The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1843-01-05
THE DANGER.

whenever occasion oilers. distfust IN tue
popular judgment, and contempt for the wis
dom aud sagacity of the People, show what lit
de confidence they have in the great and tunda'
mental principle OF our Consutuiion-set-gov-
ernment With them the baot-box loses It's
sanctity. IL issues no high behests of the pop
ular heart--no decisive decree OF the popular
mind-no solemn mandate from the only, the
safest, the highest and purest source OF all pow
er. They discard the adage, ''the voice OF the
People, the voice OF Cod" and they lay IN
holy aud violent hands on the sacred right of
suffrage, and treat il as no high birlh-righl of
freeman, as no heaven-sen, boon, which no hu-
man power dare abr:dge njure without
wrong, injustice and impiely.
Alter the late elections, as well as after some
rmer elections, the voice of complaint came
up through various sources, and particularly
trough the public press that instances had &C
CURED in which poor and laboring men were
discharged from employment because they had
refused to vote the ticket given them by their
employers.
These attempts become more alarming, be-
cause some adopt and advocate the principle,
and unhesitatinsly proclaim, that the men who
vote against their interest-thelr pecunlary in
terest-shall not be in their employ. 1t is not
the result of the temporary excitement of an
election, but the fixed and settled rule of prac
tice Iii no longer denied, or sought to be con-
cealed, or admitted with much explanation and
apology, but il is broadly announced and freely
advocated when occasion offers.
And what is this doctrine2 1t is full of dan
ger. It fills one with alarm. 1t strikes down
the proudest privilege OF a freeman, and con-
vcrts the poor man into the veriest serf. Its
prevalence will dig the grave Of the Republic,
and its adoption will be long farewell TO popu-
lar liberty.
| 1t will not only exclude the Govern ment from
the benefit of the poor mans vote, but it will
freeze and dry-up his sympathies with his coun-
try. The votes of the comparatively poor and
humble are Of vast importance, as they are ex-
pressions of honest and impartial minds, re-
moved from the alluremenls of place and office
and power. The farmer at his daily toll,
iaboring in the depths of a western forest,
or as he may sit by his Preside in his lowly
cottage, and meditates upon the interests of his
country, forms an opinion often sounder and
more patriotic, than the man in a higher sphere,
who all the while weighs every measure of his
Government by the rule of dollars and cents, or
by the influence II exerts upon his own political
prospects or those Of his friends.
But when The sympathies Of the poor are lost
to aGovernment; when no enthusiastic response
comes up from the vast range OF popular feeling
IN the humble walks Of society; when foreign
foe invades domestic enemy is threatening
an attack, and no voice of encouragement, no
assurance OF support, no loud and patriotic
shouts issue from the great masses in humber
life,-when the poor man. who in the moral gov.
eminent Of the world is made the especial favor
tie Of Heaven, is made the subject of oppres
sion and wrong by human government, till
his prayers for his country's veal are converted
into imprecations, aud the cry of hi, suffering
goes up against his country as his oppressor and
his tyrant,-then the broad foundation Of a ma
lions prosperity and happiness is removed
A freeman loves his country, not merely be.
cause in it he is fed and clothed, and has his
home, and is protected from violence and death,
but because here he is a freemun-here he is a
man, in all the sacred dignity Of his nature
knowing NJ superior but his Creator, and laugh
10 bow aud rembe before no created being.
Take this away, and what has the poor man to
prize in this Government, that he might not find
in oihers2 If you say he has protect on and
law-Pshawl take from him his right of suf-
! frage, and all the rest will soon foIIow-he will
soon have no law, no protection, no Justice; he
will sink under repeated and multiplied wrongs
till every prospect is bghted and every hope
withered under the chilling influence OF despotic
power 10 his loss of right of suffrage, then,
he loses all, and in him his country loses all his
value.
The men, then, who would rob him Of this
high right that is c'nferred upon hin by God
and nature, would smile him down and blot out
his name in the proud catalogue of American
ireemen, and would strip him of the high and
Distinguishing prerogative of a member of the
Great Republic.
II may be said, that TO dismiss a poor man
from employment for his political opinion, does
not deny to him his right Of suffrage. How pitt
ful and contemplate is such position Pend
ing an election just preceding an inclemeut
season of the year, you inform man in your
employ, that, unless he vote your ticket he must
seek other employment. Indignant at such an
outrage, all the pride of free American citizen
is aroused, and for himself he would rather seek
death in the unmtigated seventies Of an incle-
ment winter than become such slave; but he
remembers large and hepless family, he fan.
ces their want and suffering, the horrors Of dis
ease, aud to save them, he yields his high boon
and votes against his convictions Of right