The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-10-29
The Press and the Nau ON Horse.
back
From the Baltimore g ze,te.

from the Baltimore g Zatte.1
II the people Of this country have reach
ed that point Of degradation that they can
submit TO have their elections held under
The surveillance Of Federal officials, backed
by Federal bay0nctS, they are ready for the
last act Of the revolutionary drama which
has been III progress ever since the war
closed. 1t viii need but Ole step further
10 change what WAS once Il Government of
limited powers into Il military deSpotiSm.
Let them not lay the f}lttering JUNCTION to
their souls that there is no danger that
their liberties will he overthrown. Let
them look back and see the vast strides that
have been made in the Capitalization of
power at Washington during the past five
years, and then ask themselves whether
these changes are not ominous of
still greater nsurpations in the near
future. Do they imagine the rights
that yet remain to them are any
mons sacred in the eyes of the Radicals
than those Of which the southern people
have. to all intcntS and purposes, been de-
prived? Have they the folly to suppose
that the con>pirat"rS who have violated the
rights of States south Of the Potomac will
respect the rights Of States north Of that
line? Is it little thing that those conspi-
ratorS have Mtcrpolated into the Constitu-
ton amendments that were never legally
adopted by the people ; that they have pro-
hibited the Supreme Court from passing
upon the political measures Of Congress
that they have subordinated the executive
to the legislative department of Govern
ment by the passage of the tenure-of-office
act and that, by partisan legislation Of the
most outrageous kind. they have put re-
straints upon the elective franchise for the
purpose Of perpetuating, ut all hazards,
their control OF the Government!
.l,.t
act IF Congress prescribing new rules for
the naturalization of aliens, and authorize
ing Federal officials TO supervise the regis
tration Of voters, and to keep watch and
ward over the ballot-boX, were framed for
any other purpose than to ob>truct ana
haraSS those who are opposed to the Radl-
cal party? The approach to the ballOt-boX
should be free To all. The laws Of the State
for the regulation Of elections give ample
protection To all citizens. without respect
to party, who may have reasonable cause
of complaint AGAINST either the officers OF
election or the judges appointed to preside
al the polls. The right of each state to
prescribe the mode OF holding elections
within its borders and the qualifications Of
voters has never until now been denied.
The sole value Of elections, us giving cX-
preston to the Will Of the people, lies iii
the perfect freedom with which they arc
conducted. Yet the following suggestive
picture was presented ut the recent election
in Philadelphia
THE marines are stationed in line be-
fore the polls. The police were ordered
away. Ten marines kept guard in the
street. j he line Of voters was again form
ed, and they passed i'll their ballots. On one
side OF the window stood the Major on
the Their side Il subordinate officer. Two
marines with loaded mu>kctS stood at 4
support arms within four feet Of the will
dow. No one save the election officers and
the voters was permitted to come near the
window. Thus did the force Of arms super
>cde the force of civil law at al clccti.n
poll -
Since then all the available soldiers and
marines east Of the Mississippi have been
ticiputc in like manner III the congressional
elections that take place early next month.
The mere concentration of these forces in
the ncighborhood OF the larger cities on
such an OCCASION is more than mcnacC--it
is deliberate insult offered to those who
once were proud to call themselves Il
tree people. -Four hundred deputy
mar>hal>, supported by Federal bayo-
nets, ale to be placed over the voters
OF this city on the 18th day OF November
next. 1t is an outrage for which we have
but one rctort--thut Of defiance. We are Il
law-abiding community. We hold that
every registered voter has the right to cast
his ballot without let or hinarance from
any one, and are prepared to defend him
in the exercise of that right. But we de-
lnlnd that our own civil authorities shall
be allowed to take cognlzance of any intrac-
tens Of the law ny either party; that our
police shall not he ordered away from the
nollS. as they were in Philadelphia, and
q la n
make arrests without first obtaining war
rants for the same they shall be held rigidy
TO account for The outrage. We can bear
much. but there is Il point beyond which
we cannot 20 without sacrificing our own
sense Of >eli-rcSpcct
from Il Washington Letter.
The purpose of the act was manitestiy to
oyeraWc - ierrorize - Democratic voters,
and chase them, at the point OF the bayo-
NET from the polls. We now see TO what
extent the Administration is implicated i'll
this nefarious project of creating, in the
first place, by intolcrable tyranny on the
part OF their hired braves, abundant cause
for resistance, and then to visit that lawful
resistance with the "rlgorS OF the law.
And not only this, but 20 enable the Gov
crnmcnt at will to set aside an adverse re-
sIIlt upon mere "reports" Of their per-
lulcu agtlltS. - :. ,. 1870.
Under such circumstances Is 1t not cr'm-
i1tal in Democratic journals longer to pirate
about the "rusults" of " ctcchonS?" Inc
whole thing is broad farce, and should be
treated as such!
Platforms" in the by-gone sense of the
term. are an obsolete idea. The issue now
is purely one between the civil rights OF
the citizen and the military tyranny OF the
Government, which Government consist
Of acknowledged rogues ut the one emu oi
the avenue and unblushlng gut enter
prise" men ut the other. This absorbing
issue swallows up all others, and, OF course,
includes the means (he reconstruction
measures and kindred rascalitles) 10y, which
the country has been brought to this pass.
| hope New York will be tHlly prepared TO
assert the rights OF its citizens!
The Radical newspapers tell us that inc
''otticial" returns in Pennsylvania sho"
that three Democrats were elected by very
small majorities, namely: Is. f. Meyers, by
fifteen votes; K. NJ. Specr, by eleven; and
Henry Sherwood, by tweuty-scyen. 1t Is
already known here that not one of these
men will be admitted to seat. BY and
by, when the thing happens, 10 one will
remember this prognostlc. we are gong
toward Imperialism at gait swlttor than
the speed Of the swittest OF the horses
assembled ut Pimlco.
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