The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1871-03-10


WARD denounced the Federal election
law usurpation In the following brief
but eloquent terms:
1t Is q bill TO obstruct suffrage, to de-
liver the ballot-boxes of the States into
the hands of the pimps, spies. and paid
rogues of the Republican party /; a bill,
in word, to prevent the Democratic
citizens from enjoying free and fair |
ballot. And 1t marks curious feature |
of our times. The-ilfteenth amendment |
extended suffrage to negroes; the legis.
lation to "enforce" that amendment |
takes away suffrage from white men.
The philosophy of all this Is, If philos-
opby can be predicated of the politics of
the Republican party, that the political
power of the country is to be torn from
white men and delivered to negroes
the African is to rule the Anglo.Saxon.
To this complexion has the party of
great moral ideas come mt last. By
glozing speeches and honeyed words
they have deluded the people for sever
al years past. They hope to continue
the delusion until they shall have un-
dermined the South, and stolen all their
rights, and consolidated one grand CEN
trail empire on the ruins of the republic.
The prophetic soul of the President
already discerns the living resemblance
of our nascent empire to that which
King William and Bismarck are build
ing up to bless the Germans, and very
soon, if the people continue power in the
hands that WELD ii now, the resem.
blance of the two empires will become
so palpable that common and uninspir-
cd men will not only see but will feel
what the President halls in the future,
the blessings of military despotism.
All our legislation points this way. The
bill now before us is one of the steps in
this downward road. 1t would be more
manly and fair if it bore its real pur-
pose upon its frontlets. Why not call
it bill to destroy the State right of
regulating suffrage? Or a bill to pre-
vent white men from voting? Or,
bill to continue the Republican party in
power? Why christen it with the grim
sarcasm of n "bill TO enforce the right
of votinp?r It is not nv purpose to
anolvze the details of the bill. That
has boon sufficiently done by those who
have cone bosoro mo The effect of il
wiI, he to tolso tbe control of the cleo.
tions ont Of the hands of State officers,
acting under State law, and deliver it
over to irresponsible Federal supervis.
ors, who are armed with the power of
the posse comitatus i; of the army and
navy; of arrests without warrant; of
challenging voters, inspecting ballots,
and supervising returns; and they will
be very awkward agents Of the ruling
power if, with all these appliances, they
cannot produce any result that may be
reouired True it is, that all this ma.
chinerv Is limited to elections for Fed
oral officers but II, most States elect
their officers at the same time and place
of which Conpressmen are elected, the
nractical working of the machinery
vii, pive to Federal officers the same
control over elections for State officers
that thew will have in the choice o.
Presidential electors and Congressman
And If the States. to escape this intoler
able TYRANNY. should fix State elections
on other davs. and. after the fashion O
former times. should choose their Off
GERS unawed by Federal bayonets, ,wha
would II avail in the presence of tn,
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