The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-10-29

out, with all IFS temporary and permanent
officers, committees OH organization and re.
eolutions, and It's lons.winded endorsement
of NOBODY and ADAMS. The Performance
will take place at the Exchange Hotel today.
--------s-------.-------------.---~-----
Fedora! Interference with Elections.
The Ease of Mr.. IILlNRIcnS, citizen of
New York, but Il German by birth. whose
arbitrary arrest WAS subject of comment
in this paper few days ago, has brought
the question Of Federal interference with
elections prominently before the people OF
the North. 10 refresh the mcmory OF our
leaders we may state that q DEPUTY appointed
by the Supervisor of Elect!ono visited Mr..
HEISRICHs's house for the purpose OF Ncliiy-
Ing the registration list. 1t il charged that
he acted inso!ently and arbitrarily, that he
endeavored 10 force his way into 'hc prem.
ises, and that HElSHIcHa resisted his cntlancc.
AT all events Il dispute arose. resulting III
The arrest of IlEINRICHs; aud il j. certain that
in the subsequent proceedings Commissioner
DAVENPORT. before whom the accused was
taken, behaved in al impcripus manner,
hrowbcat both prisoner and counsel. and
finally refused to hear the case until il suited
his own convenience.
The question at issue is the extent Of
lie powers of supervisors OF election al'-
pointed under the enforcement act. Com
missioner DAVENPORT hold, that in Tie Nriiii-
ration of registration list, his deputies have
powers equal TO those OF the takers Of the
census, and may enter houses, demand of
the inmates answers TO their questions. and
arrest ali who resist OF refuse TO make reply.
TN the other hand it il commended thut II IL,
supervisors of election and ssastuaas'sSTll les
possess 10 such rowstaps,1r r., thc law author.
pgzlsasqH 70 verify list ~ rcl>ons VIII"
NAV register ~ vote III elections for Federal
officers, and 10 act ~ witnesses in the cleo
ton proceedings, the counting of votes, and
making returns.
1t is interesting to note the comments of
the New York papers upon the ease. Ih"
World speaks of DAVENPORT As al adrcn-
t,rcr, "wllo h,, been hired 10y the custom
"house party TO defraud or BULLY as many
"yoters of New York as possible out OF
"thcir votes under color of IN appointment
"as a commissioner OF lie United States,
land whose acls have been especially aimed.
land in an especially Insulting manner, al
"roters of foreign birth The 'imidS
conclusion is that IAN overwhelming foreign
"yotc in support Of the Democratic ticket is
"the only, but it will prove to be the all
sufficient, protest which or foreign citi-
"zens eau make against policy designed
"and intended to degrade them Is 4 ciass,
"wilhout distinction Of race or tongue"
The Tribune denounccS The affair rs out
rugeous Federal interference and the Times
(GRANT organ) does not seem TO have heard
of an occurrence which is on cNcrybody'S
lips.
The Rerai1 has Il calm and thoughtful re-
view OF the case, in which it reaches the con-
clusion that the course pursued by Com
missioner DAVENPORT is both unwiSe and
dangerous to the peace OF the city, and
speaks of the law itself RS authorizing sys-
tenn of national espionage, TO which the peo-
offensive. 1t then boldly says: 1--WE can
-conceivc of nothing 81 we'll calculated to
"iacite riot in Il large city rs iic@,'l, arbl-
"trary, and partisan conduct on the part Of
ian officer charged with the execution OF Il
"Fedelal election law, for, rs We have said,
Federal interference in elections is of Itself
"replllsi,c TO the citizen. We should
therefore ad> i>c those having charge Of The
",nattcr TO exercise great caution and prul-
"dencc."
How all this contrasts with the silence of
the same papers when the same devices were
used in the South to oyeiaWc Tie people and
TO stife their voice at the polls, and even
when, on eecton-day, our streets were lined
with troops and the polls kept open day after
day until the negroes were III the MAJORITY
We told them then that the day would come
when the northern people would reap The
whirlwind, and that day now seems TO lie
dawning. But it may not yet be toe late to
escape from the coil Of Federal tyranny that
is tightening about them. The election OF
GREELEY and BRowS seems TO be at present
the best means Of accomplishing that result.
As to Commissioner DAvgSroRT's nterpre-
tation Of the law under which he acts, we
can only say that, bad rs II is, the law is not
- bad as he represents 1t. rs originally
passed it gave very arbitrary powers TO the
deputies Of the supervisors; but in amends
tory law passed ut the laSl session Of Con-
sress expressly provides that the supervisors
"shall have 40 power or authority to make
"alTests Or to perform other duties than to
"be In the immediate presence of the officers
"holding the elections, and to witness all
"their proceedings, including the counting
"os the votes and the making return there
.of." These are the words OF the supple
mental and ainendatory law, and 1t would
seem that they arc distinct and plain enough.
a supervisor hes the power TO verify the
isSlstsatlon lists by nil reasonable nasanss but