New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-09-24
be the power of the States. This is our
great doctrine.

be the power Of the States. This is GU,
great doctrine.
The BArosEr BILL.
Mr. Groesbeck speaks about anothe,
measure that passed last February, which
the Democrats called the bay0net election
lava law which provides for the election
Of members to Congress, and delegates to
Congress, and regulates the election of these
officers. Mr. Groesbeck argued that al
great length, and insisted that it was i VIC
lation of the constitution, and a great out
| rage.
1t has been called the bayOnet bill. Why!
It does not provide in any section OF the
bill for the use Of the army and navy by
the President. The President has got that
power in regard to this bill. just as in re-
gard to every law enacted by Congress, but
there is nothing said about it in this bill.
Now, the constitution OF the United States
gives to Congress the power to make regu-
lations for the election of members to Con
gress. That is in the constitution. There
is NO doubt about that power at all. No in
telligent lawyer or man of any party will
deny it for one moment. Now, what are
the three leading features of this bill The
first is that the judge Of the Circuit Court
of the United States-a man WHO'S removed
as far a. possible from politics. who holds
his Office for life-shall appoint what is
called general supervisor Of his election
district-of particular election district
for example, in Ohio. This general super.
visor of election is simply ministerial Off
Ger, who has the power to provide the
books, the blanks and the forms Of voting
tor members of Congress-; that is all the
power lie has got. speak in brief terms.
Then this bill gives to the judge of the Cir
cult Court power to do another thing. Upon
the application OF respectable citizens he
has got the power to appoint two respectable
men, one OF each party; the law provides
particularly that they shall be of different
parties, two men in each election
precinct or ward Of the city. These men
are not to conduct the election: they are
not judges or inspectors, but they are to be
supervisors. That is, the law requires
them, one to stand before the ballot-boX,
and the other to stand behind it. to see
that no stutfing is done; and these men
are to stay with the ballot-box until the
votes are counted out, to see that no fraud
is committed. That is the second great
feature of this bill. l suppose that every
honest man would be glad of that bill.
When there have been charges q election
frauds. and stutfing ballot boxes. and re-
peating, and all these things that have Oc-
CURED in our large cities for years it seems
to me that every honest man of any party
ought to be in favor of a law that provides
this safeguard-two men to watch the bal
lot-box, one Democrat and one Repub-
lican: one to stand before and the other
behind the ballOt-box while the votes are
given, and never leave it until the vote is
counted out, so that there shall be no
cheating The third feature Of the law is
that q marshal of district shall have the
power. upon apple alton, to appoint deputy
marshals to preserve order at the polls,
and to prevent fraudulent voting, just as
your mayor may appoint extra policemen
on the occasion Of an exciting election in
the city of Cincinnati. This is dscre-
tionary power, ana these three provisions
are intended to secure honest elections.
All the rest Of the law is merely machinery
to carry out these leading provisions that
/ have referred to. The law is not made
applicable to all the country, but to cities
having over 10000 inhabitants.
Now, my friends. what gave rise to this
law! There has been necessity for such
q measure for many years in many large
cities. think there has been such a nee
essity once or twice within my memory in
the city of Cincinnati: but it has occurred
more frequently in the great Eastern cities,
and especially in the city of New York.
where, for many years, the elections have
been farce Applause where. as was
confessed by Mr. Roosevelt, the other day. |
n Democratic member of Congress, in his |
speech at Cooper Institute. the elections
have been carried on by stuffng the ballot
box and by fraudulent vOting-where regi- |
ments Of repeaters boldly. shamelessly. and !
marched from one poll to |
another all day long. and voted at each !
one. The fraudulent elections in the city
Of New York have been threatening the
peace Of the whole nation. The election in
the State Of New York on the first Tuesday
n November, next year, will include the |
Presidential, the State, and the Con
yressiOnal elections. and the way elections
nave been conducted there heretofore the
Presidential election might turn upon the
fraudulent voting III the city OF New York.
The politics of New York have been con-
rolled by the city for years. The honest
people Of the country have been overawed.
md they have been voted down by the
-lolence OF the repeaters and the roushs of
he city of New York. and by the most
hameless stutfing of ballot boxes after the
election was closed.
These things are notorious; no intelligent
nan would deny that. and they have threat
ned the country with revolution: for if it
hOuld happen TO turn out that the election
i President might depend upon the vote
i the State of New York, and the vote of
he State depended upon the city, and the
ote of the city be controlled by stutfing
he ballot box, and by these fraudulent con-
rivances there might come time when the
eOple OF this country would not stand the
hing. II could not be carried on always.
Applause. 1t was, therefore, matter of
afety, and of precaution. and of solemn
uty upon the part of Congress to pass
ome law that might prevent the repetition
these great crimes. We could not pass
law applicable simply to one city: we
lust make it general law. and therefore
re made 1t law applicable to all cities
aving more than twenty thousand in
abitants. Why is this law complained of!
beg my distinguished friends on the other
de to beware how they make themselves
artles to these great election frauds by
too sharply the law that is in
ended to- prevent them. [Applause. l
ish every honest man would read that law
n himself and i. seems to me he can not
Sc from his perusal of it without being con-
lnced that it = an honest law, intended to
rovlde for honest elections, and that it
lould be honestly sustained by men OF all
arties. Applause.
This is reported by the Plaquemines Re
tbHenn:
We have to record terrible affair at ;
uras. On Sunday night. the tenth instant,
hOmaS Carilni was stabbed by Ernest AL ,