Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1871-03-03
The National Election Law

Ne well informed person, probably, doubts
that the Federal election law lessened the
fraudulent vote of New York city, at the
last State election, by at least 10000. Its
efficiency was greatly lessened by the al
most desperate opposition of the democrat
ic officials of the State and city; but it
answered in some measure its purpose. Con
gress is now engaged in the endeavor still
further to guard the purity of all elections
at which members of Congress are chosen,
as it is its right and duty to DO. Section
four of the first article Of the Constitution Of
the United States reads as follows
/. The times, place and manner of holding
elections for Senators and Representatives shall
be prescribed in each State by the legislature
thereof /; but the Congress may at any time BY
LAW make or alter such regulations. except as
TO the place of choosing Senators.
This seems to be tolerably clear, and if
there could be any doubt about its mean
ing, it would be settled by the eontempor-
aneous expositions Of the founders Of the
Constitution. Thus Alexander Hamilton,
in the Feaeralist, says:
1t will not be denied that discretionary pow
er over elections ought to exist somewhere. 1t
will. | presume, be as readily conceded, that
there we're only three ways in which this pow
or could have been reasonably organized that
it must either have been lodged wholly in the ma
tional legislature, or wholly in the state leg
islatures, or primarily in the latter, and ulti-
matelv in the former The last mode has, with
reason. been preferred by the convention. They
/ have submitted the regulations Of elections for
/ the Federal government, in the fret instance,
/ 10 the local administration, which, in ordin-
ary csses and when ne improper views prevail,
! NAV be both more convenient and more sstls-
/ factory but they have reserved to the nation
| al authority right to interfere, lcheHper CT
/ trqorfitaru circumstances might render that
/ intes position necessary TO lis safety.
Nothing can be more evident than that an
/ exclusive power of regulating elections for the
/ national government in the hands Of the state
/ legislatures, would leave The erlsteHce q the
Union entirely at their o'rn nGcy-
Yet one would suppose from the utter
ances Of the democratic press, and Of demo-
cratic spouters 50 in and out of Congress
that there is no power vested in the national
/ legislature to NEEDLE with elections in the
states at all, nor to prescribe methods for the
choice of its own members; that national
election law for such purpose is an infringe
ment upon the rights Of the states and an H.
saultuponpopular liberty. They will probably
maintain their opposition to any law which
is likely to prove effective in defending the
ballot-box against fraud, till it ends in bloody
conflict, likely frs: to occur in the streets
/ Of New York, between the officers Of the
/ Government and the roughs and repeaters,
organized and armed by democratic State
and city officials. We know that many IN
telligent citizens of New York expect 1t to
end in this: and think that If it must come
the sooner it comes the better. Congress
Will 20 right on and perfect the National
Election Law. Why should it not? 1t
is aimed only at criminals. 1t protects legal
voters in their rights. Itmetes out punish
ment only to repeaters, perjuTers and other
violators Of the law, and it can be an object
of dread only to those who dread honest
elections