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Show Encourages voter participation Dear Editor: At the opening session of the Massachusetts legislature, 1788 I quote Samuel Langdon: "On the people, therefore of these United States, it depends whether wise men, or fools, good or bad men, shall govern them. Therefore, I will now lift up my voice and cry aloud to the people..." "From year to year be careful in the choice of your representatives represen-tatives and all the higher powers (or officers) of government. Fix your eyes upon men of good understanding and known honesty; men of knowledge, improved by experience, men who fear God and hate covetousness; who love truth and righteousness and sincerely wish the public welfare. ..Let not men openly irreligious irreli-gious and immoral become your legislators... If the legislative body are corrupt, you will soon have bad men for counselors, corrupt judges, unqualified justices, and officers in every department de-partment who will dishonor their stations." Having seen what is being done to Judge Robert Bork should cause us to pause and consider deeply: "What kind of men are these that fear so much a man who will not bend issues for a few? Obviously, there are some men already in office who do not have the welfare of the nation as much as their minds as they should, considering their positions. Election day is approaching. Perhaps we can use Samuel Langdon's scales as we weigh which way to vote, for surely, we, the people, will suffer if we do not do so. Joy Cluff |