The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1857-10-14
Elections Controlled by Feder~
IA ESayOncts.

version to the ultra slavery prOpaSandlst
doctrine of Calhoun, also stated that he
should employ the army Of the United
States in Kansas to uphold tho doninancy
of the usurping Legislature, and enforce
the action of the the spurious officials
How this was to be done he did not exactly
specify, but his military satrap, Governor
Walker, has recently enlightened the pub
lie on that matter. The process of en-
camping before Lawrence and awaiting
rebellion is too slow mode Of conquest,
it would seem, to silt this Sepoy com
mandcr. If it is to be done quickly or
not at all, as there is just now an impend-
ing fear that the people may regain their
lost supremacy through the ballot box
Accordingly, in heightened proclama-
ton, he now sets forth that the federal
army will surround the precincts on the
day of election, and all peaceable citizens
are consequently warned what they may
expect if they dispute the authority or
fairness Of tho bogus judges who are to
preside over the poll-books.
This is the last scene in the dark TRACE
dy that has been enacting, whereby a
great territory, set apart and made sacred
to the labor Of the free white citizens Of
America, by a long standing compact is
to be wrested from them and their chill
dren and devoted to the purpose Of slavery
extension. Fraud, and violence, and usur
patton have gone before unchecked, and
even instigated by the executive head Of
the nation; and now the federal army is
ordered to superintend the election, and
complete the final subsection of people
struggling for their liberty.
1t is no longer question of domestic
polity in regard to slave institutions, for
the voice of ninc-tenths of the actual resi-
dents of Kansas has time and again pro-
tested emphatically against the system
The contest has resolved itself into one
between the bona tide settiors insisting
upon their rights, ana the government at
Washington determined to deprive them
of every vestige of freedom. They have
been long promised an opportunity offair-
" deciding upon the laws under which
they will live, and now hired soldiery
are set over them to see that they do it in
accordance with the prearranged pro-
gramme OF the nullifers. Federal bayo-
nets are to bristle around the election pre-
cincts; lighted matches and shotted cam
non arc 10 be challengers at the polls
No purpose is had of awing voters into
compliance-oh no! but then they must
vote with the knowledge that artillery
is trained upon the place of suffrage, and
that ball cartridge is ready at a moments
warning to play upon the exposed ranks
Peace, says Governor Walker is the Oh
ject, and We presume his next despatch
to the President will read "Order reigns
in Warsaw" The purity of the elective
franchise is to be guaranteed by formal
declaration of war, and doubtless he will
announce the result of the vote in The lam
guage of Suwarrow, "Ishmsel is OURS
Truly we have fallen unGl evil tines
When before in tie history of our country
would e...,ner President or Pro-consul have
Jared to commit SO bold an iniquity
against tho privileges of freedom or the
sanctity of the ballot-box. A far less
matter than this gave tha+'frst impulse to
the American revolution, and even now
England shows jealousy of tho elective
franchise of her citizens that might well
cause the check of power in this republic
TO mantle with shame. No scarlet uni
form Or polished musket is there permit
ted to CLEAN within sight of the people
when they enter upon the discharge of
that high civil function. Not only do the
laws forbid troops to lie marched into the
vicinity of polling places, but if they hap
Pen TO he ouartered there, it requires them
to be removed during the progress Of
elections. Thus De Lolme says:
'All soldiers quartered in place where
an election is to be made, must move from
it, at least one day before the election, to
the distance of two miles, and not return
until ono day after the election is finish
ed"
Such is the lesson of caution and for
bearance we learn in this respect from the
country whose neglect of personal rights
induced our own independence-and how
glaringly does it contrast with the swag-
gering employment of soldiery now adop-
ted by the executive Of the United States.
Nor is this dangerous departure from the
true spirit of free institutions, which
marks the contrast between England and
America, more striking than is the depar-
ture from the earlier practice of our own
republic. Fortunately we have an in
stance in point preserved in history, which
forms perfect illustration of the matter
in hand. The issue made is that of the
employment of federal troops to sentinel
the ballot box, and the records at Wash
ington itself show how the first statement
of this country regarded so heinous an in
fringement of citizen liberty. The ques-
ton came before the third Congress, in
the case of the seat in the louise, of Francis
Preston of Virginia, contested by Abra-
ham Trigg. The case will be found COM
mencing on the 18th page of M. St Clair
Clarke's Contested Elections. Various
objections were made to the proceedings
in several counties in the district. In re-
spect to one county, { Montgomery, J the
objection was the presence at the polls of
company of federal troops, although
these f,oo31e 2uere 7f0or,0ed Tho conn