) We elect Presidents, Congressmen, &c.,
not so much to have them consider and decide for us, but as surest
practical means of expressing the will of majorities on mooted
questions, measures, &c.
As to general suffrage, after all, since we have gone so far, the more
general it is, the better. I favor the widest opening of the doors.
Let the ventilation and area be wide enough, and all is safe. We
can never have a born penitentiary-bird, or panel-thief, or lowest
gambling-hell or groggery keeper, for President--though such may not
only emulate, but get, high offices from localities--even from the
proud and wealthy city of New York.
WHO GETS THE PLUNDER?
The protectionists are fond of flashing to the public eye the
glittering delusion of great money-results from manufactures, mines,
artificial exports--so many millions from this source, and so many
from that--such a seductive, unanswerable show--an immense revenue of
annual cash from iron, cotton, woollen, leather goods, and a hundred
other things, all bolstered up by "protection." But the really
important point of all is, _into whose pockets does this plunder
really go?_ It would be some excuse and satisfaction if even a fair
proportion of it went to the masses of laboring-men--resulting in
homesteads to such, men, women, children--myriads of actual homes in
fee simple, in every State, (not the false glamour of the stunning
wealth reported in the census, in the statistics, or tables in the
newspapers,) but a fair division and generous average to those workmen
and workwomen--_that_ would be something.
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