Litchfield enquirer., 1867-03-07
NoaMoNEY FOB VOTES.

The pfacilce Qi puyIHg votes IS so fla grantly criminal, so palpally destructive to Republican liberty, that language can adequately portray it's enoFmity. It must be arrested at whatever cost.
 MT P. T. Barnum, Union candidate. for i Congress in the IVth District of Connect. cut, was lately solicited by a friend to spend money in manner deemed objectionable 1 by Mir. B., and responded as became Dat riot Here is the correspondence:
 ToRRINGToN, Litchfield Co.,, Feb. 20 1867. P. T. BARNUM-Deay Str: Although Fairfield County was entitled to the nom. {! ination of the Copperhead candidate for Congress from the Nth District. and un der ordinary circumstances it would have been given to William F. Taylor of Danbu- ", you are, perhaps, aware that they have changed their tactics and nominated 8 wealthy namesake of yours, simply for the purpose of using his money against you. A Democratic ex-Congressman is said to be preparing tariff of prices to be paid for votes and they boast that their candidate will expend $50, 1000 to secure his election. Already, am credibly informed, the green backs are being freely circulated by his friends. I write to ask what your inten- tions arc in regard to counteracting this effort of the Copperhead party. Do you intend to fight fire with fire? The day of election is fast approaching, andwe are certain of your success, as all our friends are wide awake Respectfully yours. -
 MR. BARNUM's REPLY.
 BRIDGEPORT, Feb. B, 1867.
 -, EsQ.-Deas' Sir: Your kind letter of the 2Oth inst. has caused me painful emo tions. now wish to say. once for all. that under no conceivable circumstances, will 1 permit dollar of mine to be used to purchase @ vote, or to induce a voter to act contrary to his honest convictions.
 The idea that the intelligent reading men of New England can be bought like sheep in the shambles, and that the sacred principles which have so far gui led them ill the terrible struggle between Liberty and Slavery, can now, in this eventful hour of the national existence, be set up at auc- tion and knocked down to the highest bid der, seems to me as preposterous as it is shameful and humiliating. But if it is possible that occasionally degraded voter can thus be induced to t'seH his birthright for mess of poHsge," God grant that I may be thousand times defeated sooner than permit one grain of gold to be accurs- ed by using 1t so basely!
 will not believe that American citizens can lend themselves to the contemptible meanness of sapping the very ife-blood of our noble institutions by encouraging fa- tai precedent which ignores all principle, and would soon prevent any honest man, however distinguished for his intelligence and loyalty, from representing his District in our National Councils None could then succeed except unprincipled vaga- bonds, who, by the lavish expenditure of money. would debauch and degrade the freemen whose votes they coveted.
 No, Sir! Grateful as I am for the distin- guished honor of receiving unanimous nomination for Congress from the loyal Union party in my District, have no as- piration for that high position if it is only to be attained by bringing into disgrace the noble privilege of the free electice .f,a,a- chise. Think for moment wla 8 deadly weapon is being placed in the hands of ty- rants throughout the civilized world, with which to destroy such apostles of liberty as John Bright and Garibaldi, if 1t can be said with truth that American citizens have become so corrupt and degraded, so lost to a just estimate of the value and true nobil- ity of the ballot, that 1t is bought and sold for money.
 My dear Sir, any party that can gain Q temporary ascendency by such atrocious means not only poisons the body polite of a freo and impartial government, but is d. so sure to bring swift destruction upon it. self. And so it should be-
 am unaccustomed to political life, and know but little of the manner of conduct ing campaign like the present. I believe however, 1t IS customary for the State Gen. tral Committee to assess candidates in or der that they shall defray proper portion of the expenses incurred for speakers and documents to enlightep the voters upon the political issues of the day. To that extent am willing and anxious to be taxed; for Flight and knowledge" are always desired by the friends of human rights and of pub- lie order.
 But trust that all money used for any other purposes in the pending election will come from the pockets of those who now las during the Rebelhon) are doing their utmost to aid traitors, and who, still unre- penting, are vindictively striving to accom- plish at the ballot-box what their Southern allies failed to accomplish on the field of battle If any of our friends misapprehend my true sentiments upon the subject oi bribery, corruption, and fraud, hope you will read them this letter.
 Truly yours.
 P. T. BARNUM.
 P. S.-The following is the law of Con- necticut on the bribery of electors:
 ''SBc. 64. No person shall offer or receive any money, or other thing, by way of gift fee or reward, for giving, or refusing to give, vote for eleoting members of the General Assembly, or any officer chosen al an electors meeting, nor promise, procure, or in any. way confer, any gratuity, reward or preferment, for any vote given or to be given, ill any election; and every person guilty of so doing shall forfeit the sum o1 $17, one-half to him who shall prosecute te effact, and the other half to the treasury o1 the town where the ofense is commit ted and every person who shall be convicted second time of like offense shall be dis franchised"
 That Section comments itself to the obedience of every law-abiding voter and I shall be the last to consent to its vio lation P. B. I-Iribuae.
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