Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1863-08-13

reheOn,-a n desperate want oi pidus-
ibe subjects of clamor in this time of
II Union successes, military despotism,"
in its several varieties, is about the only
theme remaining, and under that general
head, the recent Kentucky election is now
n ,oreiv exercising them, The following is
the commencement of an editorial article
in the New York World;
We are shocked hat any respectable
American newspaper can be so recreant to
American principles as to gIoat over the
transaction in kentucky, last Monday,
miscalled an election. Without any rel
erencc TO the merits or the principles OF
one marty or the other, we denounce the
whole proceeding as an insulting mocEery
u of that free suffrage on which our lnstltu-
tions rest. 1t is not that this or that par
ty has succeeded that gives to this pseudo
election it's grave significance, but the TACT
that il was conducted under military
terrorism which decided the result IN ad-
vance before the polls We're opened
The WofM proceeds to say that "wheth-
er the nterposition of martial law was IN
favor of the party we preferred or against
it would not make the slightest difference
n in onr estimate of the scandalous enormity
h of he proceeding" Yet, if the "no-more-
Z| 81 men and no -more-money" party, with the
n notorious Wickhfe at its head, had sue
Il ceeded in the election, there isn't shad-
ew Of doubt we should have been spared
a. U'orld's horrfed exclamations upon
an ,,elecuon conducted under military ter
y @rorism."
It is a matter of interest to examine
little the foundation for the WorJd's plous
horrors. The Louisville J0urndt, which
is quoted as authority in this same article
CT the HorId, SAID before the elecuon that
u the rebels had planted to come III from
II Tennessee and control the polls IN the
II Southern Counties, believing that If Wick
Il life was elected tine State would secede.
u General Burnside's order declaring mar
q tial law, explained Itself. 1t declared "the
d State of Kentucky invaded by rebel
81 force, for the avowed purpose of oyeraw-
i'm the Judges of elections, intlmidatng
loyal voters aud keeping them from the
& polls, and forcing the election OF dlsloyal
\ candidates. The military of the Govern
|nent is the only force that can defeat this
attempt, and the State Of Kentucky Is
Il therefore placed under martial law" Our
lexington (Ky.) correspondent says there
1asA wa no military in sight on election day IN
thai precinct, and all passed off quietly.
Martial law was declared chiefly to
protect the freedom and purity of the elec
q lion from outside interference and violence.
u Now how did the military terrorism" at
u fect the voting of the residents of Ken
4 tucky? A pretty good idea of the modas
operaadj at the polls, may be gathered
from the letter of our Kentucky cores
pondent, An, B." In his letter of July
I 80. written before the election, be said,
tsthe oath of allegiance which every sus
pected person will be required to take,
vii probably prevent great many from
voting at ALL" In his letter of August
4th, published yesterday, he states that
persons of doubtful loyalty is, we
Il suppose, those whose loyalty was ''chal-
lenged," were required to make oath that
they had not been connected with the reb-
81 army, or furnished it with food or sup
plies, or expressed sympathy for the rebel
I hon in short that they were not traitors.
\ This done, they voted for whom they
pleased, Union candidate or Otherwise
4 md this was done, according to our cor
respondent, under a law Of the State
1t may be horrible outrage, at this
1ime when a gigantic rebellion is raging
81 the overthrow of the Union, and in a
nrder State like Kentucky, to require
pse who would, at the ballot box, control
destinles of the State and Country, to
d ke the simple oath of fd lity to the
ion; or that they should observe a
hte law, designed merely to determine
lether they are traitors, or loyal men.
u if so, it will be the most difficult Job
Pr undertaken by the World, or any
Ter copperhead, to convince the sensible
g loyal people of it.
Iakmg the oath of allegiance is common
nough in times of peace, but it seems to
50 lxe become terrible .nHiction in the
es of copperheads, at time when trea-
preservative necessity to discriminate