The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1871-03-04
The war oa the Esal.ot-Bex.


known as the '.Bayonet Election Law )" has
passed both branches Of Congress and of
course will be sigued by Grant, as he has
shown heretofore that he is a mere plant
instrument to register the DEGREES Of fanat-
ical and corrupt Congress. 1t is, in all It's
unpaI aleled and monstrous provisions, a
huge and alarming stride towards the cen
tralzltion of all power over the ballot box
in the hands of the general government. 1t
is an unexamplel instance of Congressional
usurpation Of what, siEce the very organiza-
ton Of the government, has been by com
mon consent regarded as one of the plainly
expressed and solemuly reserved rights OF
the several States. 1t was so pronounced
and distinctly recognized in one of the reso-
lutions adopted by the Chicago Convention
in 1868, when Grant was nominated for the
Presidency.
The men now ruling the country, are
gradually but surely stealing and flching
away the sacred and constitutional rights cf
States, as well as Of the people. As Mr..
Vickers, Senator from Maryland, said in
his speech in opposition to this high-handed
legislation. the bill ought to be entitled ''1n
act to preUe,H the free and intelligent coters Of
/ tie United States from exercising the right Of
suffrage"
When the bill was before the House Judge
/ Woodward, Of this State. made powerful,
but Of course unsuccessful. argument against
/ it, from which we take the following appro-
/ pirate extract:
! The prophetic soul Of the President already
discerns the living resemblance of our nascent
/ empire to that which King William and EiS-
marck building up to bless the Germans,
i and very soon, if The people continue power in
t the hands that wlGd II now, the resemblance
/ of the two empires will become so palpabIc
/ that common and uniuspired men will not only
see but will feel what the President halls in the
future, the blessings OF q military despotiSm
/ All OUR legislation points this way. The bill
| now before US is of the STEPS in this down
I ward road. 1t would be more manly and fair
! if it bore it's real purpose upon its irontlets.-
! Why not call it bill to destroy the State right
/ Of regulating suffrage Or. bill to prevent
white men from voting Or, bill to con
( tlnue the Republican party in power Why
chriSten 1t with the grim Sarcasm Of u ''bill TO
enforce the right .ot voting?' 1t is not my
]
has Jeen sufficiently done by those who have
/ Soue before The effect of it will be to
/ take the coutro! Of the elections OF the
hands of State officers, acting under State law ,
/ and deliver lt UyeI 10 irresponsible Federal
! supeg visors, who ara armed with the power OF
J tie posse cuInItatUs OF the army and navy
of arrests without warrant OF challenging
/ voters, inspecting ballots and supervising re
I turns; and they will be awkw ward agents
OF the ruling power if,wilh all these appliances,
/ they cannot produce any result that may be
required True it is that all this machinery is
/ Limited to elections, for Federal officers; but
I as most States elect their Officers at the same
/ time and place at which Congressman are
elected, the practical working of the machine
~ will give 10 Federal officers the same con-
/ trol over elections for State officers that they
! will have in the choice Of presidential electors
J and COngre=smen. And ii the States, to es-
( cape this intOieruble tyranny, should fix State
/ elections on other days, and alter the fashion
/ of former times, should choose their officers
! unawed by Federal bayOuets, what would it
avail in the presence of The high and uaconsG
I tutional powers, ahich Congress has already
arrogated to itself ! What State right has not
. already been denied and sha melessiy trampled
/ upon What cares the mad spirit OF fanatic
/ ism for State rights, State protests, or State
/ legislation With the Supreme Court packed
/ aud gagged, with four hundred millions of
/ tribute money annually wrung from the peo-
/ pie, with army TO collect revenues and con
/ troll elections, with navy to absorb twenty
millions of money annually Tor doing nothing
/ but to make itself laughing stock OF the
world with corporations enriched with 4 pub
( lie domain; with legislative power stretched to
every object whi-h ambition or avarice can
: Covct, =" hat does ruthless party. clothed
and intreuched, care for the checks and bal
nuceS of the Constitution and the reserved
rights of the States " hat will they care in
the future Literally nothing now, and no,h-
ing then. IT, therefore, State elections she'll
survive the shock of the legislation. they will
survive TO no purpose. There ia but one rem
edy for the evils that are upon us. and the
! greater and more appalling evils that threat ell
/ US in the near future, and that is to cast out
/ the meE who have abused power, and bring
/ back the administration of the government to
/ its true constitutional basis, and keep it there