Year: 1870

Gentlemen Of the association Il de-
sire my remarks tonight to be under
stood as made in continuation of what
was said and written by me on former
occasions on the subject of Electoral Re
form. In speech in this city on the
10Th of November, 1867, in speech in
the Senate on the 18th of July of the
same year, and in a report from the
Senate Committee on representative re.
form, 2d of March, 1869, l discussed
the Free Vote in its proposed applica-
tiOn to Federal Elections and stated the
general arguments in favor of its adop-
tion. do not propose to go over again
the ground covered by those speeches
and by that report, but to present ad-
ditional views, the product of further
reflection upon this question of reform,
and to mention the steps which have
been taken in this State and in other
States, looking toward the submitting
of the plan of reformed voting to prac-
tice.


THE FREE VOTE.


The Free Vote may be applied to
elections whenever two or more per-
sons are to be chosen together to the
same Office for the same term of SER
vice, and it consists in allowing the vo-
ter to distribute his votes among can
didates as he shall think fit, or to con-
centrate them upon one. 1t is here as
sumed that the voter shall have the
same number of votes as the number of
persons to be chosen, and that the can
didates highest in vote shall be declared
elected.


ITS EFFECT ON SINGLE ELECTIONS.


1t will be observed that the free vote
is inapplicable to the election of single
person; it can be applied only where
two or more are to be chosen. But it
will be great mistake to assume that
it will have no effect upon single elec-
tions because it cannot be applied to
them in form and directly. Due reflec-
ton and careful examination of the
subject will convince any intelligent
man-any man well acquainted with
the practical workings of our political
system-that while lis direct operation
must be confined to plural elections its
indirect effects upon single ones will be
very great, and verysalutary also, when
ever it shall come to be established.
For the advocates of the new plan as
sert with confidence and upon fair
grounds of reason, that it will secure
absolutely to political parties their just
representation in all ordinary cases of
Presidential, Congressional, Legislative
and other elections to which it shall be
applied, and will therefore greatly wea-
ken the tendency toward violent and
corrupt party action in the elections to
which it shall not apply. The election
of Governor in State is mainly inter
esting because of the influence which
the result will exert upon the next elec.
tions in the State for Presidential elec-
tors, members of Congress and mem
bers OF the Legislature such an elec.
tion is hotly contested, money isexpend
ed upon it and all possible means to
control it brought into active play, be-
cause elections which are to follow will
be powerfully inflenced if not deter
mined by the issue of the contest. In
like manner and for the same rea son
other elections of single officers are as
sailed by evil influences and become
degraded and Of evil report. In my
opinion, our remedy, and a very eflectu-
al one, will be to make all our Congress
sional and Legislative elections plural
and then apply to them and to Presi-
dental elections the free vote or some
other device by which just representa-
tion Of the people shall be secured.
Then Gubernatorial and other single
elections will be epurified and improved;
they will no longer exert any consider
able, much less controlling, influence
upon Federal or Legislative elections
and will not therefore invite or provoke
those corrupt and evil influences by