The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1864-03-30
mu,tary interference with Elections.

ment, according to the constitutional dennlAon
above. and all who adhere to these rebels, aid
ing and helping them, are traitors. When,
therefore, the Government has subdued a State
by military force, have the rebels any right 10
vote at the elections in that State, We answer,
that a rebel traitor has no rights under the gov
eminent except to the legal punishment Of his
crime The constitution expressly refers to
" corruption Of blood aud forfeiture, during the
life Of the person attainted," as q part of his
possible legal condition.
The next question il, ought the Government
to allow rebel to vote in his own State when
il has the power 70 prevent it: IL answering
this, We may properly consider Why rebel
shou ID desire to vote II he knew that bis vote
would effect nothing, he would not care to vote
at al. But a vote has power in it. Votes
enough will make laws, elect Governors aud
Judges, levy taxes, raise aud equip armies, and
control the action Of the whole State. Hence
rebel desires TO vote for these reasons, and it Is
Tor these same reasons that the Government
should prevent him from voting All the power
shat his vote carries will be for rebellion, and
against the government. Hence the Govern.
ment is bound in seltdefeuce, as far as possible,
TO keep every rebel from the polls.
1t would be most absurd for the Govern
ment TO fight thousands Of rebels in arms, aud
the week after pei nit them, in tue gsrb Of ciEi
zeus, to vote at the polls, aud control all the ju-
dicial executive and legislative powers Of the
State fyF helping their treason in the field.
But IN a State, Ike Maryland for instance,
where the population IS equally divided between
loyalty and rebellion, when election day comes,
how shall the government discriminate between
is friends aud its enemies, 90 as to ALLOW it's
| friends to vote ann keep its enemies from the
polls , The easiest and most obvious way to az
certain the sentiments Of the voters will be to
AXE their own declarations al the polls. A man
Who takes the oath of allegiance to the Govern
ment publicly, in the presence both OF loyal men
and rebels, may be presumed to be loyal until
circumstances shall prove that he is acting the
part Of a hypocrite. 4 refnsal to take the oath
would be pTima Jaeie evidence Of dissifection to
The Government
| The Government then, would have a right to
prescribe the oath TO be taken, to compel its ad-
mnstration by the Inspectors Of Election, and
also to Use as much military force in connection
With the places Of voting as nj ght be necessary
10 prevent rebels from keeping loyal men from
The polls, either by force or intimidation. Be-
yOnd this, We do do not see that the Government
would have any right to interfere with the cleo
ia ftrfw - nL "a.
polls, and to protect its friends in voting just as
they please.
We have been led to this train Of thought, by
reading report OF the Senate Committee on
Military Affairs and the Militia, Feb. II, 1864,
to whom was referred the Senate bill to pre-
vent officers of the army and navy, and other
persons engaged in the military service of the
United STATES, from interfering in elections in
the States
The bill presupposes that military men have
interfered with elections, and forbids such men
20 order. bring, keep or bAvo any armed mel
within one mile OF the place Of any genaral or
special election; and also forbids such men from
prescribing or fixing, by proclamation or other
wise, the qualifications Of voters in any State, or
interfering with the freedom of elections, aud
Furnishes disobedience with fine, imprisonment,
and disqualification for office.
Any military man preventing any qualified
voter from voting he pleAses, or compelling an
officer Of an election to receive a vote from one
not voter, or interfering in any manner with
any election officer, to be punished in Ike man
ner, and also to be indicted for a misdemeauor
The bill was referred to this Committee, and
though Nc. Howard, OF this State, a member,
they made the report before US, recitng the
action Of military officers in regard to elections
in all the States. and recommended that the bill
do not pass, because there was no necessity for
any legislation on the subject, the evil intended
to be remedied being almost wholly imaginary.
No orders on this subject have been issued
from the War Department to commanders in
Kentucky, Missouri, Maryland and Desware
In Missouri, the Convention which deposed
the rebel Governor, adopted an ordinance ex-
GLIDING from The polls all peasons who had taken
arms against the United States, or against the
provisional government Of Missouri. General
Scho6eld in 1861, issued an order enforcing the
ordinance, and ordering troops to be posted,
when necessary, So as to protect the electors at
The polls against Interference by guerrilla bands,
OF other persons.
In Kentucky, in 1868, General Burnside is
sued an order that the judges of election should
be held strictly responsible in case any disloyal
votes should be received and declaring the State
under martial law. This was at the time of al
invasion OF the State by tie rebels, ostensibly
for the purpose Of controlling the elections. 1t
does not appear that any loyal man, Offering to
vote for loyal candidate, was, in any instance,
molested or excluded from the polls under this
order.
In Maryland, at the election in 1861, sppre-
tensions of disturbances were entertained, and
Gen. Mcclellan, then in command. issued the
following order:
HEADoUARTERs ARMY OF The POToNAc, !
Washington, October 2e, 1861.
General: There is al apprehension among
Union citizens in many parts Of Maryland of al
attempt at interference with their rights ofsuff
rage by disunion citizens on the occasion OF the
election to take place on the 9th Of November
next.
In order TO prevent this, the major general
commanding directs that you send detachmeDts
of sufficient number OF men to the ciferent
points in your vicinity where the elections are
to be held to protect the Union voters, and to
see that no disunionists are allowed TO intimid.
ate them, or in any way 80 interfere with ther