Garrison on candidates and Moral Character

While twenty-three years old, Garrison sought moral character in candidates for office.   “I wish to see a full ballot-box of unbought, intelligent votes, on every, the most trivial election.  I wish a good moral character to be an indispensable qualification in the selection of candidates for office, from a Town Clerk, to a President of the United States.  I wish that ‘voice of the people’ to mean something more than the echo of n evening caucus or a petty committee”