Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-01-29
TIE NEwRHYoIur,oN.

HE NE W hEtOLOIION.
The New York Tribune of the Esd
inst. prints an elaborate letter from its
Washington correspondent, dated the 22d,
which purports to give the secret plans
and Vaccinations, as well of the adyen-
turers from the South, white and black,
who have been croWding Washington, as
their allies, in both houses of Congress.
The correspondent says: ~ ~ 80
SIN one respect, Washington to-day
wears an aspect similar to that which il
wore during the troubled days of Andy
Johnson's efforts toward reconstruction,
and that is in the appearance on the
streets and IN public places of Southern
Unionists. They swarm in the Capitol
corridors now as they did then, and the
burden of their complaint is the same old
old story of murder, intimidation and
proscriptiye oppression. The Rebels
have got the upper hand of us again.
they say, and we are suffering more
than you can imagine, and more than the
Northern people can be made to believe.
''0f course they are here to appeal for
protection and redress. Their plans for
the future, or rather the method by which
they hope TO accomplish this object, by
no means accord with the views of their
Northern friends, which fact makes them
very anxious. In short, they have, one
and all, the most crude ideas of the power
of Congress to reopen the question of re-
construction, and of the duty of the adj
ministratiOn to protect them with the
strong arm of the military power. Some
of them, particularly the North Carolinans,
are bold and vengeful enough to demand
that the communities wherein the outrages
against them continue to be perpetrated
shall be deprived of the privilege of yo-
ting for President in ~, while Others
suggest milder means, and agree that such
an extreme policy, though justly demand
ed by the actual condition of affairs,
would result in Democratic triumph in
the North"
The correspondent confesses that these
''birds of passage" are sat sea, and have
no matured policy for future operations. :"
Some clamor for vindictive policy,
while others demand that whole commu-
mites shall be DISTINGUISHED. They APP.
pear to be agreed upon one thing, how
ever, and that is Congress must devise
some plan by which they shall be re-
stored to the offices which they have lost
through the extension of the ballot to the
white citizens, as well as through their
own inherent corruption. To accomplish
this new revolution, some of these impe-
cunious fellows suggest modification of
the enforcement act, which would en-
able the Government to send troops every
where TO control the elections so that
only the faithful should be chosen, while
others propose an entirely new and sweep
ing measure which will meet the case in
the shortest and most direct way and by
way of enforcing the duty of the Govern
ment to give them the offices and the
power to control the internal affairs of
States, they declare that 'the Govern
ment ought to be able to protect its loyal
citizens against the attacks of those who,
but few years since, sought to destroy
it." The ISi6orle'S correspondent says:
"Their efforts will culminate in an at
tempt to extend the power of Congress in
the matter of the election of its own
members, so as to give it virtual control
of all State or municipal elections in the
country. Startling as this announcement
may be, it is, nevertheless, true, and two
bills having this object in view are now
before the House Judiciary Committee.
These bills propose the erection of q
system of supervision by United States
officers appointed by the United States
Circuit Court, over all the elections held
in either the North or the South, at which
| Congressman or delegates to Congress
may be chosen, notwithstanding State, ter
ritOrial or municipal laws to the contrary.
In other words it is proposed to assume
| that the undOubted power of Congress to
supervise the election of IFS own mem
beers when such elections, or registration
for such elections, takes place, can be
extended so as TO include supervision
over registration and the canvass of votes
for every other office voted for at that
election. The machinery of this system
is complicated but perfect so far as the
objects TO be accomplished through its
| operation are concerned. From the CON-
missioners of the United States Circuit
Courts Chief Supervisor Of Elections is
to be appointed, whose duties are de.
70 1a 20 E.,
subordinate Supervisors, furnish necessary
blanks, books, etc ETC., and to cause
the names of those upon any list whose
right to register or vote shall be hon.
estly doubted to be verified by proper
inquiry and examination at the respective
places by them assigned as their resi-
dences. 1t is made the duty of the sub
! ordinate Supervisors to attend the sittings
of the Boards of Registration in their re
spective precincts, aud it is provided that
every registration made under the laws
of any State or Territory for any State or
other election at which such representa-
tive or delegate in Congress shall be cho-
gen, shall be deemed a registration within
the meaning of this act (and also within
the meaning of the enforcement act),
notwithstanding the same shall also be
made for the purposes of any State, ter
ritorial or municipal election. 1t is fur
ther made their duty to attend the cleo
ton held in pursuance of such registra-
tons, TO challenge any vote offered;
to he and remain where the ballot
boxes are kept at all times after
the polls are open until each and every
vote cast at said time and place shall be
counted, the canvass of all votes polled
be wholly completed, and the proper and
requisite certificates or returns made,
whether said certificates or returns be
required under sDy law Of the United
States or State, territorial or municipal
law; and to personally inspect and scru-
tinize, from time to time, on the day of
election, the manner the voting is done,
and the way and method in which the
poll-boOks, registry lists, and tallies or
check-books, whether the same are re-
quired by any law of the United States,
or any State, territorial, or municipal law,
are kept; and TO the end that each can
didate for the office of Representative or
delegate in Congress shall obtain the bene-
fit of every vote for him cast, the said
Supervisors of Election are required in
n YNaroppally cprufini1a