1818 Aug. 6 + § 10

Parl Ref Bill

Reasons

§.10 Election how

Voting secret why

New York

1

Morn g Chron. 6. Aug. 1818 Letter signed a British subject dated New York June 27 1817.

An account of the Election process as conducted in the State of New York has lately been made public in the Morning Chronicle of the 6 th of August 1818.

In principle it is the same with /agrees with/ that here proposed but in the means employed for the pursuance /attainment/ of the end there are some not very material differences may be observed /are observable/

For the security of freedom as well against seductive intimidation as against bribery and other alluring seduction secrecy is endeavoured to be given to the several suffrages, and ballot is the name employed.

Evils thus admitted 1. Miselection by subjection to undue influence

1. But the particular mode employed is – {not the dropping in of a counter which whoever may be the proposed Member meant to be favoured is exactly the same implement} but by | the dropping in of a ticket containing the name of the candidate meant to be favoured, / :/ and which / but the ticket/ may be in print, or in manuscript and in this case in the handwriting of the voter or of any other person, as the voter pleases. Suppose this influence to have place: by the person exercising it, the person on whom it is exercised may be required to give in in his own handwriting the name of the person voted for.

2. The persons on whose vigilance the security against fraud is reposed are – not the agents of the proposed Members – parties to the great cause, but a trio of official persons, named by other official persons.

On one of these three it depends what tickets shall be received and dropt into the box: if then he /they/ be to such a degree partial to this or that proposed Member, voters in any number may cause to be dropt into the box two tickets or perhaps more each of them having the effect of a vote. For those tickets which for secresy are to be delivered in ready folded, no precise form can therefore be prescribed, such as may be and is prescribed in the here-proposed mode.