Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1863-12-02
THE MARYLAND ELECTION DRILL

/
The subjOined communication. from
a respected citizen of Montgomery
CO., Md, describes the novel operation
and effect Of the election drill" in
vented by Gen. Schenck, of Baltimore,
for the qualification Of voters in Nd.
We invite the attention Of Van Nos
trand, the eminent military publisher
of our country, to this new application
of army tactics, in the hope that he
will contract with Gen. Schenck for
the perpetration Of an original work
which shall embody the essential fea-
lures Of his " Election Drill" and
which may be entitled "The Com
plete Voters Manual" We arc sure
it would command large sale, espo-
ciallvamong disIoyal Democrats, who,
it seems, according to the representa-
tons of our correspondent, have al
ready greatly proftcd by this new
"school of the soldier. ."-NatioRQL Ia-
teLigeaccr.
From Citizen of Montgomery county.
Nesss. El'torS: Notwithstanding the
Thoroughly conservative speech Of Mr.
Postmaster General Blair, upon the "rev-
olutionary schemes of the ultra Aboli-
tionists," land in defence of the policy
of the President" recently delivered at
Rockville, and SO justly commendod in
your columns, we had at least in por-
lion of MarylInd yesterday the doctrines
Of Solicitor Whiting and the effect of Gen.
schencli enforced practically.
At the election polls which ! attended
and where ! have been accustomed to
vote for the last thirty years without ques-
tion, let, or hindrance-the first sight that
greeted my eyes as rode up was the
arrest Of two respectable persons who
were quietly riding array from the polls,
or rather down the public road near where
the polls were held turned back made
TO take the oath Of allegiance; and then
pronounced 10y the military commander
who administered the oath, standing near
the window, and supported by his aids,
all Of whom were perfect strangers to the
place and the peoplel qualified voters and
thus qualified, these persons were then
permitted to vote and then discharged -
The Democrats, seeing that retreat was as
dan gerous as to advance or stand still,
uj the great advantage that this new
aud unexpected development Of military
s5thor.ty would give lhem, became sud
denly loyal and as obedent as lambs and
at once presented themselves, first singly,
but afterwards in squads of from ten to
twenty in which they were Joined by
Union men and Union LeagUers, as can
didates for this novel mode of "yqabtidng
uote,S" in Maryland. Thus presented. the
word of command was announced "take
off your hats" hold up your right
hands s"-all Of which was as promptly
obeyed as on a military drill saving and
excepting, of course, the awkwardness Of
new recruits; while the same military Of
ticer read the oath Of allegiance when they
were announced to thejudges as qualified
voters" as each in turn subscribed his
name in book presented by the military
officer aforesaid, without any reference
whatever, so far as ! saw or heard to age
or residence, or even to political sympa-
thy, the oath Of allegiance covering every
condition, and seemiug to be all that was
necessary TO make every man who would
take it--or, from the example set in the
commencement, who was on the ground
or near tho polls-a qualified voter"
The laws Of Maryla make the judges
OF election the judges of the qualification
oil voting, and forbid the quarleriug or
assembling Of troops at or near the polls
on the day of election. But with the
practical enforcement Of the radical doc
trines OF Mr.. Whiting in Mr.. Blair's own
State, and for aught know in his own
county and at mis- election precinct of
what avail are State laws or State lines
even though supported and defended bv
all the force, power and eloquenoe of his
celebrated Rockville speechY '.I''-T
n. B.-Since writing the above have
received the returns from the election
polls above alluded to, which show that
this new mode ofquslifyiHg voters has had
the effect to give the Democrats consid-
erable majority, where heretofore thoy
have been largely in tho minority