The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1886-11-25
The Ballot.

the ballot is one of the strange things
in connection with its use. When impair
TALLY considered there is no more impor-
tant and impressive duty. under our sys-
tenn of government, than the exercise OF
the elective franchise. The ballot is in
tended to be the expression of the conyie-
tions as to measures and policies of the
voter and convey his honest belief as to
what is best for the people and the
government. 1t is really the highest
and most sacred privilege that is con-
ferred by our laws-higher than the obi
cations of party-more sacred than the
ties OF personal friendship. Yet with all
the sanctity by which it should be hedged'
we find intelligent men using it in the
most thougbtless and Indifferent way
more frequently expressing their prelu-
dices than their convictions. Since Inc
recent election we have heard gentlemen
whom we greatly respect, remark that they
believed in the views of the Republicans
on the more prominent questions at issue
in that contest, but that they could not
abandon or vote against their pdrty-that
although the party. was wrong as to Inc
questions named, yet they felt 1t 10 ne
their duty to vote against their convlc-
tions as to what was right as to measures
and cast their ballots to sustain an organ
ization that did not represent their views
of either principles or policies. One gen
tleman said that in advocating the Demo-
cratic cause he was hampered, because he
knew he it was not right on the tariff Is
sue or the educational interest, yet he
felt justified in speaking for it for the
reason that he was identified with the Or
ganization. 1t seems to US that there is a
| fragrant underestimate of the duties OF
citizenship in such a course-a slavlsh
subserviency to prejudice, and an lnexcu-
sible abandonment of principle.
We believe it to be the duty of every
citizen qualified to vote to cast his ballot,
and he stultifies himself and demonstrates
an upworthiness to exercise the privilege
if that ballot does not express his conylc-
tions as to the questions at issue in the
| controversy. i
ious assault upon our instltutlons-no
more dangerous indifference to the cause
of good government-than for the ballot
to be directed and controlled by whlms
and prejudices or by passion, or anything
less than high purpose and honest convic-
ton as to what is best in legislation. We
have had clever gentlemen to say to us that
they believed in the principles and meas
ures we sustain, but that they could moi
vote with US because certain other per
sons, equally empowered by law to cast
ballot, voted as we did. To our mind 1t is
strange reasoning, that If another votes
for what we believe. to be right, we shoulc
vote for what we believe to be wrong, be
cause we do not like the person voting, OF
do not think he is sufficiently qualified t.
cast ballot intelligently. If the vote i!
cast for what we contend is right, whether
with proper and discriminating under
standing of its import or not, it is a yot'
in the right direction, and for us to ALLOW
prejudice to control our ballot against oul
conviction as to measures, would be a re
Election upon our intelligence and iitnes
for the exercise of this high privilege.
1t is too often that the full meaning Of
the ballot is not considered-the duty i
implies not properly comprehended ant
appreciated by those who pride them
selves upon their social standing and cul-
; tured attainments They treat 1t as
means to express their prejudices, and no
their reason and convictions. They pros
titute it from it's high mission to the bas'
uses of embittered passion and ranking
prejudice, and divert it from tie objects
for which it was instituted.
1t is to this abuse of the ballot that al
our bad laws and harmful legislation ma.
be traced, and we can never approximate
perfection in government until more Sc
rious and thoughtful regard is paid to
right which is one of the most importan
secured to us under our political system.
where the people are the government.
Ard yet there is still more wicked dis
regard of the ballot and the sanctitie
which should surround it-a still greater
peryersion of its mission, than that we
have mentioned. 1t is the systematizet
efforts to control it by force, by bribery ,ant
by fraud. 1t is not an uncommon thing
to see at the polls men, having deposited
with them this high privilege, pulled ant
hauled about by designing and corrupt
tricksters and strikers, bull-dozed AM
coerced, caioled and coaxed and all til
methods the ingenuity Of desperate parti
zans could devise, used to make them yot
against their intentions and wishes, w
have seen free white men approached ant
their tickets snatched from their hands
and torn up and others placed in thei
stead and taken up by the arm or shoye'
up from the rear to deposit them We hav'
known men to be threatened with the los
of employment and the means Of supper
for themselves and families. if they daret
to cast the ballot they preferred, and thu
express their convictions and maintain
the dignity of the privilege they wer
empowered to exercise, and we hav
known intelligent men, who would scorl
dishonest act in business or g diScredita
BILE advantage in trade, use the power tn
accident of fortune gave them to degrad
the ballot by compelling their less fortu
nate neighbor to vote for what he dit
not wish. And we have known then
boast of such achievements and gloat owe
the success effected in prostituting thu
right to vote to such influences. 1t is ev
idence Of the decadence of public virtu'
when such things are looked upon will
lenient or approving eye or tolerated by
public sentiment, and the proof of danger
to our institutions when the depository o.
their power and the source of their eXis
tence, are thus invaded with corrupt anl
debased purpose. 1t is, indeed, the dut.
of every citizen to guard with jealous eye
the ballot, and frown down all attempt!
to divert it from It's Office Of expressing
the freeman's will and recording his hon
est convictions. 1t is only through an hon
est ballot that good government can b.
vouchsafed. Not to recognize and defend
it is crime against Republican institu
tions, and he is an enemy of his country
whether he knows it or not, who would
l