The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1882-09-08

Is simply bribery indirect. According to the
latest snd best de6uition bribery is the Offering
or accepting any undue reward, to or by etc.
etc. 1t extends to the giving or
receiving areward to influence the action of q
voter"
distinguished political writer of your plan.
ct, whose works. am sorry to believe, are not
much studied by any class among you, has the
following striking language:
'Indirect oribes occur frequently, though
they aresufioiently direct to brand them at once,
in the eye Of every honest citizen, with their
true character. and though their shape can ap-
pease only those conscienoes which are ready to
derive comfort from the fc run and not the essence
oftrausaotious." See LiEBER's 8 Political Ethics:
Vol. IL page 4O4.
Again, says this same writer: eat all peri.
DDS have laws pronounced the public adherence
of O'ibed voting, and oil states where this evil
has become common, have been irretrievably
lost. The laws Of Athens were severe against
bribing ofany kind. both against the briber and
the bribei. But Athens, at length, sunk into
Democratic absoutism aud bribing became so
common that bribing companies were formed
The Romans carried it on by way of giving fes-
tivals, as we'll as money directly, upon the lar
gest scale; so soon as public offices were cousid-
cred places for plumber, and the sums previous
ly spent to obtain them as q mere outlay to be
refunded by plunder after the office was obtain
ed" LrEBEn's Political Ethics Vol. II. pp. 896
-397.
"rhe Romans carried Il on by way of giving
festivals" In this, history seems to be repeat.
ing itself Of late, on your planet. A class Of
men. knowing the profuse liberality ~ Of office
seekers; and knowing that among you is n large
class Of poor, unprincipled "fellow citizens
who will follow an Office seeker>any where for q
"treat :" and knowing that you have q moder-
ately fair allowance Of Office seekers on hand
have taken advantage ofthe situation to furnish
barbecues on the right aud on the left, at which
most of the office seekers spend more or less
money furnishing dinners for the spouges and
parasites with which Office seekers are in tested.
This state of things is burning shame, both to
the office seeker and the parasite. Yet, while
can feel only Indignation and contempt for the
man who would compromise his manhood and
disgrace his revolutionary ancestors by throwing
out bait on the right aad left, with which to
catch this class of voters, feel only the pro.
foundest pity for the ignorant poverty stricken,
unprincipled parasites, who follow the office
seekers around for the corrupt and, no doubt /,
often grudging tavors ~ which the Office seek
ers are accustomed to bestow.
Again, says LrEsER, in his Political Ethics -
"It the universal spirit of mankind, expressed
in the laws CT all ages. points out bribery as q
shameless crime; if our Conscience tells us un-
equivocally that it is n crime if we know that
n representative government becomes a melan-
choly farce. It we acknowledge the form VIII lie
we violate the principle mo citizen, who val
ues either his own honor or conscience, or the
safety Of the state, the essence OF civil liberty
or right, or virtue in any way. ought, on any
account, tn offer or receive q direct or an indi-
rect bribe, however safe the latter might be
against any punishment, according to the letter
of the law. Is there no natural ailegience to
truth and liberty? We have called all acts by
which elections are falsi6ed, treason agains
liberty. Bribery is the worst Of these acts."-
You woull.c,uak It treasonzof the highest kind
II, by any hin | OF fraud or chicanery. so me one
else should he substituted to fill m office ins, cad
of one who had been legtimately elected TO that
n
ALTO substitute n counterfeit for genuine pub
lie opinion ?-the foundation on which he fabric
of civil liberty chiefly rests. And do we not
commit these substtutious If we allow ourselves,
by any consideration of interest or favor, TO ote
differently from what our judgment tells US we
ought to do? Is this net not q guilticr lie than
n false word in n mere account of an event? p
There are many lies infinitely worse than lies
told in words-they are the lies Of actions, OF
the tenor ST Our lives. Since, then, laws can
not avail much in this particular, and since ruin
must inevitably follow if bribery becomes com
mon. it is the duty Of each citizen to hold him,
self bound by oil that istrue. and just. and pure,
to crush this crime wherever he meots it,
In addition to individual bri berry by treating,
il is said that the ajority Of office seekers have
their workers" especially at the polls, each
"worker" doing his best to influence rs many
voters rs possible on behalf of his favorite.-
With reference to this practice LIEBER says;
"In these cases. individual canvassiug by the
friends Of one or the other candidate might be
harmless, but these cases are rare and a custom
which is dangerous, had better never be intro
duced Properly speaking, individual canvass
ing is the opposite Of what it protends to be. 1t
is saying. an effect, ~ a citizen that VIC know or
suspect that you care so little about giving your
vote conscientiously, that we beg you to throw
it into our scale" Asking for q vote. either by
the candidate himself. or his workers, is tacit
insult to any intelligent, honorable, conscientious
man. II is saying, in effect. that we do not con-
slider you capable of deciding properly for whom
you will vote and. therefore, we assume to be
your guardian in the matter, or we believe you
| capable Of deciding-but we believe that you
haye so little moral principle that we can make
tool .of you to further the interest Of our favo-