Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1888-11-29

enough of these oheobs to amount to the
prizes agreed upon for his vote. He then
took the checks TO the treasurer, endorsed
his name upon the back Of them, and re-
ceiyed the money. II is said that at least
$50 votes were bought by both parties in
East Dover hundred alone on election
day. For the entire county the number
OF votes that were bought for cash is
estimated at 1900.
HOW TO surPEEss THE EVIL.
This is question that Hnds serious
Judgment in the minds of leading oitizsns
Of botn political parties, but they are
puzzled as to the best plan to adopt. II
one party refrnins from buying votes, the
other party will profit by the practice,
md II Ia tco much TO hope that both
parties will Voluntarily abandon the busi-
ness. II will bavs to be stopped by legis.
lation. Edward Ridgeley, Esq, Of Dover,
faVore the re.enactment OF the anti
bribery law Of 1869, which was as fol-
lows,
Every person elected or appointed to any
public ofiioe OF trust or profit In this Stare,
before enteLing upon the duties OF such
Oh 90 slr,ll. I'd ad-litieB to Tho qppll lApatinus
prescribed by the ec1nstitutlc nsuf she ntted
States aud OF this State. take md Subscribe
the following oath or aflifmatlon:
I----------do solefnnly swear Tor aflrm)
that have not eince the first day Of July,
1852, given, ofiared or promised any money,
goods, chattels or other valuable thing or
matter, or released or offered to release any
debt or obligation by way ct brlbe, gift,
benefit or reward, FOR the purpose, or with
| the object OF Influencing any eleotor In
| giving his vote, or In refusing to vote, or IN
absentlng himself from tho polls at auy
election. 81 help me God (or so affirm.)
This law was passed whom the Revised
Ocde of 1852 was enacted. u was the
first section Of bill prescribing the
qualification of number OF local officers,
and provision was made that this section
should 90 into effect on the 4th day Of
July, 1854 The htate campaign of thai
year was conducted with this law In force
but 1t did not prove satisfactory for acme
reason or other, % 1t was repealed OF the
ensuing ssasion of the Lsgislature. Tht
repsalipg cot sitnply wiped out the SEQ
tion of the bill above quoted, and wa
passed. on March Sd, 1858 Mr Ridgeley'
recollection is that ii effectuallg stoppe,
the corrupt use OF money during tina
campaign. Candidates for office ooul'
avoid its provisions by getting their FREUD
to attend to the vOte-buying, but the fac
that o man who bribed o voter efectu
ally debarred himself from accepting an
office while the law was in force mad
everybody very chsry about doing an
business in the vote buying line Th
repeal OF this enactment WAS followe
by the re-eps ctment of the old ant
bribery law, which was originally posse
on January 28th, 1926, and 10 in for'
', to day. 1t provides psralty of $2C
fine (one-half of which goes to any pc
! son who will sue for iD imprisonment
I from one TO nine mouths, disfranchis
ment for two years and forfeiture OF u
!, office TO which the person proved guii
! /. Of bribery nhall have been elected. III
= law 10 severe enough, but the great dif
: Guilty is in its proper enforcement. b
!, few persons care to incur the odium
iustiluting suit. An organization OF q
= termined citizens might DO formed 4
|, the purpose Of purifying elections
- vigorously enforcing the provisions
tho existing statute. Suoh an organiz
tion could make II very unhealthy +
q bribers and doubtless deter them fro
4 plying their vocation with the unblus
d ing efrontery that marked the condu
o of the recent election in the two low
9 counties Tho admirable feature of 4
law Of 1862, however, was that 1t pra Q
d cally enforced itself.
r The conditions that led to the passa
j. Of the act If 1854 are not known, but
y was presumed that the extent to VIII!
]. bribery and vote buying had reache
= dlsgusted public sentiment and demand
Is o change. The newspapers OF the q
d make no gpecial reference to the act
l. yond a brief mention Of It's passage,
l. the detailed proceedings. Constitution
n convention md legislation with respect
IS lotteries and railroads were tben nbso'
% lug issues. Nor is any special referen
10 made to the repeal OF the aot. The repf
10 of tho Senate proceedings of March !
y 1853, simply says that ION motion OF
=, Gooding the bill to amend chapter
IS was passed." It Is said that some OF I
'r public officers of that time were ye
10 dubious about taking the OATH requir
a. nv the enactment Of the previous ye
y But the fact remains that after the
l. perienoe Of single campaigl, tho an
10 bribery act OF 1852 was quietly, and,
far a. can he learned from the reoort
o. unanimously repealed
ID PUBLIC SENTIMENT FAvoRs CHANGE.
\. There are good grounds for helley'
- that the subject will receive the aerit
20 'e attention Of the next Gsnetal bssemol
81 and that steps will be taken to break VI
= n vicious System that has at last come to
q q regarded as public disgrace. Aatring'
"a "a anti.bribery law is one OF the possi,o
- ties of the session. But even If th'
y. ~ should bs no legislation, there are mo-
70 ful evidences of public sentiment :!
e- nav check the food Of corruption tt
:, epeulfs elections In this State. The pr
ae ticians would be reioiced at the extlnct,
% Of a branch OF campaign work q
Ve makes heavy drains upon the party tire
- uries and people generally would hearl
70 approve OF any movement that y
sn pron,lss reform. II il is not stopped
~ cost OF elections will become enormous
v the number of vensl voters will incrs
IN a. each election. No one with whom
20 talked defended the System, and
10 earnestly hoped that il will be wiped c
, Those who know the extent Of tao
y, ere disgusted, and would joyfully aid
81, stamping 1t out of sxiatenos. Public
'Ie terests ond public deecncy demand !
y. ne yote.buyipg in Delaware shall be stepP 2