American citizen., 1876-09-16
THE COMING ELECTIONS.
Instr tiOns from the Acknowledgement
to the United States 1arshals i'm Re
gard to the Federal Supervision of
Elections.

to the United states Marshals i'm Re-
Elections.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 4.-The follow
ing are the instructions from the Attor-
ney-GeAeral to the United States Mar
shals regarding the coming elections.
A copy will be sent to each United
States Marshal throughout the country:
SIR: The laws of the United States hav-
ing made it my duty to exercise general di
rection over Marshals as to the manner of
discharging their offices, have prepared for
their use this circular letter of instructions
as to the coming elections, intending the
same also as reply to the numerous appli-
cations in like connection from private citi-
Zens in various States.
In the present condition of legislation the
United States occupies posi-
ton towards 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
elections at which members of the House Of
Representatives are chosen, which, by law,
include elections at which Electors for Pres
ident and Vice President are appointed, the
United States secure voters against whatever
in general hinders or prevents them from
the full exercise of the elective franchise,
extending that care alike to tine registration
list, the act of voting, and the personal free
dom and security of the voter, as well as
against violence 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 suppress, pro.
tects 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 suppress any riots incident thereto, or
that threaten the integrity of registra-
tion or election, to the end that the will of
the people in such election may be ascer-
tanned and take effect, and that the Offend
ers may be brought before the courts for
punishment.
Notorious events in several States, which
recently and in an unusual manner have been
publicly reprobated, render it the grave du
ty of all Marshals who have cause to appre-
hend the violation of the peace of the
United States, connected as above with the
elections to be held on the Tuesday after
the first Monday in November next, to be
prepared to preserve and restore such
peace. As 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
prevented, and for the arrest and securing
Of all persons who violate that peace
in any of the above points enumerat
ed. Diligence in these matters requires
of course that you be and continue present
in person or by deputy at all places of regis
.ra'ion OF erection aI wnich you nave reason
.uSpsso ,se Sua. n,i.n. pe ~ a. .,so asa ana
NC. a.,..,;tat' :. M ,-;oa ,',o.o .to f1u0 ,o,,,
s,,o,, o,,'ho,;,,o-,t h. ,,roso,t
-, III ahso,''o - - ~ hnSu.;.,Do,,,,.;os
,nentioned in section . oo1 nf tho Pevised
Stot,,tos haya Taon1;ar d,tias ass;onod 70
a., d,tios III, l., ~ hoIo,,c,
70 Da,,,,t,, W.rsha1s cuoh Cr.o;.1 ,,t;as
c.n ha onno;nted onIv in ci,ies of oo 1oo in :
h.b;torts or unrv.rd h,,t tho duties osSion.
a5 -, NIorsh.Is ond ,ho;r d.o,,tios h., s.ot;o,
oso ~ o,har ILL., stat,,tas ha,ono 70
oil d,,U .nnointed dsn,.ias ybather thev
he GENERAL or sneci,I wi.bin the mean.
inc of that and the nrecedino section. den.
,,,ies "a d;schorgo +h;s Letter o,.s. ~ d,,t;as
no., ho o,,,o;nted r., o,,,, ,,,,r,ho ,,,hotoo,.
.ocordirg 70 the diS.r.,;or ., tho M.rsh.l
IN OH States in which Shor;T. hove simi,o,
newer section oao has No nracticaI boar
-, t,,;s 80 =, CO... ,,,,,o,.o E,,,;.
=; IaoI ~, ~. a,,,oir.,,,o,t - an,,,,tios
~ SL.~;ss- ha,,sI r, a,,.t, So, t,,a -
M1,.o>1 So - ~ - ,o.t, =,
- 1910 1att tha M.rshoIs o1so ,,nIinited
os g., ,ho ,,,,n,hor ~ thoir danntios
T., d;soha,,,;,,n +h. d,,t;.s oho,,o ,,,.,t;o,ed
,,o,, ,,,;II do,,h,Ioss rona;,,o tha oounton.nce
,a ,,,ou. -. oil ,,ooa oit;-
ano ~ -, So =,
..:. - =. :; at
Soui pooe
he'essaiy " s"S 'n". - 10 upo1 suon 'on.o
nance anu suppoi. Una. tne ohl.eu s,'a.es -, ,
laa' -. ~ MI ,.h;al, 49,, ss;,,a,, ~
iiSh' " 'o'o' ~, mn'on 'nos n.'o sven VI
have secured. The present instructions are
intended only to counteract that partial
nance, ,wfohs-heaoeoness OF ihcohsioeia,
ton whlch sometlmes trlumpns at crltlcai
moments over the conservative ana generai
prevailing forces OF society, and to which
the present and passing condition OF the
country gives more than ordinary strength'
and therefore requires the government 10
particularly observe and provide against.
In this connection L advise that you, and
each OF your deputles, general ana speciai,
have right to summon to your assistance,
in preventing and quelling dlsorder, every
person in the district above 10 years OF age,
whatever may be their occupation, whether
civilians or hoI' anu lnciuuing tne miiltary
OF all oenomnations' miltia, soiolers ana
marines, all OF which are alike Dound 10
obey you. The fact that they are organized
| as military bodies, whether of the State OF
Tinted states under the immediate com
S