The Daily empire. (Dayton, Ohio) 1865-1867, 1866-09-08


frve people should NJ peculiarly sensitive
IL is the freedom Of the ballot-box. Moth
ing Is so rcpulsive TO nation of frocmen
rs military interference at the polls. We
hearq haellof sneh ontrpgesduring the war.
But ScnFNcK was the CHIEF hero In them,
and so far tiansgressed the bounds of de-
cency that he excited the anger Of BRAD
FORD. the "loyal" Governor of Maryland,
who issped y NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. to one
OF SCnENcK's famous orders. The Prcsi-
dent LINCOLN. who was not over nice in
these matters could not however stand
ScIIENcK's order. and made him modify II
publicly.
But such interiercnccs did not meet the
approval Of all the members of the Rcpub-
lican party. and they favored a law against
tifcin 1fenee, When Mr.. powell, Of Ken
tucky, introduced bill to preserve the
freedom OF the ballot. box. the matter was
referred to the Military Committee, and
the following Bin was passed in the Senate
OF the United States on the 22nd day Of
june, A. y. 1864. We ask for IL careful
reading, as ScHENCK was one of the few
who voted against u in the House.
-" Be u enacted, that IL shah not hc lawful
for any military officer of the United
States, nor any person engaged in the civil
military or naval service of the United
States. TO or,ler, bring, keep, or have un-
der his authority or control, dny troops or
armed men ioUhbl one mile of the place
where any general or special election is
held In any state Of the Iluited States of
America. unless II shall be necessary 10 repel
the armed enemies Of The United States, or 10
Keep the peace at The polls. Aud that il
shall not De lawful for any officer of the
army aud navy of The United States to
prescribe or fiN, or attempt 10 prescribe or
fix by proclamation, order or otherwise
the qualifications of voters in any State of
the United States, or in any mdaner 10 in-
terfere 'oith fhc freciOm NJ dAy election in
any State. or with the exercise of the
right of free suffrage in any State of the
United states. Any officer of the army
or navy Oi the United States or other per-
sou engagedin In the civil, military or naval
service of the United States. who violates
this section OF this act shlll. for every such
be liable to Indictment IA for
IN. any court Of the Uuited
States having jurisdiction to hear, try and
'htermine eases of Tuiisdemcanor, and on
conviction thereof shall pay Il line not eN-
cecding ,S5O00 and suffer punishment in
the penileptiary not less than three months
nor more than five years ut the discretion
Of tiie court trying the same; and any per-
son convicted as aforesaid shall moreover
bq di4Rnlitted frnm holding any olIlcc of
honor -pr0ft or trust under the Govern
ment The United states Pr0uilGd, that
nothing herein contained shall be so con-
strucd rs Ia prevent any officer, soldier.
sailor or marine from exercising the right
of suffrage IN any election district TO which
be may belong. ii otherwise qualified ac-
cording to the laws of the State in which
Ile shall offer 10 vote.
SECTION 2. That any officer or person ia
the military or naval service in the United
States who shall Ortler or ddpfse or who
shall directly or indirectly, by force. threat.
menace, intimiddtioa or 0thertcise, prevent or
attempt IN PreUem any qualified UOter of any
State of the United States of America from
freely exercising The right of suffrage ut any
general or special election i'm any State of
the United States, or who shall in like
manner compel or attempt to compel any
officer ofsany election In amy such State to
receive vote. from n person not legally
qualified To vote, or who shall impose or
attempt to impose any rules or regulations
for conducting such election different from
those prescribed by law, or interfere in any
with any officer of said election IN
the discharge of his duties. shall for every
such oi1ense be liable to indictment as for 4
in any court of the United
states having jurisdiction to hear, try aud
determine cases of misdemeanOr, and on
conviction thereof shall pay a fine not ex-
ceeding $1,000 and suffer imprisonment in
the penitentiary not exceeding five years,
at the discretion of the court trying the
same. And any person convicted us aforc-
said. shall moreover be disqualified from
holding any Office of honor, profit or trust
under the Government OF the United
States. Ht.H HH. Isl 900.
This bin passed the Senate by a vote ofI
to thirteen; GRIMES, Hicks. POM
ERoY, TRUNmULL and WADE all Gepubli-
cans, being among the yeas.
The House did not act upon it until the
22d day of February, 1865, long after the.
close of the war, when it was overwhelm-
ingly and triumphantly passed by vote of
one hundred and thirteen to nineteen;
teen; only nineteen Republicans being
found base enough To vote against
so wise and important law.
ScHENcK, the great Statesman, Patriot, (D
was one of the NINETEEN who de-
clared in favor of military interference
mt the ballot-bON. He voted in favor of
keeping armed men at the polls when II
was not necessary to preserve the peace OF
fight the enemies of the country. Hcvotcd
III favor of permitting military officers to
issue proclnmatioiis defining the qinlllica-
tlens of votqrsy Heyotcd in t;rvor of al
lowing officers, by threats, mthnidations
Sc, to prevent voters from expressing
their sentiments mt the polls. tfi.
Yet he darcs stand up before an mtclli-
gent people and gabblc about free goy-
ernmrnt, and the government of the pe0
plel Ont upon such miserable tyrants and
pretenders! How can the people trust
such a man9 And is he not fit tool Tor
Congress that seeks to usurp and con
trol all power? Let the people condemn
such a man beyond allresnrreetion,
A Rich Party!
JACK HAMILTON, the chief fugleman of
the Philadelphia Convention, was chairman
.Of meeting approving and endorsing lhc
caniiig of SUMNER by Brooks
OREsswEII, who wrote and read the re-
port was the greatest secessionlst in an
Maryland, when the war broke out
SroKEs'Manted all Tennessee TO rise and
fight back LINCoIN's hirelings,