The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1871-03-09
Aolmtal.

consin, in the House of Congress against
the Infamous Enforcement Bill. Said Mr..
Eldridge: F..
Of all the legislation proposed by this
or any other Congress, there Is none, IN
my Judgment, more unwarrantable and
unjusufabie than that proposed by this
bill. 1t is absolutely atrocious. 1t has
no warrant in the Constitution, and no
precedent, unless it be in the act to which
this is amendatory, in any previous practice
CT the Government. Aside from that 1T
stands alone, original as It is hideous and
revolting. 1t has not the merit of one re-
deeming provision or quality, twill bind
the several States hand and foot, and de-
liver them over to the Federal Government
subjugated and helpless, the mere tools
and slaves Of Congress. This bill law,
and the law aequiesced in by the people,
the States and all State institutions and
laws, so far as rights and powers are con-
cerned, are absolutely overthrown and
blotted out. The existence Of the States
and all their institutions, can only be IN
name; they can not act or move except
by the permission and will of the Federal
power, --....
Sir, this bill is the crowning act of CEN
tralization and consolidation. Stealthily
and by somewhat measured step hereto
fore, has been the march of Federal power
upon the rights and jurisdiction of States /;
but this reaches the point and accomplishes
State destruction by single bound, by
one grand act. 1t brushes away at once
and finally all State machinery and local
authority, and substitutes IN their place
| the Federal bayonets. 1t not only sub
| jugates and subjects all local and State
Offices and officers to the Federal will,
making them the instrument of its execu-
ton, loading them with pains, penalties,
and forfeitures for its neglect, but makes
them criminals for obedience to the laws
| of the State whose officers they are, and to
which they are bound by their solemn
oaths. 1t creates a host of new offices
before unknown, and fills the land with
spies and informers, with large pay and
emoluments for their filthy work. 1t
establishes and ordains a multitude OF
crimes heretofore unknown to our law. 1t
seeks to overawe free American citizens
and control their votes, by the menace of
the sword and the presence at the voting
precinct of the Soldier of the army. 1t
places for ten days at and before the time
of elections, paid agents, two or more at
each voting place, IN the interest of the
majority of Congress, to ''scrutinize, man
age and control the votes of the people, to
secure by fair means or foul, the continua-
ton in power OF corrupt and Radical
| Congress.
| Mr.. Speaker, no fair-minded man, no
disinterested, unprejudiced man, can read
the provisions of this bill without being
convinced that it has its origin in the in
| terest of an unscrupulous and desperate
party. 1t bears on its face and in all its
| provisions the clearest evidence ofits origin
and purpose, not to secure, but to prevent
pure and fair elections, not to aid the voter
to express his own unbiased Judgment, but
to awe him into submission and control
him against his conviction. Its very title
| itselfis false pretense, ifnot he, adept
ed for the purpose of defrauding the people,
and cheating them into the support of a
most Infamous measure.
"An act to enforce the rights Of citizens
of the United States to vote in the several
States of this Union
|. The falsity of this title will be perceived
by reference to only a few of the provis-
| ions of the bill imposing conditions upon
and throwing impediments in the way of
| free suffrage.
In the first place, by the frat section, of
the bill, the Federal Government takes full
and absolute possession of the registry OF
voters provided for by any of the States of
the Union. 1t takes possession and con-
troll of all the State officers provided by
State laws for the administration of the
registry laws of the States. 1t adopts the
registrations made by the States in the
following proviso:
| That every registration made under the
laws ofany State of Territory, for any State
or other election at which such Represent
ative or delegate in Congress shall be cho-
sen, shall be deemed to be registration
within the meaning of this act, notWith-
standing the same shall also be made fol
the purposes of any State, territorial, OF
; municipal election.
Notwithstanding this, it imposes penal
ties and denounces as crimes acts of such
officers, in confrmity with and in obedi
ence to the registry laws of the States.
1t provides for the appointment of su
pervisors to guard and 'scrutinize" th'
registrations and elections, whose duties
among others, as provided by the fourth
section, are thus defined:
They and each of them are hereby au
thorized and required to attend at all time
and places fixed for the registration o
voters, who being registered would be en-
, titled to vote for Representative or dele
= RblC IL W SAo4ACASC al
person offering to register.
Let 1t be observed: Required to attent
and to challenge any person offering t
: register" How far this is calculated t.
/ enforce the right of citizens of the Unite
t States to vote-how far it goes TO sustain
> the truthfulness of the title, / leave for th
present to the candid mind to Judge
The bill further requires these tools {
!, party, and of the Federal power, to atten
t at al times and places where the names {
4 registered voters may be marked for ehal
lenge, and upon any occasion and at an
J time when so in attendance to PERSONAL
q inspect and scrutinize such registry an
j. this without regard to and to the exclu
. sion of the officers of the State in chargu
By the fifth section of the bill these super
. yisers are required" to attend at all time
and places for holding elections for Repre-
sentatives in Congress, and for countin
q the votes cast, "to challenge any vote o
fered," to remain with the ballot-boK Il
, the last vote is counted. and to themselvt
u count and canvass each and every ballo
70 whatever may be the Endorsement on sal
l. ballot, or in whatever box it may
4 found" And these supervisors are al
thorized and required to make and attac
to the returns any statement touching tt
| JruIn OF dCCuEdCJ Va OHS Va -
'e truth or fairness of the election, any law
q any State to the contrary notwithstanding
u The sixth section provides that the:
4, supervisors shall, on the day or days
le registration, be marked for challenge, an
o on the day or days of election, take, o,
Ie cupy, and remain in such position or pos
Il tions, before or behind the ballot boxes, I
their Judgment may dictate. And whe
the polls Shall be closed, they are require
N to place themselves in such position wit
: reference to the ballot-boxes as they ma
choose, for the purpose of canyassing Il
e. votes. All this thing may be done witt
a. out regard for and to the exclusion ofstaf
10 officers appointed to do the work.
m Mr.. Speaker, I might stop here. l hay
N shown by the mere statement of the
= provisions of this bill that the title is q
le untruth. In view of these provision
alone, no sane man can believe this Is
bill "to enforce the right of citizens of Il
United States to vote" 1t must be see
to that it is bill to prevent, hinder and d
es lay citizens in voting. 1t provides 8 sy
OF TEN to drive citizens from the polls, and