The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1876-09-09
Insuring a Fair Election.
The National Government Will
Protect its Citizens.
Attorney General Taft's Instructions to
United States Marshals.


Gen. Sherman for his guidance by the
Secretary, of War and transmitted to
United States Marshals for their gov
ernment. 1t was considered and ap-
proved by President Grant and by
Secretaries. Cameron, Robson, Chan
dler, Attorney General Taft and Gen.
Sherman at consultation held at
Washington on the 4th instant:
Sir-The laws of the United States
having made it my duty to exercise
general direction over marshals in the
manner of discharging their duties,
have prepared for their use this circu-
lar letter of Instructions as to the
coming elections, intending the same
also as a reply, once for all, to the nu-
merous applications in like connection
from private citizens in the various
States. ...szss
In the present condition of legisla-
ton the United States occupy a posi-
ton toward voters and voting which
varies according as the election is for
State and other local officers only, or
for members of Congress and presi-
dental electors. In elections at which
members of the House of Representa-
tives are chosen, which by law include
also elections at which the electors
for President and Vice President are
appointed, the United States secure
voters against whatever in general
hinders or prevents them from free
exercise of the elective franchise, ex-
tending that care alike to the regis
triltion lists, the act of voting, aud
the personal freedom aud security of
the voter at all times, as well against
vlolence on account of any vote that
he may intend to give, as, against
conspiracy because of any that he may
already have given.
The peace of the United States,
therefore, which sou are to preserve
and whose violations you are to sup
press, protects among others the rights
specified in the last paragraph, and
any person who by force violases
these rights breaks that peace and
Renders it your duty to arrest him and
to suppress any riots incident to or
that threaten the integrity of the reg
lstration or election that the will of
the people in such election may be
ascertained and take effect, and that
may be brought before the
courts for punishment.
Notorious events in several States,
which recently, and in an unusual
maaner, have been publicly repro
bated, render it Il grave duty of all
who have cause to appre-
hond II violation of the peace of the
United States, connected as above
with the elections to be held npan
the Tuesday after the first Monday in
November next, to be prepared to
preserve and to restore such peace.
AS the chief executive officer of the
United States in your district You
will be held RESPONSE bie for ali breach-
rs of the peace of the United States
which diligence on your part might
have prevented, and for the arrest
and securing of all persons who vio-
late that peace in any of the points
above enumerated. Diligence in these
requires of course that you
DC aud eontlnae present in person or
by deputy at all places of registration
Dr election at which you have reason
TO suspect that the peace in threatened
and that whenever an embodiment of |
Lhe posse comitatus is required to en-
Forcc the law such embodiment be
effected. tt |
You will observe that the special |
deputies mentioned in section 2O2I of |
The Revised Statutes have peculiar
luties assigned to them-duties which
otherwise do not belong to deputy
Such special deputy mar
'hals can be appointed only in cities |
IT u, QUO inhabitants or upwards. bnt |
,he duties assigned to marshaIs and |
heir deputies by section 2022, or |
Ither like statutes, belong to all duly |
appointed deputies, whether they he
general or be special, within the mean |
ng of that and the proceeding section.
Deputies to discharge this latter class
IT duties may be appointed to any |
lumber Whatever, according to the
discretion af the marshal, in all States
n which sheriffs have similar power.
section 2030 has no practical bearing
lpOn this point in States where no
init is imposed upon the appoint
nent of deputies by sheriffs, because
II such States the laws of the United
states prior to the tenth of June, 1872,
eft marshals also unlimited as to
he number of their deputies.
! In discllarging the duties above
mentioned, ynu will doubtless receive
he couptenanoe aud support OF all
he good citizens of the United States
U your respective distriots. 1t is not
necessary to state that is upon such
and support that the
United States mainly rely in tl1eiren-
leavor TO enforce tho right to vote
which they have given or have Sc
nred, The present Instructions are
Intended only to eounteract that par
ial malice or wrongheadedness, or
reconsideration, which sometimes tri-
Iniphs at critical nGHents over the
onservatiye, and, In general, prevail
4