St. Mary's gazette. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1863-1867, 1863-10-15

Your petitioner regrets TO have to state
that rumors are current that it is the in
tcn;ion of The Government over which
your Exccllercy presidcs to interfere in
some way, either to prevent voters from
v.iing or to em3arrass the exercise of that
great privilege These runors receive
some strength irons the facts that the two
last elections in this Stafe. as also the late
election in tbs State of Kentucky, ~cre
openly interfsared with. aud the vasers in
simulated by persons 10 the employment
Of The United States. and cstcnsiblr by the
authority Of the General Government.
Your petitioner is not aware that any
rebuke for this conduct has as yet issued
from your Execllency, NOR. on tn, other
hand. has be seen that. by any expression
or act Of yours. it receives your approval;
indeed. an Inference may be drawn. from
the we'll considered letter If your Excel
lcncy TO the Springfield Ollin"is) Mass
Meeting. that you entertain too high an
estimate Of the great privilege Of tho bal
lot TO sanctiou the acts alluded to In that
letter your Excellescy declares ''that
among frcemcn there can be no successful
appeal from the ballot to the bullet, and
they who make the appeal are sure to lose
their case aud pay the costs" Tt is diff
cult to conclude that your Excellency, so
soon after using such language, would Or
der the bullet to be used to prevent the
ballot or that any force over which you
had control should he allowed to interpose
between the voter and the tallot-box
F., Your petitioner would state, however, that
the public is in a state Of uncertainty and
excitement on the subject. which is like
! ~ to increase rs the day Of election ap-
proachcs. and it would seeu. that it is en-
titled, under The circumstances. to some
decided assurance from your Excellency.
May it therefore please your Excellehcy
to make public, at some early day, an or
der prohibiting Nil persons in the employ
mcut Of the United Suites FROM Interfering
i'll any way with the free exercise Of the
privilege of voting at the en>ing election
| by the people of this State?
| All Of which is respectfully submitted.
BENZ. u. HARRIS.
LkoNAEDrowN, OCTOBER g, 1868.
We fully concur in the opinion of the
| MhNigcmcer, that the positi u Of the Presi-
dent is already defined on the question
upon which MIR. Harris petitions. His
letter to the Springfield: Mass Meeting
gives most decided a FIJI rmatiye to the
prayer of the petitioner, whilst it embodie>
the true theory upon which our elective
system is Eased. We, therefore, anti
pate favorable response from Lis Excel
lescy; or, if he remains silent, shall
conclude that he has not changed his
opinion during the short time that has
elapsed since his Springfield letter was
written. 1t would be very gratifying
however. to the people of this section of
the State, to have Mr.. Harris petition
frankly answered. The PRONUNCIATION Of
such an order as is prayed for could GER
tainly DO no harm, whilst it would reas-
sure our people. that the 'ba.lot'', not
the bullet" is the true medium through
which the voice Of an American citizen
may be heard, whilst it is the only one
through Which lie can have hist SUPPOSED
grievances redresscd.