118 OUR RELATION TO OUR COUNTRY. [Part II.

a truth by facts, examples would not be wanting, even in thiscountry, of the intimidation or seduction of the executive bythe terrors or allurements of the pecuniary arrangements of thelegislative body.”* Mr. Jefferson states, moreover, that thecontrol of the legislature of Virginia over the “ subsistence inoffice ” of the governor, had caused “ the direction of him, dur-ing the whole time of their session, to become habitual and fa-miliar.” f

If these things are true of the executives of the States and ofthe United States, men of the most elevated standing in society,as these celebrated authors assert, how much more emphaticallytrue must they be of immense numbers to whom our consti-tutions have intrusted the exercise of the elective franchise.This conclusion applies particularly to nearly all the employedclasses of persons in all branches of business, and through allthe ramifications of society. They depend for their livelihood,for the conveniences and comforts of life, perhaps for their dailybread, on the good-will of their employers. How imperative,then, is the moral duty resting on employers of every grade andkind, to abstain from invading the rights of those who may beemployed by them, in regard to the free exercise of the electivefranchise. Tested by the consequences, this duty is imperativein proportion to the mischief which could not fail to result fromthe opposite course of conduct becoming general. And howflagrant an abuse of their situation as employers and patrons, tointerfere with this birthright of the freeman, in any of the formswhich intimidation so well knows how to assume and put in prac-tice, —■ such as the forfeiture of the patron’s favor, menaces totenants of expulsion from their farms, dismissal of workmen frommanufacturing establishments, and threatening to withdraw hiscustom from tradesmen and artisans, in case their suffrages aregiven contrary to his wishes. While the employer maintains hisown independence in giving his vote according to his judgmentand conscience, let him respect the independence of other menas free, if not as wealthy and as well informed, as himself.

* Alexander Hamilton, Federalist, No. LXXIII.t Notes on Virginia, Query 13, p. 227.