Party. They found a common ground
in the support of a law providing for secrecy in the ballot.
There had been great complaint that the manufacturers, especially
in Lowell, who were in general zealous Whig partisans, used
an undue influence over their workmen. It was said that a
man known to be a Democrat, or a Free Soiler, was pretty likely
to get his discharge from the employ of any great manufacturing
corporation that had occasion to reduce its force, and that
he would have no chance to get an increase of wages. I do
not now believe there was much foundation for this accusation.
But it was believed by many people at the time. So a law
requiring secrecy in the ballot was framed and enacted in
spite of great resistance from the Whigs. This has undoubtedly
proved a good policy, and has prevailed in Massachusetts ever
since, and now prevails largely throughout the country.

But this one measure was not enough to hold together elements
otherwise so discordant. So the Democratic and Free Soil
leaders agreed to call a convention to revise the Constitution
of the Commonwealth, which had remained unchanged save in
a few particulars since 1780. There had been a Convention
for that purpose in 1820, made necessary by the separation
of Maine. But the old Constitution had been little altered.
The concentration of the population in large towns and cities
had caused a demand for a new distribution of political power.
Many people desired an elective judiciary. Others desired
that the judges should hold office for brief terms instead
of the old tenure for life. There was a great demand for
the popular election of Sheriffs and District Attorneys, who
under the existing system were appointed by the Governor.
Others desired the choice of Senators, who had before been
chosen by the several counties on a joint ticket, by single
districts. A proposition for a Convention was submitted to
the people by the Legislature of 1851. But the people were
attached to the old Constitution. There was a special dread
of any change in the independent tenure of the judiciary.
So although the coalition had a majority in the State the
proposition for a Constitutional Convention was defeated.

The scheme was renewed the next year in the Legislature of
1852, of which I was a member. Several of the Free Soilers,
among which I was included, were unwilling to have the matter
tried again without a distinct assurance that there should
be no meddl