Centre Hall reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1868-1871, 1871-03-10
Judge Woodward ON the Bayonet
Election Law.

Judge Woodward Of this State de-
livered an able speech last week on
the haysnet law. from which We make
the following extract:
The prophetic soul Of the President
already discerps the living resem
blancc Of our nAscent empire TO that
which King William and Bismarck
are building up 20 bless the Germans,
and very soon. II the people continue
power in the hands that WELD IL now,
the resemblance of the two empires
will become 50 palpable that common
and uninspircd men will mot only zee
but will feel what the Presiden, halls
in the future. the blessings Of mill
tary despotism. All our legislation
points this way. The bill now before
us 10 one Of the steps in this downward
road. II would be moro manly and
tair IL il bore is real purpose upon It's
frnntlsta Why not call it u bill to
destroy the State right Of regulating
sufffagsi Or, q bill TO prevent white
men from voting' Or, a bill to eon.
tinus the Republican party in power
Why ehristen il with the grim sar-
easm Of "bill TO enforce the right Of
voting IL 4 not my purpose 10 an
AlyEe the details OF the bill, That
has been sufficiently done by those who
have gone before The effect Of Il
| will be 10 take the control Of the cleo
tons out Of the hands Of State officers,
acting under State Law. and deliver it
over 10 irresponsible Federal supervi'
siors. who arc armed with the power OF
the posse eomitattis: Of the army and
navy Of arrests without warrant; OF
challenging voters. inspecting ballot.
and supervising returns; and they will
be very awkward agents Of the
ruling power il, with all these appll'
Ances, they connot produce any resut'
that may be required. True It Is
that all this machinery Is limited &c
elections, for Federal officers; but n
most States elect their officers at th'
same time and place at which Con,
grcsSman are elected, the practical
working Of the machinery will give tc
Federal officers the same control over
elections for State officers that they
will have in the choice Of presidential
electors and Congressman. And \
the States, to escape this intolerabl'
tyranny, should FIX State elections Oh
other days, and after the fashion o
former times, should choose their ofh
GERS unawed by Federal bayonets
what would it avail in the presence o
the high and unconstitutional powers
which Congress has already arrogateC
TO itselfi What State right has no
been already denied and shamelessl!
trampled upon, What cares th'
the mad spirit Of fanaticism for Stats
rights, State protests, or State legisla
tionr With the Supreme Cour
packed and gagged. with four hun
dred millions Of tribute money annu'
ally wrung from the people, with nj
army to collect revenues and contro
| tleCbOuss Win Hafcf W oSosOi' t"NN
ty millions Of money annually for do
ing nothing but 20 make itself a laugh
ing stock Of the world with corpora
tions enriched with public domain
with legislative power stretched to eV
cry object which ambition or avaric'
can covet, what does ruthless party
80 clothed and entrenched, care for th'
checks and balances Of the Constitu
ton and the reserved rights Of th'
Statef What will they care in tn,
futures Literally nothing now. anC
nothing then. II. therefore. Stat,
elections shall survive the shock o.
this legislation. they will survive to nc
purpose. There is but one remedy
for the evils that are upon us. and the
greater and more appalling evils that
threaten us in the near future, anC
that 10 to cast out the men who have
abused power. and bring back the nd
ministration Of the government to il
true constitutional basis, and keep il
there.