Year: 1872

Ihe duty Of voting is one that no citizen has
a right to neglect. In this city there is great
danger that business men, pressed BY the work
of rebuilding, or harassed by the prevailing
stringency in money matters, may turn over the
duty Of looking after the election to the class
that make politics q profession. Indeed, those
who habitually neglect to vote are those most
deeply interested in good government, and who
suffer most from bad government. Malfeas-
ance in Office, local and national is largely duo
to the carelessness and indifference Of intelli-
gent voters. There would be no difficulty in
having respectable and honest
Board OF Aldermen in the City Of
Chicago, if the respectable and honest
voters would go to the polls on election day, and
vote for the proper candidates and against all
others. The registry books closed last night,
leaving the names Of, possibly, 10000 persons
not recorded. While the registration is not final,
and these persons may, at the polls, establish
their right to vote, the danger to society is that
they will not do so. The election next week is
for President and members Of Congress, and 8
State Government including an entire
Legislature. In addition, ne have to
elect one-half the Board of Aldermen for the
government Of the city, and a majority OF the
Board OF County Commissioners. The good or
evil government Of this city and county, for the
next year, depends upon the fidelity Of the peo-
pie to their own interests in the choice Of these
officers. We have to elect the men who are to
exercise the power Of 1e7ying taxes, and who
are to expend the revenue, and certainly every
man ought to feel sufficiently interested in this
matter to go to the polls.


The greatest danger which threatens the
Liberal ticket in this city and county is that
the voters will not attend the election. There
are thousands Of wofkmcn engaged in all parts
Of the city, at points remote from the polls !;
these men are mainly supporters of the Liberal
closing their work, and some means should be
provided whereby they can have the opportunity
to ezpress their choice both Us to rulers and to
public policy.


As thare appears to be some doubt az to who
is entitled to vote, again cite the law on that
point: Every male citizen ct the United States,
over q years Of age, who shall have resided IN
the State one year, in the county 90 days, and in
the election district so days prior to the day Of
election, or Who was q voter in this State before
April 3o 1s48 is entitled to vote, and no others.
The law defines any precinct to be an election
district. Where new precincts have been GRE
efad the voter nnst have resided in tho terri
tory embraced therein 80 days prior to the
election. There is in the minds Of some per-
sons an idea that no person can lose his vote for
President by change Of residence, but the quail
hcations of voters for President are in no re-
spect different from those voting for other
officers, and all must have the residence re-
quired by law.


Let every person. therefore, entitled by Law to
vote, exercise his right and perform his duty On
election day, and to the verdict thus fairly and
honestly EXPRESSED there will beno objection.