New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-10-10

American emancipation, or who have &C
! copied its blessings and to all Republic
ans in or out Of position to give effect K
the recognition of another brilliant sta
in the armament of American republics
UNDUE INFLUENCES UPON ELECToRs.'
The Democratic journalists whose duty
it is to apologize for every act Of outrage
on the part of bulldozers which they can
not excuse, are quoting Summers views
against the employment of forces sui.
fcient to protect voters in their rights.
If any Of them can show that the en-
ployment of troops in this State will pre-
vent any man from voting exactly as he
thinks proper, then we will admit the
connection between such employment and
the following:
1t is of no consequence that Mr.. Sumner,
in his speech upon the necessity of free and
fair elections, quoted the English law in
| support of his position. which reads: cit
| is essential to the very being of Parliament
that elections should be absolutely free;
| therefore, all undue influences upon the
electors are illegal asd strongly prohib-
| ited."
The above is quoted in the interest Of a
party that has no possible hope Of sue
cess in this State in case of ''free and
fair election" Unless this party be per-
mitted to exercise the ''undue influences"
of whipping, shooting, hanging, house
burning, midnight visiting, and the dozen
other modes Of intimidation which are
employed daily, Louisiana will give
fifteen or twenty thousand majority for
Hayes and Packard, elect q Republican
Legislature, two United States Senators,
and probably all the six members Of Con-
gress. It seems to US, therefore, that Mr..
Sumner and the English laware quite cor
rect To adapt it t. our own country. it
would read: ut is essential to the very
being Of Congress that elections should
be absolutely free from the influence of
the assassin's gun or knife, the bulldozers
whip, the employers threat Of dismissal,
and the hustling of rowdies at the polls;
therefore, all these illegal undue influences
should be carefully removed and pro-
hibited if there is force enough any
where under the authority Of the
government to execute the election
laws" No election can be free
where any portion of the voters fear to
come to the polls, or where they are OBJ
iged to first submit their tickets to the
scrutiny of others. Our laws have given
every freeman the privilege of secrecy at
all elections. If he chooses to avail him
self of this privilege he need not let even
his best friend see his ballot. When he
is required to show it to the leader of the
opposite faction, he is certainly placed
under that undue influence" which both |
the English and American laws declare to |
be illegal.
The purity and freedom Of elections are
threatened here in every canvass by no.
torious political characters who know no
law but their own will, and fear none
unless in the presence of force able to
compel obedience. We have no such |
force at the command of this State,
md, therefore, naturally look to the
great custodian of all the States for
such assistance as will make the laws
AVAILABLE. 1t is but an idle cere-
nony to give one man ballot and
permit another to control it. Such a
policy would be like giving a man property
IN the same terms. If the strong man
nay despoil the weak one of his vote or
lis possessions, in defiance of the letter
# the law, then force is superior to law,
md the stronger and more vigilant rules
~ virtue Of brute force. 1t is just as much
IN interference with the rights Of private
property when the policeman or constable
tops thief with horse or watch which
he has taken from the owner as it is for
he agent or minister of the law to compel
he Ku-Klux or bulldozer to keep his
lands off the colored man while he is de-
'ositing his vote. To call such protection
o weak voters an interference in the free
lom and fairness of elections is as false as
he professions of reform in the Dem
'cratic platform. No party objects to
he utmost security to the voter ex-
'ept the one who expects to win votes
" fraud, violence and intimidation.
70 man who means to act fair can
possibly fear whole regiment of United
states troops; for every white man in
his State is sufficiently intelligent to
now that he will not be disturbed in his
wn rights. We venture to declare that
'ot one single voter in the United States
yer had to change his ballot in conse-
uence Of tear Of the bayonet. He NAV
ave been scared out of laying violent
ands on q negro here and there. but his {
wn action has never been interfered with
very Democrat in the State knows il ia 8