Thus, then, we might get, by way of counterpoise to the voting power of a bare and overwhelming proletariat, the worthier and far sweeter voices of those who have virtues and excellences of various kinds to recommend them,--so that if the lowest constituent counts for one, the highest may add up to six or eight. And thus, while no one of the mob is denied his one vote, those who rise above the crowd receive the more than one they have earned by good-doing or position, and plump them all accordingly to the worthiest candidate.
The method of ascertaining and ensuring such votes might be this. Let each man who has more than his single suffrage apply for the paper specially prepared to indicate the additional votes. They might be much as thus:--
For the Victoria Cross Signature of Claimant. For the Albert Medal ditto. For faithful domestic service in one family twenty-five years ditto. For field-work on the same farm thirty years ditto. As a famous self-taught naturalist ditto. As owner in fee of 50 acres ditto. As possessed of £1000 in Government funds ditto. As publicly selected for honour by the Queen ditto. As mayor of such a city ditto. As President of the Royal Society ditto. As President of the Royal Academy ditto. &c. &c. &c.
Heavy penalties should attach to false claimants, who would be readily found by their own signatures.
All these surplus votes, openly avowed, of course, and not kept secret as the single one in the ballot-box, would be counted up in the scores of the several candidates.
The surplus-voting papers should be applied for, be supplied, and be returned when filled up--by post, and so all such voting be accomplished on paper, as in the elections for Oxford University, &c. It is a barbarism and anachronism at this time of day to insist on the great cost and inconvenience of a personal appearance, in many cases impossible.
If our people in every class, and our legislators of whatever party, are dissatisfied with the present system of representation as by no means showing the nation at its best, and thus practically a mistake, let them consider this suggestion; one made long ago by the writer as proved by his published works.
For Church and State! our father's honoured toast; Dear England's ancient bulwark and her boast: Must we now cease to build and man the wall At base Sanballat's and Tobiah's call? Shall Atheistic scorn and Jesuit guile Make Nehemiah quit his work awhile, That their Arabian host may tear all down, And trample in the dust our Zion's crown? May God avert it! No surrender! No! We will not yield the battle to the foe, Nor shall the children of our fathers thus Betray the heritage they left to us!
