The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-08-17
SOME OF THE EVILS OF SECRET POLITICAL AS
SOCIATIONS.

The monstrous evils growing out of secret political
associations require no tocibe illustrations than in
the terrible experiences of the past year. The New Or
leans and Cincinnati riots the ST. Louis atrocities and the
late revolving bu,checs in Louisville not the result
of wicked passions suddenly and unpremedatedly called
into Wild warning existence In the fifty years and
Of contest between the democratic and federal parties there
have been hot blood and bad blood bitter nvectve
sparng denuneiaon zeal oustrippng discretion, and the
conventional usages of society forgotten in the ardcr of
partisanshp. But the was an open, honorable war;
and conducted in the light Of day. If blows were ex
changed and heads broken they the natural results
of bringing together during exciting political canvass
large bodies Of Of opposite sentiments Wishes and ex
pectaons Such unmany braws too frequently the ac-
compartments of all kinds popular promiscuous gather
ng and cannot look for perfect immunity from them
until the disposition Of the mpctnous turbulent is held
in check by the force of public sentiment by the rigid
enforcement of stringent laws. But such palliaton
excuse or apology be offered in extanuation of the
guilt now rdissolubly connected with the very of
know-nothingisin No will believe that the
Louisville butcheres the result Of accidental coils
ion when mems minds were stimulated by the customary
excitement of political election. Guns pistols, knives
fire and ggos and the other implements and instruments
Of torture and destruction were too near at hand and too
ready for use to give even coloring to the suppo-
ion that the terrible the night of the 9th
were nos premeditated. We believe that the riots in
the cities already named the result of previous
suation advice and instructions in knownothng lodges.
The organization Of action and complete success
of the rioters justify this belief and furnish all necessary
outward proof of consultation oreknowledge and design
Not only are secret political associations obnoxious for
the facilities they afford for connecting schemes against life
aud property but they equally obnoxious for the OF
portunties they afford for the successful commission Of
minor grades Of crime In other words in these midnight
colleges of conspirators swindng finds much favor as
assassination. The following letter from Louisville which
appears in late number of the New York Evening Post
will better explain our meaning:
LOUISVILLE, Aug. H. 1855.
When my last letter not Of the extent
the outrage perpetrated by the nothngs the free
dom of the election There eighteen polls in the city of
Louisville sixteen in the county, making hiryfonr in
ALL The inspectors judges of election two for each were
appointed by Judge Garland knownothng who, with
aordnary bcrality named four democrats and sixty -four
Of his order But their possession of the records in
DOORS and of the approach to them from the outside by
which they could any fraud, not enough. The
judges decided that they would dispense a The batotbon
ITSELF
They required every voter to open his ticket and read
aloud the of his candidates scratch OF the
the book opposite the nc the only record and evidence
Of the vote cast The either threw his ticket the
ground carried it away with him. The inability of the
foreigners read English read at ALL far as it went,
then made the pe,ext for rejecting their votes When
h statement was made to me, could not credit it, though
my normans who two Of the most respectable citizens
of Louisville, assured that they had read OIL their own
tickets, and then threw them away
Mr " do you tell me that seriously, and are you very
sure there ID mistake about it 2"
Yes, SIR read off my ticket, and threw it away
stood by and saw dozen others do the There wa
balot-box used"
Another gentleman, whom have known intimately io'
years. and old resident of Louisville, confirmed tbs
statement ~ went vote in the usual way, said he
with my ticket folded up but heard those who were before
reading Off their votes asked if must do that, anc
told yes and did it,"
Gentlemen, IL stranger to you, would not WRIT
this without getting IL verified by witnesses and oats
would expect you dscrcdt it. the tale Of crazy poll
ucanhat such outrage should be perpetrated in thi
country that the baot-box should be discarded from
popular election.