Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-06-16
From the Charlcstown Free Press.
q To what Base Uses do we Come at Last,

rather singular feature of the recent munich
pal election in Washington was the fact that the
federal government required every one Of its
clerks or employees who voted, to endorse their
ballots with their names! This was done, Of
course to ascertain who among those holding Of
flee under the administration were tinctured with
the spirit of Americanisln.
For some time past it has appeared TO US that as
the governments of the Old World were becoming
more and more in favor of popular rights, so ours,
the model republic upon whom the hopes OF the
universal brotherhood of freemen are centered, is
becoming more and more antirepublican in its
character This is manifest from the frequent, and
to our mind alarming use of the veto power. And
not the least unwelcome phase OF affnirs is the
manifest indifference with which the larger por-
ton ofthe people receive these violations Of con-
stitutional right.
Forgetting that external vigilance is the price of
freedom" they seem disposed to let things take
their course, trusting, we suppose, TO that 'dvni-
ty that shapes our end, rough hew them as we
may" But the direct interference OF Federal
officers in the Washington election is an era in
the history of that city. 1t has ever been Wing
to the very core, yet no tampering like this has
ever been attempted heretofore. Such bare
faced open-handed manifestation of tyIannical
feeling (or it is the essence of tyranny was
er before dreamed Of much less acted out in this
fair land of ours where the torch Of liberty has
ever SO Di1Rnlly DurHeu IL was TeSerFeu ior tnlb
glorious administration to cap the climax Of gov
ernmental interference with the rights of the
people. II and its trucuent officials evidently be-
lieve that those in the employ Of Uncle Sam are
his, body and soul. Not content with levying
pretty strong per centum on the clerks salaries,
already scarcely sufficient for decent support, for
the purpose of carrying out the great schemes of
the progressves but th.y are bound to march up
to the polls like parcel Of sef, and vote as their
masters may dictate.
Ye gods! is there one American, however de-
pendant his position may be- so lost to the proud
position he should ever maintain; so unworthy Of
the priceless buon handed down by the ilustrious
sircs Of 70, as 10 hesitate what course he should
pursue I'D rather be dog and bay the moon,
than such Roman"
We are persuaded, however, that those who
obeyed the infamous mandate were few and far be-
tween. There is too much intelligence and moral
worth in the Departments, even under this corrupt
administration, TO submit to any such dictation,
especially among those who are " native and TO the
manor born" There may be some among the out
siders who might think it not incompatible with
their notions of duty as learned at home In the
old country, to obey such orders.
Let the Press speak out trumpet-tongued from
one extremity of the land to the other, and show
that now, as ever, they are the defena srs and
conservators of the public rights-ahd that venial
fear cannot prevent them from manly expose Of
injustice, come whence il may, when their duty as
public journalists enoins upon them, to "cry aloud
and spare not"