The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-09-30
win the New LAW Prevent Election
ETnudst

IL is difficult to understand the animosity
which the partisan Democratic papers dis.
toward the law which CouSz-s.pa..sd
summer to prevent fraudulent voting.
these journals desire to have il under.
vi that they are in favor of dishonest
elections? or that the essence of modern
Democracy is repeating and false countingG
But is the new law sure to put an end TO
these dangerous ard criminal practices2 Mr..
GREELEY says that II will not. He hopes
it may suffice TO prevent the polling of
twenty-five thousand illegal votes at the
next election but he thinks that Thousands
will be rolled in spite ofth law.
The statute in question was approved on
the 1ith Of July last II is of such import
Rnco that we publ sh it in full in another
column. In addition TO some provisions re-.
spccting naturalization, II provides that in
every city of over 10000 Inhabitants the
Judge of the Circuit Court shall appoint
two citizens as inspectors Of registration
and election for each voting strict one of
each political party. These inspectors must
De residents of the district for which they
nrc appointed. They shall have the right
TO lie present at every registration Of thos,
entitled TO vote for members of Congress, and
CT every election where such members arc
chosen, and at every counting of the vote
fer such members. They shall also have
the ri lit to attach Their names to the regis
tiers Of voters, and to all certificates of the
- Al.
add TO such certificates any stat, mcn,s Of
their own respecting the truth ard fairness
of the count and any one who shall hinder
them in the performance Of these duties will
be guilty of n misdcmeanor, punishable by
imprisonment not less than one year.
Moreover, in any city of more Than 10000
people the United States Marshal is author
i2od TO appoint as many 81 ccial deputies as
he may deem necessary to preserve order AT
my election where members of Congress ar
10 he chosen. These deputy marshols have
power to arrest all persons committing n
heir view any oiicn CO, or any breach of the
peace. OF course men charged With viola
lions OF this act will lc tried in the courts
of tho United States, and not by those OF the
Btate of New York.
This is the whole machinery by which II
Is hoped to stop repeating and false count
Ing II will tc Observed that 1t applies only
TO those elections at which mcn hcrs of Con
gross are chosen with other elections it will
have nothin. to Go. 1t involves the ap
Iointmcnt of large number Of officials
some three lundr,d inspectors, and from two
10 four thousand dcluty marshals. For
these officers no compensation whatever is
provided ly the law. They mus serve gratui.
tously-and the service viii be no joke
unless they are aid by private subscription
This is a vcrp Of jcct enable way of paying
public ofIccrs, md we presume the Circuit
Judge and tie Marshal will hositot consil.
erally before designating gentlemen TO do
public duties for private pay. We con.
elude then, and with great regret, that
Mr.. GREELEY is right il his expectation
respecting the eli ct Of lis law. 1t may
possibly mnish repeatr;! ard cheating in
the count lut con it be- executed 80 as to
prevent them altopcthcr2