Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1854-06-02
The Way Il was Done.

There are offences against good morals
which one hardly knows how to speak of, be.
cause they are so loathsome. The same is
true Of some political conduct, whether shown
in outward acts of disgraceful wckedness or
in the shameless justification of them.
The conduct of the controlling powers at
Washington is case directly in point We
do not now speak of the unspeakable wrong
involved in passing the Nebraska BILL but of
the CORRUPT means by which 1t was brought
about. There was such an entire disregard
of the deoenc,es of political rascality, if such
a phrase may be allowed, that one is almost
ashamed to talk about it, As individuals of
one great family, the nation, every honest
minded man feels as if some part of the dis
grace must attach to himself, although he
had done all in his power to prevent It
In every government which the world ever
saw, there have been instances Of the use of
dishonest influences over weak and wicked
minds by those whose position or wealth gave
them the means for exercising it, Rarely
however has that been done openly The
bargain has been made in the dark. The
bait has been syly put where greedy appc-
lite might he 9uickoned by the sight Of it
the evil promptcr has only po'nt,d to the act
which he wished to have done, and the one
who followed corrupt hint was allowed to
get the reward of his baseness by stealth and
to enjoy it, if he could, in secret.
No such caution was taken in getting
votes for an act which violates the solemn
faith Of the nation -tramplcs under foot the
rights of the free Statcs-and Is intended to
make way for other steps, soon to follow,
for widening the area of dcspotism and more
eAectually brusing the face Of humanity.
no word had been breathed of such an act
being intended. Not man in Congress held
his seat there because his constituents ex-
pected him to introduce it or to vote for it.
When the scheme was made known, not a
voice from the people was raised in its favor
but from city and country, all over the free
States, arose the cry of remonstrance. SO
general an expression Of condemnation from
men Of all parties and vocations in life was
never before uttered, since the nation began
its existence
WHO cares for the will Of the people.
was the reply. Has not the President the
Offices Of the nation, and Of course its treasure.
under his control He shall turn out and he
shall put in, wherever by so doing he can
influence a vote Now, and hereafter, those
ill -,{ oban b., .,
displeasure. Those who will lock up their
conscences and contemn their constituents,
shall have their reward. We have settled
that this is to be called great democratic
measure, and that is reason enough for carry
ing it through by all the means which he can
control IF any are too scrupulous or too
hen-hearted to vote directly for the bill, they
must help it indirectly, by voting to break
down the rules of business which stand in the
way of those who are not troubled by such
womanish qualms, If they have mot pluck
enough to join in robbing the house which
they are sworn to protect, they shall be paid
for leaving the key of the door where holder
spirits can get it..
All this has been done in open day a
weak and unprincipled executive yields him
self willing tool to the most shamelessly cor
rupt set Of men which the country ever saw in
power. His great organ at Washington brays
forth what mas been done and what shall be
done hereafter. His lesser organs at Boston
and New York repeat the note and the
little hand-organ grinders in his pay, all over
the country, (those with monkeys and those
without, all alike) do their best to keep up
the strain, All say, it is glorious demo-
cratic principle fall down and worship
the golden image which our Ncbuchadnczzar
has set up, or you shall be cast into the
burning fiery furnace of.his displeasure. In
what free country was there ever such an
exhibition before