Year: 1872

CANNOT SUPPORT GREELEY"


Like ono of our exchanges. We OCCASION
ally meet Democrat who says: ] kase
been Democrat all my life; I never 'essl
any other than Democratic vote snd e.
cannot and will not vote now for Horace
Greeley, who is not Democrat now and
never has been" Such declarations nsys
do honor to the heart Of the person who
utters them, but they arc certainly uoss
grossly libellous of lis head. Il = uatpssl
that we should desire to honor those With
whom we have been harmonious in sepii-si
meut and action during our whole lives.
Aud if in voting our only duty wss 70 give
expression to our feelings Of gratitude, n.
fection, respect, etc., We would censure no /
Democrat for refusing ever to vote for sny
other than straight and lifelong Demo-
crat. If voting were merely means for
giving expression to our private or politi,
cal feelings, voters should never be gov
crucd or influenced by the actions Of
conventions, but each one should east his
ballot for whomsoever he most respected
and loved, or desired most to honor. Such,
however, is not the case. Voting is an
invention intended for quite another aud
higher purpose. 1t is the agency through
which the people express their opinion
and enforce their will with regard to tho
conduct of public affairs. 1t is not mere
private act through which one citizen ex-
presses his regard for another, but high
public duty in the discharge Of which the
whole body of citizens determine what the
policy of the State shall be, and declare
who shall be commissioned to execute
that policy. Taking this elevated view Of
the function of voting, it becomes qucs-
ton of comparative indifference what here
tofore may have been tho politics Of any
particular candidate, or with what partic-
ular organization he may have acted. We
do not assert that il is a matter of perfect
Indifference, but that it is so relatively.
The great questions to be asked by the
voter are /: first, what should be the policy
of the State-what measures should bc
inaugurated, what laws passed, and what
repealed. This great preliminary once
settled, the second rises to view and calls
for solution. 1t is: how shall tho citi-
zens vote so as to inauguratc the policy
pass or repeal the laws-which it has al
ready been determined that the interests
Of the State demand. The question to bc
determined by the voter, therefore, when
he goes to the polls is not how he shall
cast his vote SO as to express his regard
for some political idol, but for whom he
shall cast it so as most certainly to inaug.
urate just and beneficial public policy,
conserve public interests and promote the
general welfare. To one who regards tho
function of the ballot in this, its true
character, to wit, as the agency through
which the citizen exercises his power in
the government Of the State, VIC cannot
perceive that there can possibly be any
objection to casting his vote for Greeley,
if thus he can make his will most effctually
felt. The Liberal Republican convention
at Cincinnati made certain cardinal decla-
rations as to what the policy of our Gov
crnment should be; the convention also
named Greeley as proper person to inaug-
urate aud carry out the policy indicated.
The Democracy agree to the correctness
and cardinal character of these declara-
tions they also admit+hat Greeley would,
if he had the power, inaugurate and carry
out the policy which the declarations re-
quire. What possible objection, then,
can there be to their voting for him, when
it is the only practicable method Of giving
effect to their will ?-Walla Walla States
man.