Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1876-09-14

WASHINGTON, Sept. 4.-The follow.
ing are the instructions from the Attor.
ney-General to United States Marshals
regarding the coming elections. A
copy will be sent to each United States
Marshal throughout the country:
"SIR-The laws Of the United States
baving made it my duty To exercise q
general direction over Marshals as to
the manner of diScharging their Offices,
have prepared for their use this circu-
lar letter of instructions as to the COM
ing elections, intending the same, also,
as reply to all the numerous applica-
items, in like connection, from the
private citizens in the various States.
''In the present condition Of legisla-
lion, 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 Presidential
Electors. In the elections. at which
members of the House of Representa-
tives are chosen, which by law include
the elections at which electors for Pres
ident and Vice President are appoint
ed, the United States secure voters
against whatever, in general, hinders
or prevents them from the full exercise
of their elective franchise, extending
that care alike to the registration lists,
the act of voting and the personal free
dom and security OF the voter, as we'll
as against viOlense, on account of any
vote 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 you are to preserve,
and whose violation you are to sup
press, protects among others, the rights
specified in the last paragraph, and any
person who, by force, violates these
rights, breaks that peace, and renders
it your duty to arrest him, and to sup
threaten the integrity of registration or
election, to the end that the will Of the
people in such election may be ascer-
tanned and take effect, and that offend
erS may be brought before the courts
for punishment. The notorious events
in several States, which recently, and
in an unusual manner, have been pub
licly reprobated, render it the grave
duty oil all MarSnalS, VINO nave cause 10
apprehend the violation OF the peace of
the United States, connected as absve,
with the elections to be held upon Tues
day, after the first Monday in Novem-
ber next, to be prepared to preserve and
to restore such peace as the chief Exec |
utive officer of the United States in |
your District, you will be held respon-
sible for all breaches 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
violate that peace in any Of the points |
above enumerated. Diligence in these
matters requires, of course, that you be |
and continue present, in person or by
deputy, at all the places Of registration |
or election, at which you have reason
to suspect that the peace Is threatened,
and that whenever an embodiment Of
the posse conlitdt,is Is required to en-
force the law, such embodiment bel
present.
s'You will observe that the Special
Deputies mentioned In Section 2,021 of
the Revised Statutes, have peculiar