The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-09-14
9aasrsaaat 9S(asslaigEuesr.
DAYOXHF sAULg IN 4lsa NarIoN.
r,oag Stride Towards GENERALIZATION
and Despotlan.


The following letter of finstruction from
Attorney General Taft, which is intended
to affect the elections in the Southern
States, is menace to the liberties OF
every State in the Union. It is the most
dangerous step which, has evor been taken
towards an overthrow of every vestigc OF
sTtc sovereignty, and the creation of a
despotism in our government. When
ever it becomes an admitted fact that the
President can authorize, his United States
marshals and theis deputies, who are un-
der his appointment, snd subject to his
removal, TO take control of the nation as
completely rs they are authorized to do
in this letter, there will be no difficulty
in prcc!aiming himself dictator, emperor
or king, rs he may choose. The judg.
ment of the United States marshal or
his deputy is made supreme, and when.
ever he thinks that any public meeting
is calculated to intimidate voters he is
authorized to disperse it. All the pow
crs of the State, from the Governor down,
and all the United States troops in tho
vicinity are subject to his orders. The
theory advanced in the letter is not con-
aistent with the form ofour government,
and cannot be put into execution. In.
deed we do not believe it was ever in.
.cndcd 10 oc carried oui. II WIS simply
intended to furnish little more grist for
the outrage mill, which has about ceased
running. If these marslals in the South
can contrive to get up some disturbance,
they will accomplish the desired end.
This letter, however, is not calculated to
benefit the Republicans with tho inde-
pendent voters of the North, for they are
not yet prepared to cast their liberties
into the keeping Of any one man. how
ever good and pure he may be-much
less are they willing TO confide those lib.
critics to the caprice Of single man ele.
waited to Office by the Bclknaps, Schcnks,
Babcocks, Grants, Mortons aud Blaines
of America. The letter is addressed to
Gen. Sherman, for the guidance Of
United States Marshals, md rs 10 fol-
lows:
WAsHINGToN, September 4, 1876.
SIR-1ne laws Of the United States
having made 1t my duty TO exercise gen.
eral direction over marshals in the man.
ner of the discharging Of their Offices, I
have prepared for their use this circular
letter of instructions as to the coming
elections, intending the same also as q
reply, once for all, TO numerous applica-
tions in like connection from private cit
izens in various States. In the present
condition oflegislation, the United States
occupy position toward voters and
voting which varies according as the elec-
tion is for Stale and other local officers
only, or for members of Congress and
Presidential electors. In elections at
which members of the House Of Repre-
sentatives are chosen, which, by law, in.
clude elections at which the electors for
President and Vice President arc ap-
pointed, the United States secure voters
against whatever, in general, hinders or
prevents them from free exercise Of the
elective franchise; extending that cnre
alike to the registration lists, the net Of
voting and the personal freedom and &C.
CURLY OF the voter, at all times as we'll
against violence Oh account of any vote
that hc may intend TO give, as against
conspiracy. because Of any that he may
already have given. The pence of the
United States, therefore, which you are
to preserve and whose violation you are
to suppress, protect, among others, the
rights, preferred in the last parapraph.
and any person who. by force. lyiolates
the rights, breaks that peace, and renders
it your duty to arrest him, and to sup
press any riots incident, or that threaten
the integrity of the registration or elec.
ton, to the !ehd TINT ekel will Of lthe peo.
pie in such election may be ascertained,
and take effect, and that offender, NAV
30 bgoaght before the courts :;., punish.
ment. Notorious .eve::ts in several States
which Eecently and In an unusual man.
ner hsye been publicly lrepgohatai, rem
der it Q grave dhty Of ,nll msrshals who
have cause 10 apptehend viG;.tion of
the peace of the United States, connected
rs above with the elections, to be had
upon 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 responsible for all breaches
of the peace of the United States which
diligence on your part might have pre-
vented, and for the arrest and securing
OF all persons who violate that peece in
any of the points above enumers;ed.-
Diligence in these matters requires, of
course, that you be and continue to be
present, an person or by deputy at all
places Of registration or election at which
you have reason 20 suspect that the peace
is .hreatened, and that whenever an EN-.
bodiment OF the posse con,iknfns 10 required
to enforce the laws, auch embodiment he
effected. You will observe that the
Especial" deputies mentioned in section
2o2f of the Revised StatGtesshave uecti-
HgfI duties qesigned 10 jthesiiii Z dulles
which otherwise do not belong to deputy
marShals. Such s.speciap DEPUTIES cal,
be appointed only in cities Of twenty
thousand inhabitants or upwards: but
tho duties assigned to marahnls and their
deputies by section 2,022, or other Ike
statutes, belong to all duly appointed
deputies whether they iae general or DO
special within che meaning Of that and
the preceding sections. Deputies 10 dis.
charge this latter class of duties may be-
appointed to. any. number whatayer. ac.
cordinS to the discretion of the marshal
in all States where eheriffs have similar
power. Section 2,090 has no practical
bearing uponlthis point III States where
no limit IS imposed upon the appoint
ment of Deputies by sheriffa, becaueo In
such States the laws of the unised States
"prior to9the 10th OF June. 1872 ieft
mnrshals also unlimited as to the number |
OF their depu:les.l In dischargiDg the |
mo To- n N