The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1871-01-19
VOLUME 6---NO.. 90.
Federal Interference in Elections.

Gov. Hoffman, of New York, in his annual
message to the Legislature, puts forth a bo!d
and unanswerable protest against the Federal
government using ite military arm for inter.
ference with State elections Gov Hoffman
sounds a keynote, to which twenty States, oat.
side of the military satrapies in the South, will
furnish the chorus. After a little while, the
people of the American Union will think
strangely enough that they beheld such state
of affairs as has existed under the administra.
tion of President professedly Republican.
After reciting the particular circumstances at
tending military interference at the November
election in New York; Gov. Hoffman saysi
deem it my solemn duty to protest now for..
mally against these outrages, which, tits given
out, will be renewed at future elections, with
preparations looking to q greater degree Of
intimidation and coercion. !. In this protest the.
people of this State do, I am confident, by an
Overwhelming majority, earnestly unite. They
are not to be misled by the pretence that. mile.
tary force is necessary to prevent fraud. Ebf
they well know, what all history proves, that,
military elections are never honest nor free
that military force at elections has always been
used by ambitious rulers to hinder g. full and
fair expression Of popular sentiment; in fact,
to perpetrate and cover fraud, not to prevent
it. If elections are not honest, they should be
made so by the force of public opinion and by
law; military force asserts its supremacy over
both, and is itself fraudulent and final OVER
throw of free ballot. No State is or ever;
was, more devoted than New York to the Unicn
and to the Federal government; none more
submissive to that governments constitutional
authority; none more ready to defend its rights
and vindicate its power; but our Union is q
Union of States; the elements of its great
strength are the home governments of the
people. To weaken the parts is to endanger
the whole. Half a century ago, when Federal
officers were accused of intering with State
elections, not by armed forces, but simply BY,
exerting an Influence through the distribution
of patronage, De Witt Clinton, then Governor
of this State, addressed the Legislature as fol-,
lows: y!4e..a-
GAS member of the American confederacy
it is not only our duty, but our interest, to sus-
tain the responsibility and to promote the au-
thority of the national government by patri-
otic and enlightened exercise of our suffrages;
and by contributing all our energies to estab-
lish wise and public-spirited administration.
But in attending to measures so important, we
ought not to overlook the duties which we owe
to ourselves. Our government is complex IN
its organization, and it is essentially necessary
to preserve the State governments in their pu-
rity and energy. A free government could
never exist in a country so extensive as the
United States without judicious combination
OF the Federal and representative principles.
The apprehensions which some of our wisest
statesmen entertained at the formation of the
Constitution, that the State governments would
constantly encroach on the powers Of the ma
tional government appear not to have been re-
allied. The practical tendency has been in the
opposite direction. The power of the general
administration has increased with the exsen-
sion Of its patronage. And if the officers un-
der its appointment shall see fit, az an organ
lied and disciplined corps, to interfere in the
State elections, l trust there will be found
becoming disposition in the people to resist
these alarming attempts upon the purity and
independence of their local governments for
whenever the pillars which support the edifice
of the general government are undermined and
prostrated, the whole fabric of national free
dom and prosperity will be crushed in ruin.
I have considered it my solemn duty to protest
against these unwarrantablc ntrusions OF exs
sraneous influence, and L hope that the nation-
al legislature will not be regardless.of its duty
ON this occasion"
These words, more applicable now than then,
are so forcible and eloquent that .I'quote them,
in the hope that they may impress themselves
upon the minds and upon the hearts of the
whole people To depend, for the peace and
order of localities, on the Federal army is not
self-government; to substitute the regular SOL
dicr with his musket as q peace officer, in place
Of the constable with his writ, is not to pre-
serve the peace, but to establish the condition
Of war; to surrender elections to the control of
the President, supported by armed forces, is to
surrender liberty and to abandon republic.