Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-10-20

Of the two or three Lecompton members
elected from Pennsylvania. one is Mr.. FLOR
ENCE, of Philadelphia. The manner of his
election. by direct interference of the Ma
tional Executive. deserves TO be carefully pom
dered by every man who values the elective
franchise or the good name of his country.
The Philadelphia Despatch. a day or two
before the election, gave the following
"sketch from life" of the state of things
throughout Pennsylvania, in regard TO the
Congressional elections, more particularly
exposing the infamous conduct of the Ma
iional Government in behalf of FLORENCE, in
the First District The immediate object was
gained, but the Administration. had it any
thing to lose. could i'll afford TO incur so much
infamy for SO small a reward. The Despatch
says:
The members of Congress elected by the
Democratic party, who were whipped into the
support of the tyranny of the central Power
submitted to that dictaton, despite their con-
stituents. and in defiance of their known
views and desires. Having preferred to be
teacherous to their professions. they ought at
actions fairly to consideration. and to abide
the decision of the people. But it was man
ifest that the popular sentiment was against
the base desertion of the principle of which
the Lecompton Congressman were guilty.
1t was plain that the feelings of an indig-
nant insulted. and betrayed constituency
were rising to punish and annihilate them. To
meet opposition boldly, and to overcome by
argument, if argument could be found, was
the only means which these unfaithful servants
could have honorably adopted. Has such
been the manner in which the canvass has
been conducted? Let the facts answer. The
General Government has brought all its in
iuence and authority to prevent the express
sion of opinion, and to punish the daring
citizens who ventured to suggest that the
Lecompton Congressman had not done their
duty. Removal from Office has been held in
terror over every Government slave, relent-
less persecution for the future is menaced
against every freeman. Nor is this the worst;
the Government has descended to fearful
system of bribery to carry out its designs
and to secure the reelection of the Lecomp-
ton Congressman for this city. The Mint,
which does less work now than it did years
ago. in consequence of the establishment OF
the New York assay offices, has increased the
number of laborers and employees largely.
With no actual work for them to do. they are
pensioned by the United States Government,
and fattened mp like hogs for the grand killing
day on Tuesday next, when they will vote for
their patrons, and probably be discharged IN
a week afterward.
But this institution is but feeble means of
corruption, compared with the navy yard,
swarms with the human property which be-
longs to the member for the First District
the heavy capital upon which he Pounds his
hope of reelection. We paid visit to that
place last week, and, much as we had heard
of the shameless manner in which the yard
had been crammed with partizans of ''the
boat builders son. who are paid out of the
treasury for doing nothing but electiOneering,
we own that the reality far exceeded our an
ticipation.
We saw vast swarm of persons. so thick
that they were in each others way, great
many of whom were sitting about and stand
ing about leisurely, having no other anxiety
than to kill time.
We saw thirty-seven men, two of them
having crowbars, engaged in turning over a
piece of timber about thirty feet long. The
same work could have been done 10y the two
men who had the crowbars.
We saw nineteen men dragging n pair of
timber wheels, from which were slung six
inch and half planks. The nineteen were
doing what two men and one horse would
have accomplished.
We saw great numbers of men engaged in
the interesting occupation of removing tim
Der from pile, and placing it in another pile
a few feet off, there being no apparent neces-
sity for the removal, and the whole operation
being useless one INDUCED in to pass away
tile time until the next UdNs Wien II was very
probable that the timber would be placed in
its original position.
We saw six men occupied in loading one
cart with shavings and chips, which were to
be taken to one of the yards. probably to
supply fuel to some of the friends o. the
widows Friend. Four other men were
carrying the chips to the pile from which the
cart was loaded. Thus ten men were employ
ed in this operation, which being for private
! advantage, should have been done at the ex-
pense of parties interested. There were
several carts thus engaged, and probably
sixty men were assisting in this highly impor-
tant description of Government work"
We saw numbers of men pulling at ropes
which were too slight to accomplish any
material service, and we thought of the long
pull and. the strong pull which the Govern
ment was thus lending to the friend of the
revival of the slave trade.
We saw in short that there were something
! like twenty-five hundred men. as near as we
| five hundred, and that the Government was
paying from three thousand to four thousand
dollars "A day. to corrupt the elective fran
| chise in the First District. to overbear tn
| free expression of the opinion of voters, and
| to buy the reelection Of the Hon. Thomas Il.
| Florence.
| We saw in front of theentrance to the Navy
| Yard, suspended across the street, large
! banner, intended to keep the paid myrmdon>
of the Governmhnt in mind of what their
duty was. 1t bore this inscription:
|