The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1889-01-31
Will Two Wrongs Make a Right2

10 THE EDITOR OF THE JOUENAL: 1t is a
somew hat difficult matter for a person to write
or speak upon any subject which relates to the
politics of the people without laying themselves
open to the suspicion of party prejudice. We
| believe that the majority of the adherent> of
any and all parties are honest in their political
faith. We also believe that all parties contain
more or less of the dishonest. unprincipIei ele-
| ment which is found in society eyervwherr
| rerhaps the greater part of the people of the
country are apt to look upon those who differ
| from themselves in politics with = certain
amount of suspicion. Each having >clf-satisfy-
ing reasons for his position. any two men are
justified in holding and advocating their re-
spective beliefs.
In what we have to say in this article let it
De remembered that we divorce ourselves from
all political connections and speak a. an I'M
prejudiced well-wisher of our country and her
people.
In all the reasons given for retaining our
present laws relating to the election of the
chief magistrate Of the people, none are more
strongly urged than those which relate TO the
coored vote of the south 1t is contcndcd by
the friends of the electoral law, that the colm
try oVercomes large part of the evil which i,
occaSoned by the alleged suppression Of the
colored vote of the country. Granted for the
time being, that this evil is as great as some
would make It appear. | ask you, will two
wrongs make one right? Because it is a wrona-
TO deny the negro an opportunity of casting
ms vote when he may desire to 10 50, does if
OF necessity follow that it is rigbt 10 rount out
votes in some other section of the country for
the purpose of evening up the thing: 1t seem,
to Us that one wrong cannot be righted by Der
petratin@ another equally as bad a. the first.
We have used the term '.count out" in cnu-
nection with the present laws We mean no
discredit OF want of respect to those who
framed the present laws, nor to the people
who still content themselves with such laws.
We simply state as truth that which is 4 self |
evident fact. For if any man east his Vote for
any party'> candidate in Il State where such
party has large majority il is evident th;t
such vote going to swell the majority can have
no weight in deciding the national contest
Hence we ask is not that mans vote. and many
others beside counted Out in deciding the elec-
ton: Not by fraud, not by false returns. hut |
By I"1r. j. it right: If not. why retain ~tcu |
methods: The suppression of the negro vote
may be an evil hard to overcome, owing to |
the peculiar circumstances of the case, but the
suppression of the white mans Vote. need not |
of necessity be continued for the purpo>, of
striking 4 balance.
As we view this subject from a ton-paiti~,in !
standpoint, we are forced to the conclusion |
that change Of law whereby the President
and Vice President should he elected by the
popular vote Of the people, would rive the
balance Of power In some instances to Tho,
Democratic party of the country. i it not
right here that opponents Of the popular vote
law Stick: 1t would seem a> if '.the Greatest
good Of the greatest number" ought to Head all .
to acknowledge the u~tuc>> of the change aud
cause them to desire it IL liz brought about Is
speedily as possible.
The law is not What il wa, originally iujcn,-
ed to be when framed. 'lhc letter Of the law
i there; the spirit of the sam, h;,> zone never
to return. Whatever was good ia the law met
with very early death we fear.
This can have no connection with the f., ii~ of
the race question. They are two separate mat
tiers; remove one and the other remains an
evil all the same. The existence Of the nnc
does not justify the maintenance Of The other.
Resolve the problem you may, look at vt in
every honest light possible. and you caunot
make rrn from tun u..o,,r.