The North Star (Rochester)/1847/12/03/Curiosities of voting

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From the Liberator.
CURIOSITIES OF VOTING.


The following letter and the annexed ticket explain themselves. The author is one of our most valuable friends in that quarter. In a private note accompanying the communication, he informs us that "this movement was the result of Friend Foster's teaching, when here last winter. He says that twenty-three of these votes were polled, although "quite a number stayed at home." Of this number was our correspondent.—We quite agree with him, that while we do not approve of the policy of expending Anti-Slavery time and strength in this direction, we can not rebuke those that do, with a rebuke bestowed on other voters under a pro-slavery Constitution. We still hold however to the faith that the circumstance that the party voted for will not accept the offices, under oath to rapport the Constitution, if elected, does not alter the character of the act of voting. Voting is a constitutional act as much as holding office. It exists only through the Constitution, and we can perceive no essential difference between the one act and the other.


the letter.

Upton, Nov. 10, 1847.

Friend Quincy:

I take the liberty to forward you a political curiosity—thrown up upon the sarface of that sea, whose waters foam and rage with such violence every second Monday in November. Although nothing but drift-wood, it yet deserves to be gathered up, and preserved as one of those specimens of lusus suffragii, calculated to rival any lusus naturæ, which has yet happened in the physical world. To those who have had an opportunity to examine it carefully, it is an object of wonder and apprehension. It is thought to have some of the characteristics of the torpedo, with this difference, that its electrical influence is felt only by the former. What particular elements in their mental or physical conformation, are the basis of such a phenomenon, a deeper philosophy than mine must determine. I hope you will favor your readers with a view of it, in order that they may analyze its structure, so that each one may be persuaded in his own mind, what manner of thing it is. C.

the ticket:

For Governor—W. L. Garrison.
For Lieut. Governor—Francis Jackson.
For Senators—Adin Ballou, of Milford.
John M. Fisk, of Brookfield.
Stephen S. Foster, of Worcester.
Effingham S. Capron, of Uxbridge.
J. T. Everett, of Princeton.