New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-02-19
rs TIE ELECTION BILL FORGOTTEN?

There is much more unfinished business
before the two houses of the General As.
sembly than Can be carefully considered
in the nine days Of session which yet re-
main. Each house has passed and sent
| to the other great many bills which were
not expected to pass finally, as they were
known to contain principles and pro-
! visions III opposition to the expressed
policy of either one or the other of the
two houses But leaving out of the ques-
ton these strategic movements, there are
! many things in which both Democrats
and Republicans feel lively interest, and
equally concede the necessity for legisla-
tive action.
In the first place, something should be
done with the election bill. The Demo-
Gratis are so thoroughly committed against
the present law as to insure pretty gen.
eral feeling Of dissatisfaction with it dur
ing the next campaign. The Republican
party ought to be and will be satisfied
with any law on the subject which care
fully secures the purity of an election, in
sures to every voter the right to vote with
out let or hindrance. and to have his vote
made effective Dy being counted for all it
is worth in favor of his candidate. All
laws are made for the protection of the
weak against the strong, and there is
none which comes more decidedly within
this rule than the election law. The in
dividual voter may be cripple, unable to
defend himself, or a refined gentleman
who is not inclined to contend personally
with roughs for the privilege of casting
his vote. Whether all the peaceably dis
posed people be in majority or not is
not material question. If one mar at
tacks ten men at the polls with view
to interfere with them, they have a
right to demand that he be removed
like any other nuisance by policeman or
constable, and punished by the officers
engaged and paid for that purpose by the
State. ills neither the duty nor the right
of man who is assaulted to take the law
into his own bands and strike back. This,
if permitted, would soon lead to the Gus
tom Of indiscriminate street fights. Bust
ness men going to and from their offices
have legal protection against the assaults
of drunken men, highwaymen and rowdies
of all kinds. They may even give
harmless beggar woman or child in charge
of an officer as nuisance. The law does
not Say to them, as Attorney General
Pierrepont did to Governor Ames, to first
use the forces which nature has given him
before seeking the protection of the law.
That would be most reprehensible prac-
tice which permitted parties to fight out
their private quarrels before they could |
apply to the courts for assistance. Voters,
therefore, whether singly or in battalions,
in local majority or minority,
should be furnished with force sufficient |
to protect them from annoyance without |
being called upon to dght their way to the |
ballot box through ranks of hostile |
men. And the ballots should be sacredly |
guarded and carefully counted, so that the
majority should always have it in their
power to elect
If the Republicans can not carry the
State under such law, rigidly carried
,ut, they do not deserve success. We
answer for the whole Republican party of
he State when we say, all that is wanted
S perfectly fair election and an honest