Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-08-10


States TO prescvib, o. ~ by proclamation. order,
or ofhey1cisr the qualifications o. rofeTs "a any
STATE Of The United States Of Ar'erice, or 10 any
manner 10 interfere with the freedom OF election
IA any State. or With the exercise OF the free
right Of suffrage IN any State Of the United States
Any officer Of the army or navy Of the United
States. or other persons engaged in the civil or
military service of the L. 3, Who violates this
section OF this act, shall. for every sueh ofense
be liable to Indictment for a misdenesuor,
and. on conviction thereof. shall pay a fine no;
exceeding I've thousand dollars. and suffer i'm
prsonmeut in the pcnitentiary not less than three
months nor more than Eve years. at the discre
ton OF the Court trying the same and any per
son convicted "a aforesaid shall moreover be dis
qualified from holding sny Office OF honor. profit
or trust under the United States. Provided. that
nothing herein contained shall be so construed as
to prevent any officers, soldiers sailors or ma
rines from exercising the right OF suffrage IN any
election district TO which be may belong, II 9th
otherwise qualified according TO the lsvs Of the
State in which he shall offer to vote
SIC .. And be il further enacted, that any
officer CT person in the military or naval service
Of the United States. who shall order or advise.
or who shall. directly or indirectly, ty force,
threat, menace. intimidation, or otherwise. pre-
rent. or attempt TO prevent, any qualified voter
Of any State Of the United States OF America,
from freely exercising the right OF suffrage al
any general or special election in any State OF
the United States; or who shall in like manner
compel or attempt to compel any ofheet oil an
election in any such State 10 receive vote from
a person not legally qualified TO vote, or who
shall impose or afismpt 10 impose any rules or
regulations for conducting said election, differ
ent from those prescribed By lap, or in
terfere In any manner with any officer of
said election in the discharge of his duties,
shall for any such offense be liable to indict-
meut as for a msdemeanor, in any court OF the
United States having jurisdiction to hear and
determine cases of mildemeanor, and on convic-
ton thereof shall pay fine not exceeding five
thousand dollars, and suffer Imprisonment in the
penitentisry not exceeding five years, at the dis
cretion OF the court irving the same; and any
person convicted as aforesaid shall moreover be
disqualified from holding any Office Of honor
profit, or trust under the Government OF the
United States.
Approved February %, 1865.
This Law was approved and signed by Presi-
dent LINCOLN. on the 25th day of February
1865. IL stands unrepealed aud unamended. and
challenges the respect of all good men. And
yet will il be believed, it has been grossly VIC
lated in numerous instancesf Whenever the
very men who voted for the law deems ts viola
ton necessary to secure partisan triumph at al
election they violate it with little hesitation
as they have violated the Constitution itself
Look at the recent elections in Kentucky anc
Tennessee A man named PALMER, whom the,
call Major General, now commanding 10 Ken
lucky issued his proclamation before the election
firing the qualifications Of rioters in that State
in direct confic, with the Law Of Congress, which
he treated as so much waste paper. And be dit
not stop at that The law of February 25tt
forbid him to order, bring. keep. OF hap
under his authority, or control any troops o.
armed men at the place where any general o
special election is held in any State of the Unie'
States OF America This clause OF the law h
has also violated, for he ordered to and kept a
the polls at numerous points in Kentucky dur
ing the election on Monday last "troops" an,
EARNED men," for the purpose of "threat
menace. and intimidation" He threatened 4
do SO before the election, in order to alarm tn
feeble and helpless. and he carried out hi
threat. Without this military interference
which was in violation of law, his party wou
have been beaten 1000 votes To sum u
tho whole matter these Abolitonsts intend to re
spect no law-not even the ones they ensc
themselves. When a law suits them, they ODE,
it. When otherwise. they set it Mt defiance
What are they but rebels and traitorsf
We trust the people everywhere will calml
consider the condition into which our public al
fairs are drifting Laws and Constitutions can
not be aside at the pleasure OF either civilian
or military officers without finally ulphing tn
Liberties of the people. These Constitutions an
laws are the only safeguards which the citizen
have. Abandon them to violence. anarchy. o
the dominion of the few aud the masses OF ou
people are al the mercy of the basest and mean
est reptiles which crawl into power. We hav
before US the warnings of history. If We fail t.
correct outrages Of this kind we shall deserve tn
| fate which awaits us.