Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-12-21
AN ANCIENT ROMAN ELECTION.
How the Soble Roman worked the
PIsbeian for Efis Vote.

FIsbeian for Bis Vote.
From repub lean Rome-our early
teacher, says Eugene Lawreace-we Dor
row most OF orr p0lical ideas, and even
language. our elections varv Hule
from those Of the Roman forum. To the
Lstins VIC owe our candidates and our
orators, Cur iTiounAian arts and tribuni-
tian Veto the ballot ami ballot-box. the
register aud the polling, tae conception Of
personal independence, the sovereignty of
the people. The free Roman vouId bow
To 10 man; and Cicero and Caesar were
forced to solicit the votes OF their fellow
citizens with humility that was never
feigned.
10 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 be husg streets uf the Cltv, sa-
luting every one, asking votes aud seek
ing what we now call popularity. lie
spoke tu every citizen he met Familiarity.
he graspeG bis hand, he begged his sup
port: he spoke of his own merits. decried
his opponent, promised 10 advocate some
literal measure, and sometimes bri0e.
Cicero. VINO was above bribery, has left
us in his letters curious picture of the
Il
man candidate.
An election day at Rome was a scene Of
singular excitement. Every year the
Chief Magistrates of Italy were renewed,
and every rear the voters crowded the
capital. The CITY was agItdted by intense
party feeling. The rural population from
Latium and the distant colonies from
over the Tibec FASTENED to exercise the
priced right Of suffrage. Chari0ts filled
rft .thT
lagos, footmeu crossed the Subiician
bridge, great multitude wandered
through the streets of Rome, astJuisled
at the magniticence Of the city.
If it was a Consular election the people
gathered at sunrise in the Campus Mar
uus, where the voting was to take place.
The candidates, in their write robes, be-
fore daybIeak We're seen minging with
the voters, followed by their partisans,
and proclaiming their political princi-
pies. Sometimes they stood on a high pc
sitlOn, where they could be seen by all;
sometimes the great multitude covered
the tops of the houses. and illed the eX-
tensive plain from the capitol TO the
river.
At length, at the sound Of a horn, the
voters assembled in the Campus Martius.
If the auspices We're favorable and no
peal Of thunder heard, a standard was
raised on the Janiculum, and the Consul
began the ceremonies with prayers and
sacrifices: the people. deeply superstiti-
Gus, awaited aWe-strlcken until be closed.
The speCtacl5 WAS one OF rare interest; il
was an assenbiage OF Roman ireemen. In
the late c0ml1lH, at least, ali We're equal.
The rich noble. accustomed to luxury and
power: the EQUITIES. who had sprung rom
poverty TO Wealtb The prJsp, rous trad-
crs of the forum and subufrd, the farm
ers, even sometimes the freedmen, the
manumitted slayes-Were blended boy the
Roman law into one harmonious aud mo-
meu'ary equality. Each was gifted with
q vote.
The voting next began. The excitement
rose. The people, arranged in centuries
or hundreds, passed OEera bridge Of wool
into the pOiu9 place. Here, ~ the earlier
aye, they voted orally and later with
wooden tablets. Each vote was recorded
and counted at once. and the result an
nUUnced. The hall0t-b0E and the register
were watched over by citizens OF und0ubt-
ed honor, and fraud was scarcely posi-
bic. AS one Icy one the centuries gave IN
their ballots The excitement was Ie-
doubled. The candidates and the people
hung GREATNESS upon the cries of the aer-
aids as they proclaimed the progress Of
the election.
Iiyy has left many pictures Of these
fierce political struggles. Now on one
side. now on another, the balance hung.
At last it was fixed forever. A ScipiO, u
Cato, Gracious, a Caesar had triumphed,
and the Yict0ns shouted IN q wild strain Of
Southern enthusiasm that echoed far
away over the capitol and the crOwde d
hills. The beaten party turned silently
homcward. The excitement was over, and
the Roman voters went quietly again to
/ their usual pursuits.
For 400 years. at least, every year the
Romans gave in their votes on the field Of
/ Mars. Atlength an Emperor tyran'-
/ swept away the polls and the polling
/ places, Despotism reigned over man for
! ten centuries; the very conception of a
| popular election and of popular rule had
| persisted; the right of sutfi age-the pledge
of independence-died 1t was revived
in the republics of the middle ages; it
lived in the homes of the wOrkingmen; it
passed TO Holland and to England; it
crossed the seas to New England and
sprang up in rare strength. Ii has
! spread once more to Italy, to Germany. to
every European State, never again to
| sink before the rage of a despOt or perish
] in the DOiSOnOuS embrace of slavery.