Is it not possible to formulate the idea that
government interference in elections is a nefarious thing into a law? We shall
suffer here greatly from the contributions which every custom-house, navy-yard
and post-office man is assessed to pay. I spoke of the illogical character of the
thing in my “Political Ethics;” also in my “Civil Liberty” — a passage which
Governor Seymour quoted in one of his messages. . . . I know it is very difficult to prevent
it — as difficult as to forestall false naturalization papers; but can nothing
be done? And is there not always something gained when a society puts its
legislative frown on an offence? The case of an executive using the power given
by the people, and the money taken from them, against a free and correct
expression of their opinion, is a monstrosity, and, in a polity in which
everything depends on election, an act of high treason against the
sovereign. So it seems to me. . . . Why
not make every officer of the government, when he assumes the office, take an
oath that he will not allow himself to be assessed, or otherwise deprived of
portions of his salary or other money he possesses, directly or indirectly, by
his superiors, for election purposes? Elaborate such a law. . . .
SOURCE: Thomas Sergeant Perry, Editor, The Life and
Letters of Francis Lieber, p. 353
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