The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-11-05

60 IN Tor law which, after giving i;1r
warning for few wears, shall make igno-
rance crime. There is no excuse for
ignorance on these subjects in this land,
where the common schools make knowl-
edge as free as the fresh air of heaven.
| would have a board of examination
seated beside the officers OF registration,
and let them decide whether the men
who come up to vote have any capacity to
be monarchs in n land where we are all
monarchs. One of the most awful foes OF
the American ballot box today is popular
ignorance. Educate the people, give them
an opportunity to know and understand
what they do. II they will not take the
education, deny them the vote.
Another powerful enemy of this sacred
chest, the ark of the American covenant,
the ballot-box, is spurious voting In 1850,
in Brooklyn, there were 1000 names re-
corded OF persons who had no residence
here, and II there were 1000 attempted
fraudulent votes in the best city ON the
continent, what may we expect in cities
not so fortunate? What grand thing is
the law OF registration Without il cleo
tons in this country would be a farce.
There must be a scrutiny on this subject.
The law must have keenest twist for the
neck of repeaters. Something more than
slight fine and short imprisonment IL is
an attempt at the assassination OF the Re
public, when man attempts TO put in q
spurious vote. In olden times when men
laid unholy hands on the ark of the cove
nant they dropped down dead. Witness
Uzzah. And when men attempt to put
unholy hands on the American ballot box,
the ark OF the American covenant, they
deserve determination.
Another powerful foe OF this sacred chest
is intimidation.
Corporations sometimes demand that
their employees vote in this or that way. 1t
is skilllully done. II is not positively in
so many words demanded, but the en-
ploye understands he will be frozen out OF
the establishment unless he votes as the
firm does. So you can 20 into villages
where there are establishments with hun
dreds and thousands OF employees and hav.
ing found out the politics OF the head men
in the factory You can tell which way the
election is going. Now, that is damnable.
Ii in any precinct in the United States a
man cannot vote as he pleases there is
something awiully wrong.
How do you treat that employe who
votes differently from what you do2 Oh,
you say, you do not interfere with his right
OF suffrage. But you call him into your
private office, and you find fault with his
work, and after n while you tell him there
is an uncle or an aunt or niece or q
nephew that must have that position. You
do not say il is because he voted this OF
that way, but he knows and God knows il
is. II that man has given TO YOU in hard
work an equivalent for the wages YOU pay
him YOU have no right 10 ask anything
else OF him. lie sold you his work; he
did not sell you his political or religious
principles. But you know rs well as 10
there Is sometimes on that sacred chest,
the ark Of the American covenant, O
shadow, corporate or monopolistic,
! do not wonder at the yehcmence Of
Lord Chief Justice Holt, OF England,
when he said let the people vote fairly.
Interference with n mans vote il in be-
half OF this or that party. | give You
notice that II an offender against the law
comes before me / will charge the Jury
20 make him pay well for IT," No shadow,
plutocraiic or capitalislic. Every man
voting in his own way-God and his own
conscience the only dictator
Another powerful foe OF that sacred
chest. the ark Of the American covenant,
the ballot-bOx, Is bribery.
You know something OF the hundreds OF
thousands OF dollars that we're expended
10 carry Indiana In 1880. You know
something Of the vast sums OF money ox.
pended in Brooklyn and New York in
other ycas 10 carry elections. Bribery is
one OF the disgraces Of this country. And
there will be- more money used in bribery
this au,umn's election than IN any previ-
Gus election. II Il often the case that a
man is nominated for office with reference
20 his capacity 10 provide money for the
elections or with reference 10 his capacity
10 command money from others. You
know the names Of men who have at dif.
icrent times gone into the Gubcrnatorial
chair or Congressional office buying their
way all through. ! tell YOU no news.
Your patriotic heart has been panied
! again and again with H.
Very often Il Is not money that brides,
but Il Is office. "lou make me President
and I'll make you Cabinet officer; you
make me Governor and I'll make you
Suryeyor.Gcneral; you make me Mayor
and IN put you on the Water Board; you
give me position and III give you posi-.
ton" That Is the form Of bribc often
aud often In these great cities. | do not
say Il il in our city, but you know again
and again throughout the land these have
/ been the forms Of bribc offered. 80 Il II
often the case that by the time man
comes 90 an Office 10 which he has been
elected. he IL from the crown Of head Ia
the sole OF foot morigngcd with pledges,
aud the man who goes TO Albany or "a
Washington 10 get an Office is apply iOI
some position that was given away three
months before the election. Two long line.
| OF worm fence, one worm fence reaching
/ to Albany aud tho other 10 Washington.
| aud there a great many citizens asirid,
| the fence, aud they are equally poised
/ and they are waiting 20 sec on which sid,
| there is most omolument and on this sidg
| they get down. But bribery kicks b0tl
ways. IL kicks the man that Offers Il AM
the man that takes IT, Bribery today yot
\ will admit 10 bo one Of the mighticst ioci
OF the American ballot-b0x.
Another great enemy Of that sacred chcs
Il defamation Of character. Can YOU fine
out from the newspapers whom two met
are running for office which Is the best
How often IN the autunnal elections The
good man " denounced and the bad maj
applaudcd, ~ that you can come some
times 10 no just opinion ~ 10 who Il th'
btst man, aud there are hundreds AM
thousands Of electors who 20 up 10 vote a
utterly beioggcd they know not what the,
DO. Il not that a fearful influence 10 b
brought upon the ballotbox Of this country
II has been 20 ever since the foundation q
this Government Defamation Of char
acter.
Thomas Paine writes Washington lct
ter. aud publishes IL, saying; "Trcachoi
ous In all private friendship aud hyp0cht
In public morals, the world will be- puzzle