New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-02-10
THE POLITICAL CRISIS.
yo,rro ATONE decide ELECTIONS.

VOTES ALONE DECIDE ELECTIONS.
| NO OTHER WAY PROVIDED FOR INFLUESciS' AN
ELECTION - RETURNING BOARDS ENGINES VI
pEsPorIsM-wHAr THEY MIGHT DO.
| TO the Editor OF The tribune.
SIR It is surprising to me that, IN All ei'o
comments have read upon tho action OF tho returning
boards I'm the socaed doubtful States no Question:
has been raised TO the consfitutiouaiity OF
the record Of the balotooA py tho Spcoio"' p
timidation Of voters"
Inrosume Il IA generally conceded that the supreme
Court OF any State the highest authority upon the laws
Of the State should any State in the Union pass any
law anita gonlstic to the fundamental prpcpeso 'ho
republican form OF government" guaranteed "e'ey
state by the Constitution of the United States, this would
form an exception to general rule and undoubtedly DC
proper subject for consideration by the Supreme Cor'
~ the United states And those State laws which ah
tborze the use OF plea OF intimidation to doreat inc
record of tho ballot TO to be IN such dees
antagonism
fers the power and duty Of governing upon the party
having n majority, expressed through the balot-pox,
and proydes no other method by which the political
opInons OF person who abstains from voting can seK-
ert any legal influence upon the results OF an eiectoh
intimidation used influence to set aside the de-
estons OF the baiobox transcends all admitted pfnci
pies OF constitutional law by assuming to know ana
taking cognizance Of the political bias Of voters in
determining the result II this innovation - TO remain
permanently with and be recognized in the future rs
having any legal bearing upon the decisions OF tho people
by ballot would not ne infinitely better for us TO dis-
pepse with elections entirely and have simple regis
tration which should bo taken the political expression
OF the voteri
This republican form OF government makes ~ the duty
OF the governing party which has received the rcins OF
government by majority OF votes To preserve the peace
of tie State punish crime and protect the citizen Ia the
exercise of his rights. including the right OF voting
and II Intimidation such extent as to deter
any voter appearing the polls, II Ia inc duty
the Government all its power 10 give him tho re-
0ured protection hut IT, with all the power or the State
Government nj command and the General Goyernmeh
within hniing distance. ard with all the machinery or
protection give, it cannot supplement its
failure by the destruction OF the baOt-b0X WITHOUT o
dermining the worry foundations upon Whign ai epu-
lirap government In short, III iolilic,l party
fails az governing power 1t has nothing let 10 DO Dut
put M with the consequences Of its failure.
Intimdation recognized by the statutes OF Lonana
and south Carolina IA evidently nothing hut GINNING
device by which minority may maintan ITS power il
definitely. MOI does 1t matter how small tllo minority
may Income IL nay be reduced Ia one man; dozen
hepchmen 10 swear to having been bullOzed, ana pl
drspOi: Snch power is essentially mODafcbical ana
the me by which IL is maintained have nothing what
ever IN harmony with TcpuDcaniSn. ! trust that
ih!s adjunct OF desp0sn may III some eglfl1te manner
receive its 0uietus n disturbing element ~ our political
arena nj the hands Of the supreme Court before a0thcf
general election L. W. nAHii'
LOcEpOr, y. T., Dec. %. 1876.