If, however, the proofs adduced before your committee shall conclusively
establish that secret political councils have been organized among us for
the purposes and designs attributed to them, I humbly conceive that there
can be little or no diversity of opinion as to their tendency to subvert
"the well established and dearly cherished principles of our government.
The Constitution degrades no man, either on account of his place of
birth, or his religious opinions, but equally covers every citizen of the
State, of whatever faith, or wheresoever born, with its protecting shield.
And if it shall be made to appear that in such of these political councils
as may be shown to exist, oaths or pledges are administered for the pur-
pose of qualifying or restraining the exercise of the right of suffrage,
in any manner unknown to, or unwarranted by the Constitution, it will
be for you and those you represent, to determine how far such obligations
shall be allowed to conflict with the constitutional obligations of the citi-
zen to the State, and to apply the remedy which such a condition of
things may require.

It might be well to consider that, while this matter is undergoing in-
vestigation, whether the existence of such a secret order may not have
led in some instances to pre-determined obstruction of the polls, resulting
in violence and disorder, and the exclusion of the legal votes of orderly
and well disposed citizens; for it is one of the most imperative of the
duties of the State to throw around electors of every class, whether na-
tive or adopted, any possible means of protection against any and all
combinations, secret or open, that would hinder or overawe them in the
exercise of their right of voting, and thus impede the free course of the
only legitimate means of obtaining a fair expression of the public mind.
A willful and deliberate obstruction of the polls is a crime against the
State, which, in view of its consequences, assumes a degree of enormity
to which it is difficult to affix a limit, and the Legislature can scarcely
be too rigid in the infliction of punishment upon those who may be found
guilty of such an offence against the dignity of the State and the right
of the individual citizen. It should at least be declared a felony, and
punished accordingly. I hope, whatever may be the result of your
present investigation, that you commend such action to the favorable no-
tice of the Legislature, in order that henceforth any hindrance or ob-
struction whatsoever, with intent to prevent a voter from depositing his
ballot, shall be punished with due severity.

I have thus, sir, in the midst of unusual and constant interruptions,
(not wishing to detain you from the work before you by any delay on
my part, hastily thrown together these few suggestions in compliance
with the request contained in your note, to which this is a reply. I
might have forborne to do more than to reiterate hero the language of
my communication to the Legislature at the opening of the session, as
containing all I desired to say in the premises; but in conformity with
the wish expressed in your note and the accompanying resolutions of
the House of Delegates, I thought it well to point out the way in which,
in my opinion, the truth might be reached.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your ob'dt serv't,

T. Watkins Ligon.

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