North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1870-03-16


How we are to Vote Under the XVIII
Amendment -.Death to Free Elections.
Senator Howard has offered a bill in the
Senate, and is very likely to pass. pro-
viding how elections are to be conducted
under the XVIII Amendment. 1t is very
similar in its provisions to the copy of a
bill which we re-published some time
since, and which was introduced at the las,
session of Congress. The ILL is one OF
the most infamous attempts to destroy free
elections, and to establish an irresponsible
despetsm, supported by the army. at all
the polls where the people vote. In ev>
dence of this we present the provisions of
the bill.
The first section makes it the duty OF
the Secretary Of the Interior ''to appoint,
or cause to be appointed, three commis>
sioners for each election district of the
several congressional districts of the Uni
ted States, to enforce the provisions of the
fifteenth amendment to the constitution.
The said commissioners for said purpose
ehall have the sole right to decide on the
qualifications of all voters who shall offer
to vote for members Of Congress, or elect
ors for President or Vice President. and
the exclusive authority to receire tie ballots
cast at any such election" This takes away
all control of the election from the local
authorities it forestalls all registries and
all State laws, and makes these federal
commissioners absolute despots for they
have exclusive authority to receive, not
only the congressional ballots, but ali the
ballots cast at such election.
These commissioners are required to
certify the result Of the election in the Sec
retary Of the Interior, and the bill further
provides that 'all questions in regard to
the regularity and fairness of the election
OF members Of Congress shall be referred
to the House Of Representatives, who shall
have exclusive jurisdiction thereof"
, These commissioners are to be supported
in power by the army. The bill further
makes it the duty of the United States
Marshals in their respective districts to
sustain the commissioners of election in
the performance of their duties, and detail
sufficient force of deputies to secure order
at the elections, and in the event of the
force of any such Marshall proving made
quate, the Marshal shall have the right to
call on the nearest commanding officer of
troops of the United States, to aid such
Marshal to preserve order.
The Secretary of War is directed to SO
station the troops Of the United States,
Immediately preceding any election, at
convenient points adjacent to the principal
polling places of the several congressional
districts, and in the principal cities COM
manding force Of such troops shall be en-
camped in the parks or in other suitable
places of such cities, at and preceding any
election.
This bill, if it is enacted into a law, en-
tirely supercedes all control by the people,
and their constituted officers over the bal
lot box. 1t sweeps away all the defences
that they have planted around the polls
for the security of honest elections. 1t
ends free voting in the country. 1t places
all their elections under military guard.
1t requires that General Hancock shall
distribute his troops on election days, SO
that there shall be military force in the
City Park of st. Paul to overawe the vot ers
and another at Minneapolis, and another
at Winona, and other detachments in other
cities of the State. And it is to be all
over the country. The elections to be
held by these federal commissioners, with
bayonet at the throat of every voter.
That the people of this country will not
submit to the establishment of an armed
military despotism over them, is as sure
as that the sun rises and sets. 1t only re-
mains to be seen what means they will
adopt to prevent it, and whether the
means are sufficient to the end. They will
first, undoubtedly, vote and overt hrow by
majority the party in power which pro-
poses this scheme. If the party will not
surrender power when it is fairly y,ted
down, the nert thing ,UiU be done. From
he st. Paul Pioneer.