of the majority, though it may be contrary to his wishes; that
is, conflict with his personal preference."                           

If, then, there be two candidates for office in a State, county,
or district, no matter where or what the office, high or low,
and a voter, a member of this order desires ever so earnestly,
for never so good a reason, to vote for one of them, and a ma-
jority of them wills it otherwise, he—this member of the or-
der—cannot conform his conduct to the dictates of his own
judgment or convictions of what is right and proper, but must
sacrifice both and do that which he thinks wrong, at the com-
mand of the majority of the order ! Call you this freedom,
or that the exercise of free suffrage ! Besides, he is bound,
by the second degree oath " to support in all political mat-
ter for all political offices, members of this order in prefer-
ence to other persons! Is that a free vote? Can any man
call that the exercise of a proud prerogative of an American
freeman, the right to judge and act freely and independently,
according to the dictates of his own judgment and conscience,
upon all political matters—that right which so pre-eminently
distinguishes the American citizens from and above the citi-
zens of all other countries on the earth ? Assuredly not, for
the vote is neither free nor voluntary which is given without
the approval of the judgment, contrary to the wish or per-
sonal preference of the voter, and in obedience to the behests
of any other power than the voter's own will, no matter what
that power may be or where lodged, whether in a State or
National Council of an order, or any where else !

It would be both curious, instructive and distressing, to be
able to look in upon the secret recesses of feeling and of
thought, and see their workings in the heart of some worthy
citizen, it might be the son of one of those revered heroes who
sealed with their heart's best blood, the charter of American
liberty, going up slow and reluctantly on an election day to
deposit his vote in obedience to the will of the majority of
the order, or it may be Council, and contrary to his own will
and judgment, for it must be borne in mind he must go. His
obligation is active, not passive. He, according to the form of
oath before cited, is bound to support, not refrain from oppos-
ing, a member of the order in preference to other persons. Under
such circumstances, let us imagine what would be his feelings
and reflections. Would he not think in his heart, and grieve
while he thought, Alas ! I once was free! The spirit of lib-
erty once nerved my soul, and I stood fearlessly and bold upon
the earth, and could and did claim to be the peer of any
man! But what am I now ? No longer free—bound and
fettered; the enthralled instrument of others, and to do their

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