The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-07-16


prudent people, Wise people, good people
wicked people, all sorts OF people continu
ally cautioned him, admonished him
threatened him, entreated him to keep 81
lent on that disturbing subject oil civic
corruption, and keep to the preaching O
the gospel. His steady reply was that
he was never more loyal TO the gospe
than when flashing it's rebuking light
upon those mysteries OF iniquity. The
result was a State investigation before
the Luxow commission, and all the hon
eat world rejoices that at last the ram
pant TammaDy tiger grown large and
fat upon the life blood OF New York vlr'
tue was brought to bay, with good
prospect that he may be slain or chained.
May God give all our great American
cities Parkhursts TO make the gospel
| a ouickener of civic consciences and a
purifier OF civic morals. Having thus as
sured myself that in so doing am not
violating any of the proprieties OF my po-
sition as a gospel minister, | shall now
assume SO much as to somewhat instruct
the christian citizen in the duties OF citi-
renship. Standing, as we are doing, on
the eve OF a great election, involving local,
State, and national issues, the christian
citizen will desire to know what his reli-
gion requires OF him as TO the use OF bis
ballot. 1. In the first place it requires
him 10 cast his ballot. The well instruct
ed christian citizen viii vote. The ballot
| is a sacred trust, for the faithful use OF
which we are held to as strict an account
ability as for any other talent 1t is the
instrument with which we may decree
Justice" and establish the ''reign of
righteousness. Ii il therefore due to
God, who invests US with this function,
that we use it. II is due to every other
good man, who expects and is entitled to
the cooperation of christian men in an
tagonizing wrong and maintaining right.
Ii is due to the country, whose veal or
woe is decided by the ballot. The coun-
try needs and must have her best citizens
at the ballot-box. Bad men are sure to
be there. Christian men, from inadequate
convictions OF responsibility, may neglect
the ballot, but, bad men with bad meas
ures never. Saloonists, and gamblers,
and. traflicers in vice, and political cor
ruptionists, intent on providing immun-
ity for their nefarious vocations, are
keenly alive TO their opportunity, and
you will find them in full muster at the
polls. II good men abdicate the fran
chise, il is but to abandon the country
into the hands OF men who, to say the
least, are morally incompetent for such
responsibilities. The country must drift
into hopeless corruption and certain an.
archy il corrupt and INSCRIPTIONS men
outnumber at the polls men of integrity
and patriotism.
2. And not only will he vote himself,
but the christian citizen, with all his
power and Influence, will protect every
other citizen in the lawful use of his bal
lot. The ballot is not only trust, it Is
an honor and right. To steal mans
lawful vote, to obstruct or pervert it, is
to discrown him, to take out OF his hand
a scepter which God has put into it. 1t
is a crime against the man. and against
God who made him man and inves ted
him with this regal right.
There are many ways by which men, in
this country, are despoiled OF their vote.
a. The m ost gross and palpable is
open violence, or forciole detention from
the polls. This is the desperate method OF
desper ate men, who, conscious OF the mate
weakness or wickedness OF their cause, are
not willing to trust the candid verdict
of a free ballot, and therefore take pos
session OF the polls and by intimida-
ton or physical force bar the way
to the ballot-box against those OF op-
posite opinion. Many OF us remember,
with hot Indignation, the Ku KIux in
the south, with bludgeon. and pistol, and
shot gun, driving from the polls the
newly enfranchised colored man and his
friends. And myself remember, with
burning shame and grief, the scenes OF
sew en- years ago in our own fair city OF
Detroit, where l was then pastor, when
the greatest moral question OF the age
was submitted to the vote OF the people
OF this State freed from all partisan in
fluence, and the bloated and reekiDg min
ions of the saloons formed their dark
cordons around the polls in many pre-
cincts, and throughout all that weary
day, with lewd jest, and profane inuen-
do, iostled and insulted many OF the mob
lest and brayest women OF that city who
went forth on that day to plead end
work for GOD and home and native
land" and with howl, and threat, and
brutal force, through all thatfateful day,
guarded the ballot box against the ap-
proach OF virtue. And when the over
whelming evidence OF this assassination
OF truth, and justice, and virtue in our
streets was laid before it, venal legisla-
ture condoned the crime, and proclaimed
immunity for such assassins, 80 long, ap-
parently, as their deed is committed at
the instance and In the interest OF the ga
looms. This crime is an aggravated form
OF rebellion. 1t is violent assault on
one OF the most vital principles OF our
system Of government, viz: the right OF
every citizen to record his judgement and
will concerning public questions by his
ballot. IL should therefore be suppressed