National Republican., 1877-02-02
. LsI7.
The Proper Jurisdiction OF fresi-
Dental ElectlOna.

The Proper Jurfsdictf0n OF fresi-
Dental Elections.
We yesterday pointed out some Of the OBJ
stacles in the way Of committing to the hands
Of the people the duty of electing the Pres-
dent, to be accomplished by their direct
action, through a plurality Of the popular
vote, showing that such a disposition Of the
trust must result either In Capitalization and
. corresponding curtailment of State powers
or in retention of the very evil the propos-
tion seeks to avoid, to wit, q conflict of au-
thority In respect Of the Jurisdiction TO deter
mine the result of elections for that office.
We will now inquire which consequence most
recommends itself to the wants of the coun.
try and the wishes of the people. It mag be
assumed that the proper one to meet the ne
cessities Of the country is the one most desir-
able to the people, and hence that the one
which promises most to subserve this interest
10 the one which should be sought In the de-
cision to be made.
In the early days Of the Republic the ten.
dency Of the public mind was strongly to the
eide Of State rights, and nothing was so terri.
flying to the people as an unusual exertlon of
strength, however innocent or necessary, on
the part Of the General Government. Fear of
the tyranny Of despotism usurped the popular
feeling, and the narrowest departure from the
ordinary course Of administration excited the
livelIest exhibitions of jealousy and alarm.
And this state Of mind was natural to those
who had but just emerged from condition of
dependence and subjection, following as the
legitimate effect of an adequate cause. This
apprehension was heightened and augmented
In the South by the existence there of an in.
stitution whose safety depended largely
upon the rest and retirement Of all the In
herent forces, and which regarded as a
menace any step taken on the road of pro-
gress and improvement. And so 1t was that
the doctrine Of State supremacy grew more
and more in the hearts Of q portion of the peo-
pie, until At last It eliminated In civil war In
augurated for It's enforcement. But since that
day there has been q marked change In the
sentiment Of the people In this respect,
and It may lbe safely asserted that
there is now large majority in
favor Of q strong National Government, with
powers acting directly upon the people, with.
out regard to State lines and limits, whose
Jurisdiction shall extend to the control of
every interest Of q national character, unim-
peded and unaffected by considerations aris-
ing from claims Of State sovereignty-a thing
which cannot exist In the way of the common
welfare, but must yield to the will of the true
sovereign.
Such Is the scope of government that Ii can
not be said to exist In reality where 1t does not
exercise supreme authority; when, for any
cause, the will of the great majority of the
people must remain unexecuted because OF the
objection of ono or more subordinate sove-
rcigne-if such an anomaly may have being.
And in view Of the sad experiences of the past
and the present, It will not be cause for sur.
prise II upon proceeding to the task of estab.
lishipg permanent adjustment Of powers be-
tween the States and the Nation, early to be
made, there Is decreed such distribution and
modification ~ will clothe the General Gov.
ernment with full Jurisdiction of the election
proceedings and all matters appertaining to
the Presidency, and a considerable extension
Of the term OF that Office. Such q transfer
and enlargement Of the tenure Of authority
would give to the Government Of the United
States that quality Of stability and frmness
without which It cannot claim to be the gov
eminent Of nation, but must languish as the
creature Of circumstances, now having power
and now shorn Of It, as shifts and fuctuates
the popular will, warped and fashioned by pre-
vAiling prejudices and passions. Nor would
the supervision OF the election of President
by the United States be the exertion of
an unnatural power, foreign to the
purpose of its creation, but in strict
accord with It. The idea Of giving jurisdic.
tion In this matter to the States originated
with the theory Of State sovereignty, is part
oft, and is just as falacious in practice as is
that theory. The States cannot be sovereign
without the right Of secession, and that, the
war decided, does not exist. Nor Is the election
Of President by the States any more consistent
with the authority of the General Govern
ment. The people of the States as such
properly elect their own Governors, but the
people Of the United States should elect the
President in their national capacity as
citizens Of the United States, and under tho
supervision Of the government whose execu-
tive Is to be chosen.
At the present juncture these questions are
OF interest and Importance to the people, and
they should consider them we'll in advance Of
that action which is soon to follow.
The eRe.snsIavement Of the Blacks.
Florida, In the hands'of q usurpIng White
Line element, augurs future oppression and
wretchedness. The Legislature Of the State
has, by the most fragrant lawlessness, unseated
Republican members until It has secured a
Democratic two thirds majority in both
Houses. With this majority the White
Liners propose to inaugurate and carry out a
policy which will lead to q virtual re. enslave-
ment OF the colored race on a basis much
worse than the old system OF human slavery
and much more repugnant to our free lnstitu-
tions.
The Legislature has shrewdly and vlciously
passed a law which says that "suy person
convicted shall not vote or be allowed the cleo.
tive franchise privileges" The law does not
say convicted Of any special crime, but simply
convicted. This Infamous enactment, in order
to follow out the nefarious scheme, will be fur.
nished food TO work on by another law, which
will be called the vagrant act. Under this
legislation the white owners Of large plsnta-
tiops propose to force the negroes to vote the
Democratic ticket or suffer the afiiction OF
being thrown out Of employment; and thus de-
MED work, they will become vagrants and
prosecuted as such, will, under the act
mentioned, be convicted and, therefore, dis
franchised,