Curious Republic of Gondour

The Curious Republic of
Gondour, by Twain

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Title: The Curious Republic of Gondour
Author: Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens)
Release Date: April, 2002 [EBook #3192] [Yes, we are more than one

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CURIOUS REPUBLIC OF GONDOUR
by Mark Twain

THE CURIOUS REPUBLIC OF GONDOUR AND OTHER
WHIMSICAL SKETCHES
NOTE:
Most of the sketches in this volume were taken from a series the author
wrote for The Galaxy from May, 1870, to April, 1871. The rest
appeared in The Buffalo Express.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
THE CURIOUS REPUBLIC OF GONDOUR A MEMORY
INTRODUCTORY TO "MEMORANDA". ABOUT SMELLS A

COUPLE OF SAD EXPERIENCES DAN MURPHY THE
"TOURNAMENT" IN A.D. 1870 CURIOUS RELIC FOR SALE A
REMINISCENCE OF THE BACK SETTLEMENTS A ROYAL
COMPLIMENT THE APPROACHING EPIDEMIC THE
TONE-IMPARTING COMMITTEE OUR PRECIOUS LUNATIC
THE EUROPEAN WAR THE WILD MAN INTERVIEWED LAST
WORDS OF GREAT MEN

THE CURIOUS REPUBLIC OF GONDOUR
As soon as I had learned to speak the language a little, I became greatly
interested in the people and the system of government.
I found that the nation had at first tried universal suffrage pure and
simple, but had thrown that form aside because the result was not
satisfactory. It had seemed to deliver all power into the hands of the
ignorant and non-tax-paying classes; and of a necessity the responsible
offices were filled from these classes also.
A remedy was sought. The people believed they had found it; not in the
destruction of universal suffrage, but in the enlargement of it. It was an
odd idea, and ingenious. You must understand, the constitution gave
every man a vote; therefore that vote was a vested right, and could not
be taken away. But the constitution did not say that certain individuals
might not be given two votes, or ten! So an amendatory clause was
inserted in a quiet way; a clause which authorised the enlargement of
the suffrage in certain cases to be specified by statute. To offer to
"limit" the suffrage might have made instant trouble; the offer to
"enlarge" it had a pleasant aspect. But of course the newspapers soon
began to suspect; and then out they came! It was found, however, that
for once--and for the first time in the history of the republic-- property,
character, and intellect were able to wield a political influence; for once,
money, virtue, and intelligence took a vital and a united interest in a
political question; for once these powers went to the "primaries" in
strong force; for once the best men in the nation were put forward as
candidates for that parliament whose business it should be to enlarge

the suffrage. The weightiest half of the press quickly joined forces with
the new movement, and left the other half to rail about the proposed
"destruction of the liberties" of the bottom layer of society, the hitherto
governing class of the community.
The victory was complete. The new law was framed and passed. Under
it every citizen, howsoever poor or ignorant, possessed one vote, so
universal suffrage still reigned; but if a man possessed a good
common-school education and no money, he had two votes; a
high-school education gave him four; if he had property like wise, to
the value of three thousand 'sacos,' he wielded one more vote; for every
fifty thousand 'sacos' a man added to his property, he was entitled to
another vote; a university education entitled a man to nine votes, even
though