The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1876-09-06
TAFT'S TACTICS.
The Troops to be Placed n March
ing Order.
INSTRUCTIONS TO MARsHALs

ELKCTIoNs--FBDERAL SURVEILLANCE OF
THE BALLOT B0X-THE STATE AUTH0RI
TIES SUB BORDINATED To THE ARMY AMI
UNITED STAIRS MARsHALs.
WASHINGTON, d. C., September 4.-The
following are the instructions from the
attorney general to 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 Skates having made 1t
my duty to exercise general direction
over msrshsls as to the manner of dis
charging their offices, have prepared
for their use this circular letter OF
Instructions as 10 the coming elections.
Intending the same also as reply to
all the numerous applications In like
connection from private citizens in vari-
GUS states. In the present condition of leg
isla'ion the United States occupies q po
sition toward votes and voters which va
ries according ss the election Is for state
or other local offic rs only, or Tor mem bers
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
president and vice-pIesidents are appointed,
the United States secure voess against
whatever in general hinders
or prevents them from the
full exercise OF the elective
franchise, extending that care
like to the registration list, the act Of
voting and the personal freedom and Sc
curity OF the voter as well as against vio-
lence on account of any vote he may in
tend to give as against conspiracy because
of any that he may already given. The
peace of the Uni ed States, therefore, W wbich
you are to preserve aud whose violation
you are 10 suppress, protects among ots-
ers, the rights specifi-d in the last para
graph and any person, who by force, vio
lstes these rights, breaks the peace and
renders
1T YOUR DUTY To ARREST HIM
and to suppress any riots incident thereto,
or that threaten the integrity of registrs-
ton or election, to the end that the will of
the people in such election may be sscer
tanned and take effect, and that offenders
may be brought before the courts for pun
ishment. Notorious events In several
states, which recently and in an unusual
manner have been publicly reprobated,
all msrshais, who have cause to
spprehend the violation OF the peace
OF the United States connected
"a above with the elections,
20 be held upon Tuesday after the
first Monday in November next to be pre-
pared 10 preserve and to restore such
pssce as the chief executive offic of the
Uni' ed States in your rict. 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 a arrest and securing OF all persons
who violate that peace In any Oftbe ABOVE
points enumerated. Diligence in these
matters requires, of course, that you be
and continue present in person by ds puiy
st all places of registration or election. st
which you have reason to suspecr that the
peace is threatened, and thai whenever an
embodiment of the posse cOmitatus is
required TO enforce the law. sucn emoodit
c1ent be present, you will observe that
the special deputies mentioned in section
202l of the revised statutes
HAVE PECULIAR DUTIES ASSIGNED TO THEM
duties which otherwise do not belong 10
deputy msrshsls. Such special deputies can
he appointed only in cities of 10000 in
hsbitsnts, or upward, but the duties
a signed to marshsls and their deputies by
section 2,022, or other like statements
belong to all duly appointed deputies,
whether they be general or be special
within the meaning of that and the pre-
cedipg section. Deputies TO dis
charge this latter class of duties
may be appointed to any number
whatever, according to tue discretion of
Lave similar powers. Section 2,030 has no
practical bearing upon this point In states
where no limit is imp lssd on the appoint
ment Of deputies by sheriff, because In
such states the laws of the United Sta'es,
prior to toe 18th OF June, 1872. let mar
shals also unlimited as to the number OF
their deputies. In dischargiDg the duties
ceive the cOuntenance and support OF sll
good citizens of the United Sta es In your
respective districts. 1t is not necessary to
say that it is upon such counteDance and
support that the United States mainly re
" in their endeavor TO enforce the right to
vote which they have given or have Sc
cured. The Presidents instructions are
intended only to countersct that partial
malice, wrongheadedness or inconsioers-
ton which sometimes triumphs 81 critical
moments over
THE CONsERV ATIvE AND GENERAL PRE-
vAILING FORCES OF SOCIETY
to which the present and passing condi-
ton of the country gives more than ordin-
airy strength, and, therefore, requires the
government TO particularly observe and
pro vide against. Ip this connection 1 sd-
wise that you, and each of your deputies,
general and special, have right to sum
mon to your assistance in preventing and
quelling disorders, every person In yoar
district above fifteen years Of ago. what
ever may be their occupation, whether
civilians or not, and including the
military OF all denominations, militia,
soldiers, marines, all OF which are alike
bound to obey you. The fact that they are
organized as military bodies, whether OF
the state or United States, under the i'm
mediate command OF their own officers,
does not in any wise affect their legal char
scter. They are still the posse comitstus
[ prefer to quote the above statement o.
the laws upon this point from sD
opinion by ny predecessor, Ex-Attorney
General Gushing, because it thus