed far away over the |
capitol and the crowded hills. The beaten
party turned silently homcward. The ex-
element was over and the Roman voters
went quietly again TO their usual pursuits.
For 400 years, at least, every year the
Romans gave i'll their votes on the field of
Mars. At length an emperor tyrunt-
swept away the polls and polling places.
Despotism reigned over man for ten ccntur-
les, the very conception Of a popular cleo
ton and of popular rule had persisted; the
right Of suflrage-the pledge of independ-
ence-died. 1t was revived in the repub-
lies of the middle ages; il lived in the
homes of the workingmen; it passed to
Holland and to England il crossed the
seas to New England and sprang up in rare
strength. It has spread once more to Italy,
to Germany, to every European state, never
again to sink before the rage Of despot or
perish in the poisonous embrace Of slavery.
Eugene Lawrence.