The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1871-03-17
THE SUPREMACY OF TIE SouM. The,
Eanfh aaoiion 0f fIo aunnlosn 20 s.s, lax,

YHNeSUFRRMAOY OF THE SCUM.@The
tenth section Of the supplementary bay
onet election Act contains one of the
most villanous assaults upon the elective
franchise that has ever been cloaked un-
der the forms of law. Any of the swarm
OF election bIavoes provided for by the
Act may arrest. without warrant, and
upon his own bare suspicion, any officer
appointed by law to conduct IN election,
and take said officer forthwith to Jail,
even though his abseno5 neoessitates It
closing Of the polls. Referring to this.
Senator Johnston, of Virginia, said in
debate:
s'That identical case occurred in the
city of Richmond Mt the last election
held in that city. While an election was
progressing the officer who was conduct
ing it was arrested by United States Of
foer, taken away from his post and car-
ried before United States Commission
er. The voting ut that place was sus-
pended for two hours, while this officer
was being examined before the United
States Commissioner for m alleged Of
fence When he was arrested he said: F.:
Here 1 an; cannot get away; let me
finish this election. will give you my
bail you choose for my appearance.
But the request was refused. The yot-
ing was stopped; the case was examined; !;
and, when examined, it was found that
there was no ground of complaint
against him. He was tried and acquit-
ted. The whoie thing WAS nothing but
scheme to prevent voting in that par
ticular ward, SO as to prevent that ward
from being counted in the election"
The Senator then moved to strike out
the section authorizing such villainy, and
by vote of thirty nine to thirteen the
motion was rejected. Those voting to
strike out were the Democratic Senators,
with MIR. Trumbull and one or two
others. Those favoring the retention of
the fraud we're:
Messrs. Abbott. Ames, Anthony, Bore
man, Buckingham, Carpenter, Chand-
Ter, Cole, Conkling, Corbett, Crngin,
Edmunds, Gilbert, Hamilton, of Texas,
Harlan, Harris, Howard, Howe, Howell,
Mcdonald, Morrill,, of Vermont, Nye,
Osborn, Pomeroy, Pool. Pratt, Ramsey,
Revels. Rice, Robertson, Sawyer. Sher-
man, Spencer, Stcarns. Stewart, Thaycr,
Warner, Wilson and Yates-39.
Of these it will be seen that no fewer
than nineteen are either carpet -bagmen,
or the representatives of rotten bo-
roughs, or Senators who have been ex-
PEessiy TtDukeu Dy DemOcraClC victories
in their several States. Without them
there would have been no quorum, aud
consequently no vote; and had their
places been filed by truly representative
men. tho proposition to strike out would
have been carried by ten majority. AS
it is, the law stands that any jnil.bird
deputy in any city of 10000 inhabitants
in the United States may terminate the
voting ut the next Presidential election
in any ward or precinct he may choose,
at Lis own sweet will. All he has to do
is to think the election judges ought TO
be arrested, and then carry them off to
jail forthwith. His authority is Gimme
diately, either at said place of registra-
tion or polling place, or elsewhere, and
either before or after registering or vot-
ing, to arrest and take into custody, with
or without process, any person who shall
commit, or attempt or offer to commit,
any of the acts or offences prohibited
by this act, or the act hereby amended,
or who shall commit any offence against
the laws of the United States"
Ne,o York TTorM.