Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1856-02-20

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and also others who are now members of the
same, and that you seek to have produced
| before you tue secret work of ritual of any
secret political order, as may be IL the possess
sion of any State or subordinate Council IN
this State, or of any agent or officer of the
same.
Should your enquiries result. as l trust
they may, in satisfying the public mind that
there are no such secret political combinations
or that no oath, obligations or pledges are ad-
minstered in such councils, to the prejudice
of any class of American citizens. and that
there docs not exist any design or purpose in
such societies to * trouble. modest or discoua
tenance,' or to exclude from preferment, Or
Office any citizen in consequence of the relI-
gion he processes, the place of his nativity.
no one viii be more pleased tran myself, aud
none more ready to acknowledge that injustice
has been done to large class of our people.
If. however, the proofs adduced before your
Committee shall conclusively establish that
secret political councils have been organised
among Us for the purposes and desi gns attri-
buted 10 them I humblv conceive that there
can L.. htt!e or no diversity Of opinion as to
their tendency to subVert the wtl-established
and dearly cherished principles of Our Gov
eminent" The Constitution degrades no
man, either on account of his place of birth,
or his religious opinions, but equally covers
every citizen of the State. of whatever faith,
! or wherever horn, with its protecting shield
! And if it shall be made to appear that IN such
of these political councils as may be shown
to exist, oaths pledges are administered for
the purpose Of qualifying or restraining the
exercise of the right of suffrage, IN any man
ner known to- or unwarranted by the Constr
tuition, it will be for you and those you repre-
= ho, for oh
shall be allowed to conflict with the constitu-
tonal obligations of the citizens to the State,
and to apply the remedy which such a condi-
ton of things may require.
It might be well to cunslier, that while this
matter is undergoing investigation, whether
the existence of such secret order may not
have led in some instances to pre-deterin;ned
| obstruction of the polls, resulting IN violence
AID disorder and the exclusion of the legal
votes of orderly and well disposed citizens;
for it is one of the most imperative OF the
duties Of the State to throw around electors
of every class whether native or adopted,
every possible means of protection against
any and all combinations, secret or open that
would hinder ovcrawe them III the exercise
of their right of voting, and thus impede the
free course of the only legitimate means of
obtaining a fair expression of the public mind
n Wiifui ana QellDerate oDSbfUcllOu vi bHe
polls is crime against the State, which III
view of It's consequences, assumes degree OF
enornity to which it is difficult 10 afhx limit
and the Legislature can scarcely be too rigid
in the infiction of punishment upon those
who may be found guilty of such offence
against the dignity of the State and the right
of the individual citizen. 1t should at least
be declared felony, and punished according
| ly [ hope. whatever may be the result of
your present investigation, that you commend
such action to the favorable notice of the
Legislature, in order that henceforth any
hndrance or obstruction whatsoever, with IN
tent to prevent voter from depositlng his
ballot, shall be punished with due severity
have thus sir, in the midst Of unusual
and constant interruptions, (not wishing to
detain you from the work before you by any
delay on my part,) hastily thr together
! these few suggestions IN compliance with the
request contained in your note to which this
| is reply | might have forborne to do more
than to reiterate here the language of my
communication to the Legislature at the open
ing of the session. as containing all | desired
to say in the premises: but, in conformity
with the wish expressed IN your note and the
accompanying resolutions of the House of
Delegates, | thought ii well to point out the
way III which. in my opinion. the truth might
be reached | have the honor to be, very
respectfully, your obedient servant,
T. WATKINS LIGoN.