American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1876-09-09
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TIE 47roe*er-1 a5.,l..l.-s a..r71nr IL.
1NsrauofIoIs 10 GaG aias.,ALs.

IFrom :he y. o. Picayune !

d. I''-l 't!t ~ ~ It'tN uil't-
The citcii'ar letter Of the Attor-
n"y General Lift, putting the
United States army in the Southern
States at The ordcc of the United
States mar>hIls ami their deputies,
came back to day from Long Branch
with Grants approval, and after Il
consultation at the War Depart
mont between Secretaries Cameron,
RObeson and Chandler, Attorney
General Taft. Gen. SheJm mas, Sena-
tor Patterson aud Gov. Chamber
lain, Of S3uth Carolina, it was given
70 tho press. 1t will bc Immediately
sent to the army officers in the
SoR.l so as to let them know who
are TO be their new masters. Taft
is only a fgurehead in he business;
the policy originates with Patter-
son, Cameron and Chandler.]
The following was referred to
General Sherman for his guidance
by the Secretary of War and trans
mitted to the United States mar
halls for their government
Sir The laws of the United
States having made it my duty to
exercise general directions over
marshals in the manner of discharg-
ing their Offices, / have prepared
for their use this circular letter OF
instructions as TO the coming cleo
tons, intending the same also as a
reply once for all to the numerous
applications in like connection from
private citiZrns.
In the various States in the pres
ent condition of legislation, the
United States occupy ii position to
ward voters andvoting which varies
according as the election is for
State and other local officers only,
or. tor .sriil ,5arS or Congress and
Presidential electors. In elections
ut which members of the House OF
Representatives are chosen, which
5y law include also elections at
which the electors for President and
Vice-President are appointed, the
U::ited States secure voters against
whatever in general binders or pre-
vents them from a free exercise of
the elective Franchise, extending
that care alike to the registration
lists, the act of voting, and the per
sonal freedom and security of the
voter at all times, as we'll against
violence Oh account of any vote
that 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
md whose violation you are to sup
press, project among others the
rights specified in the last para
graph, 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, or that threaten the
integrity of the registration or cleo
ton, that the will of the people in
such election may be ascertained
AID take effect, and that offenders
may be brought before the cUuI is
for punishment. Notorious events
in several States which recently and
in an unusual manner have been
publicly reprobated, render it Il
grave duty of all marshals who have
cause to apprehend u violation Of
the peace of the United States, con
nected with the elections to be held
upon the Tuesday after the first
Monday in November next, to be
prepared to preserve and restore
such peace. AS the chief execut tive
officer of the United States i'll your
district, you will be held responsible
United States which diligence on
your part might have prevented,
and for the arrest aud securing of
all persons who violate that peace
in any of the points above enumer-
ated. Diligence in these matters
requires OF course that yOu be and
continue present in person or by
deputy at all places of registration
or election at aich you have reason
to suspe t that the peace is threat
ened, and that whenever an en-
bodinent of the posse comiiarus is
required to enforce the law such
embodiment be effected. You viii
observe that the special deputies
mentioned i'll section 2021 of the
Revised Statutes have peculiar
duties assigned to them, duties
which otherwise do not belong to
deputy marslials. Sucii special dep
uty marShals can be appointed only
in cities of 10000 Inhabitants or up
wards, but the duty assigned to
marslials and their deputies by sec
ton 2022 or other like statutes be
long-t to all duly appointed deputies,
whether they be general or special,
within the meaning of that and the
preceding section deputies to dis
charge this latter class of duties
may be appointed to any number
whatever, according to the discre-
ton of the marshal. In all States
in which sheriffs have "a similar
power section 2030 has no practical
bearing upon this point. In States
where no limit is imposed upon the
of deputies 10y sheriffS,
because in such States the laws Of
the United States, prior to the 10th
of June, 1872, loft marshais also I'M
limited as to the number of their
Deputies. In discharsing the duties
above mentioned y OH will doubtless
receive the couutenance and SUBJ