What is the motive to the secret ballot? This, and only this: Like other
confederates in crime, those who use it are not friends, but enemies; and
they are afraid to be known, and to have their individual doings known,
even to each other. They can contrive to bring about a sufficient
understanding to enable them to act in concert against other persons; but
beyond this they have no confidence, and no friendship, among themselves.
In fact, they are engaged quite as much in schemes for plundering each
other, as in plundering those who are not of them. And it is perfectly well
understood among them that the strongest party among them will, in certain
contingencies, murder each other by the hundreds of thousands (as they
lately did do) to accomplish their purposes against each other. Hence they
dare not be known, and have their individual doings known, even to each
other. And this is avowedly the only reason for the ballot: for a secret
government; a government by secret bands of robbers and murderers. And
we are insane enough to call this liberty! To be a member of this secret
band of robbers and murderers is esteemed a privilege and an honor! Without
this privilege, a man is considered a slave; but with it a free man! With
it he is considered a free man, because he has the same power to secretly
(by secret ballot) procure the robbery, enslavement, and murder of another
man, and that other man has to procure his robbery, enslavement, and murder.
And this they call equal rights!
If any number of men, many or few,
claim the right to govern the people of
this country, let them make and sign an open compact with each other to do
so. Let them thus make themselves individually known to those whom they
propose to govern. And let them thus openly take the legitimate
responsibility of their acts. How many of those who now support the
Constitution, will ever do this? How many will ever dare openly proclaim
their right to govern? or take the legitimate responsibility of their acts?
Not one!