The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-07-02
FALSE PRErENcEs.

False pretences punishable by the laws of the
several States as well as by those Of England and
most other countries. The offence consists in false
representations, by means of which money goods,
or other valuable things obtained ofsanother. 1t
cannot be denied that vote is valuable TO the voter
esteemed franchise, that indicates that he en-
joys the privileges Of freeman and to the person
obtaining it contributing to his accession to public
office The abcttors stand morally, if not in law in
no better position than the principals Although the
intention to commit an offence may not be punisha
ble il certainly is evidence of character that should
serve warning to those liable to be misled in
relation to their votes Within few days past
Massachusetts has furnished the most conclusive
evidence that candidate for governor seeks votes
from two professedy different parties, and that nu-
merous prominent men aid and abet him in his pur-
pose upon grounds contradictory that Of
them must be false Both cannot be true. Mr..
Banks was first nominated know-nothing, and
vouched in his letter of acceptance, that he was
with them upon the great plank in their platform, to
witt their antipathy to all foreign born. The mem
bers nominating protested their dislike and some of
them their adherence of republicanism. They pro-
fessed to select Mr.. Banks because he was pure
and Incorporating knownothing, and not tnctured
with ainities with the republican party. All this
put in form by the leaders, 30 as to sat
isfy the unsuspicous in the know-nothing party.
BY the time this read in their papers, and had
produced the conviction designed among their read
ers that Mr.. Banks was devoted know-nothing,
and friend to republicanism, the scene was sud
nv. n g
ton and nominate the same person tho choice Of
the republican party, because he is devoted to their
principles and loathes know-nothingism The cred
ulous republicans are duly advised, and made to be-
lieve that he is true and devoted republican, and
no friend to the know-nothings. The rank and file
in both parties are blinded and deceived by the
leaders, who are in league and combined to defraud
them out of their votes. Mr.. Banks, in his recent
declaration of principles, shows that he is in fact
republican; so that the members of this party are
confident of their man, while its leaders profess
compromising hostility against the know-nothings.
Certainly the preences side the other must
be false, and known to be so by the managing lead
ers. The voter is to be cheated into exercising his
valued franchise for man who has one set Of opn-
ions which he disapproves and condemns, and from
whom if no knew the whole truth, he would with
hold it. Both sides are cheated by the leaders, and
with the manifest consent and concurrence of the
candidate selected by each A more striking in
stance of false pretences hardly be made out Is
there one man ON either side that, knowing the du-
plicity and fraud intended, will expose it? Notwith
standing the clustering of few persons designed, as
we suspect to blind the eyes of conscientious asso-
ciates, we doubt whether one man, either in or out
Of said conventions will dare raise his voice to ex
pose these false pretences and let their party friends
know how basely they are being deceived and mis-
led If the honest and conscientious of these two
parties were made fully aware of the insincerity and
fraud of the leading managers they would refuse to
be bound by their intrigues and conspiracies, and
would rise in body and defeat these Juggling in
rguers and the great results that Mr. Banks antci-
pates from his dcxterity at political legerdemain Is
there honest independence and political intelligence
enough left in Massachusetts, to defeat hopes resting
upon such fraudulent and indefensible grounds2
HON. o. II. SINGLETON.