Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1876-10-11
The Attorney.General's Circular.

The order of Atty Gen. Taft to the
United States Marshals to preserve order
during the elections has been violently
attacked by the Democrats as plot
against the freedom of elections, and a
measure of fragrant unconstitutionaity.
Those who urge this last charge apparent
" forget that the Constitution has been
amended so as to allow the Government to
enforce the protection of National rights
in the States, and that the argument
against such legislation is a relic of the
old and exploded and fatal folly of State
sovereignty. No one will have the hardi-
hood to deny that the Attorney General
has acted strictly under the law, and has
so carefully drawn his instructions to the
Marshals that they cannot easily be per-
verted.
The presect instructions are intended only
to counteract that partial malice, wrong
headedness, or reconsideration which some
times triumphs at critical moments over the
conservative and in general prevailing forces
of society, and to which the present aud
passing condition of the country gives more
than ordinary strength, and therefore re-
quires the Government to particularly OBJ
serve and provide against.
Gus precautions to secure the equal cleo
toral rights of all citizens is very suspi
cious. 1t is the more suspicious that it
proceeds from those who alone are likely
to try to prevent the exercise of those
rights.
The Democratic fury upon this subject
right is likely to be denied? and where is
th. Ia /, "a, 20, L . =
white or the black voter who is in danger ::
Which has cocrced the other hitherto :?
Have the black voters surrounded the
polls and intmldated the whitess Have
they declared that they would not employ
any white who voted the Democratic
ticketg Has water run up hill? Or is it
the lamb below that troubles the stream !?
Leading Southern papors do not hesitate
to say that the negro must be driven out
of politics. Nor can any intelligent man
doubt that if the National power and SYM
pathy were withdrawn, he practically
would be driven out. 1t is to be expected,
therefore, that we should hear the old cry
of . Let us alone" And as it meant in
the mouth of Jefferson Davis, leave us free
to destroy the Union, it now means, in the
mouth of the Democratic party, leave us
free to destroy negro suffrage. The Mo-
bile Register plainly declares this policy;
and when the United States dispassionate-
ly provides for the equal protection of all
citizens at the polls, the Baltimore Gozette
recommends armed resistance. 1t is need
less to add that the Register and the Ga
eette are loud for "Tilden and reform"
There are, indeed, some papers in the
Southern States which see and expose the
folly of this expectation and purpose.
But so there were Democrats in South
Carolina who earnestly opposed the NOM
nation Of Mr.. Wade Hampton but their
protest was of no avail If we may Judge
from the Southern Democratic press and
political action, the tone of the Mobile
Register and of the Convention that nom
mated Mr.. Hampton is the controlling
tone of the party
No sensible or patriotic man will wan
tonly irritate the feelings of any class of
his fellow. citizens, but neither will he be
dismayed by an epithet 1t is incredible
that Democratic twaddle about the bloodv
shirt should confuse the mind of any ser
siOle American upon this point. Which
OF the two parties hope to carry the
doubtful Southern States, Louisiana, Mis-
sisSippi and South Carolina, by force !?
Mr. Iilden, to be elected, must certainly
have virtually solid South, for the voice of
the great mass of the old Free or Northern
States is against him. But will there
probably be more intimidation, or force,
or "bayonet' at the elections in the
Northern or the Southern States, and will
1t proceed from Republicans and negroes,
or from Democrats and whites The
subject should be left, according to Dem
ocratic advice, 10 +" local self-govern-
ment.' But the country saw in 1892 and
IN 1861 what local self government could
do and would do in this Union upon oc-
caslon, and it has taken care that that par
ucular kind Of self-government shall do
no more National mischief. Madame
Roland exclaimed against crimes com
mitted in the name of liberty. But the
crimes against liberty, nationality and hui
manity committed in the pGme of local
sell government are more appalling.
Mr.. Lamar does not deny the atroei-
ties upon the negroes that precede cleo
tons, but he holds the passionate
Young men, responsible. Mr. Lamar is
Representative in Congress and a Sena-
tor elect, and the same passionate young
men" who harry and terrorize the negroes
vote for him. He and his friends, then,
nave the influence, and they have, there
Tore, the responsibility. If they viii con
lrol the " passionate young men,, there
VIII be no trouble at the polls, no appear
ance OF force, or bayonets, or Government
'hirelingsn in uniform. That the