Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-12-21

One of the departures from the ways of
earlier Presidents which has been carried to
a most pernicious extent under the admin
istration of President Grant, and which
bids fair to be carried even still farther in
the next Presidential election, is the open
and fragrant manner in which Federal Of
fice-holders, acting by authority of their
superiors in office, seek to control elections.
A Maine paper, the Monitor, published at
Portland, has recently reproduced a most
interesting official letter from Mr.. Webster,
when Secretary of State, to Hon. Thomas
Ewing, the Secretary of the Treasury,
bearing on this subject. Of this letter the
Monitor says:
'.In these DAYS of political yenality and
corruption, when office-holderS become &C
tive in directing caucuses and influencing
elections, it is well to look back to the Gus
toms of our fathers in this respect, and see
how far we have wandered from the path
of justice and right. The following letter
from that great statesman, Daniel Web
ster, written only thirty years ago,
touching officfd interference in popu-
lar elections, IS in marked constrast
with the present course of this Gov
eminent, and will be interesting to true
patriots. With his usual power and
Girectness, Mr.. Webster presents the dan
gers of such interference, and shows how
utt. rly antAgonistic il is to the spirit of our
institutions and at war with the very idea
Cf personal liberty. The letter is scathing
rebuke of the base custom prevailing oflevy-
Ing black mail on every government EN-
plOyee for the perpetuating of party power,
which is q system of deliberate robbery; is
an outrageous fraud upon the people, and a
grievous and oppressive wrong to those
compelled TO pay assessments which they
can lily afford, the exactiGps of which, by
unscrupulous politicians, defraud their fam
lies Of the necessaries Of life Oftentimes.
The following is the letter:
DEPARTMENT OF STATE, March 20, 1871.
To the Hon. Thomas Ewing, Secretary
of tho Treasury--Si: The President is of
opinion that it Is great abuse to bring the
patronage Of the General Government into
conflict vsth the freedom Of elections, and
that this abuse ought to be corrected wher-
ever it may have been permitted TO exist,
and to be prevented in the future.
He therefore GleClS iIlstb LiIOIIudJlDl Dc
given to all the officers and agents in your
department of the public service, that paTti-
san interference in popular elections, wheth
er Of State officers or officers of this goyerI-
ment, and for whomsoever or agans
vhoms0ever it may be exercised, or the
I.aymeI7i of any contribution or assessment
ON ga les, or official compensation for
l,arty o. election purposes, will be regarded
by him as a cause of removal.
1t is net intended that any officer shall be
restrained ia the free and proper express
sion and maintenance Of his opinions re-
specting public men or public measures or
in the exercise, 10 the fullest degree, of the
constitutional right Of suffrage. But per-
sons employed under the Government, and
n,id for their services out of the public
Treasury, are not expected to take active or
oiicious part in attempts TO influence the
minds or votes of others; such CONDUCT
REt1G DEEMED INCONSISTENT WITH THE
SPIRIT OF THE CONSTITUTION, and the du-
ties of public agents acting underit; and the
President is resolved, so far as depends on
him. that while tie exercise Of the elective
franchise by the people shall be free from
uudue influence of official station or author
itv. opinions shall also be free among the
efi-ers and agents of the Government.
have the honor to be, sir, your obedient
servant. DANIEL WEBSTER,