The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-11-16
irI,,,lolld lspalrb.
SsA,,r1yru,npAY NOVEMBER ls, 1873.
Eroe Elections.
The editor III, 81 The Petersburg Post wl,'

The eutt3Ta0k &i5c r tisNss - q ~ - =
Il almost aissays correct Il, his conclusions,
sees In the determination oil The Preside I,
/. IN nrrest and try certain State election-cihs
cers nothing but desire On the part OIL ms ms
E~cs,,aacy &, secure fair and peaceful cleo
.,ons. " hat is it that has thus warped the
s,dcnent Of brother GLASS? Why should
he. . strict ssates-rights man, brought up at
the feet OF the Democratic 6AaALIEI.s OF
yirrin;a, now ego back on his prlnci-
pies and his teachings-now, in what ne
calls his sold age" but which we should
not venture thus to characterize? How can
no reach the conclusion that it IS right ior
the United States Government to undeftahe
10 insure fair elections in the severai ssa'es.
we susnect that there is too mucn anu
xy;ntonism In this conclusion to make issate
for tho public to rely upon It. oVefnau'
vnnr inner consciousness, GLASS, ana see
ii we have not touched weak spot 10 your
argument.
For ourselves, we opposed the passage Oh
the law which confers upon Federal agents
the power to supervise elections OF any SORT
in the States. We hold with Senators
THURMAN and BECK, and we doubt not win
almost the whole Democratic party, tnae
there is no provision in the Federa Colis''.
tuition which authorizes or 1ustihes tna1
law. 1t is dangerous to the liberties OF the
people. 1t is law under whose operation
there is no limit to the wrongs which m'ght
be. and in time would be, committed upon
the people. Look at the infamous, arDi.
trary, despotic proceedings OF "JoHSSY "
Davenport In New York. Look at ire oe-
feat OF two Democratic candidates Tor Con-
gress in Cincinnati by the efforts, IL has neeh
charged, OF the rninions OF the Repuoiiean
party welding the power OF the GeRefa'
Government. I! is perious experiment
to entrust such power to the hands OF the
irresistible and a!l-controliing despotism AZ
Washington.
We must OF course have fair elections
With rare exceptions, all the elections ID
this country are fairly conducted. mere
is not one election officer in ten VINO VIII
willingly violate his oath OF office. we
have heard much talk OF election frauds,
but we have not put much faith lii such
charges. Even, however, il we ADMIT that
there have been too many frauds, it is just
as easy for the States to prevent them mere
after as Tor the Federal Government to GO
if. The same men, or better ones If posi-
BILE than those, whom the Federal judges
aopoint MS supervisors could Just as easily
be appointed by State judges. Or we can
-, alR NJ
Surely it is just as much within the power
o; State to secure fair elections rs 1t IS
within the power Of the Federal Govern
ment.
The consequences Of fraud in single
State are small as compared with what
might result from fraudulent or forcible
elections held under Federal officials. The
frauds and force OF one party in one State
might be counteracted or Offset by the
frauds and force OF the other party in other
States. But when the General Government
takes the matter in hand and resorts, as
ZACH. CHANDLER, or CAMERON, or BEAST
BUTLER, or any other such man would, to
disreputable means to efrectuate party pur-
noses, the elections from the St. Law
renee to the Gulf OF Mexico, and from
the Atlantic to the Pacific would
be tainted with fraud and force, ana
all committed and used by the party iii
power-the Administration of the day.
Think, GLASS, how easily, and by what
means, the tools of the Federal Admins
tration secured the electoral votes OF Flor
ida and Louisiana for HAYES in 1876, and
fecant your heresies on this subject. The
next Democratic Congress will surely pass
bill repeating the law authorizing the APP
pointment Of Federal supervisors OF cleo
tons, and ii the President yetoes 1t, plank
will no doubt be inserted in the national
Democratic platform demanding It's repeal,
and it will thus be made an issue in the
next presidential election-an issue, too,
which ought to rally to the standard OF our
party thousands OF good Republicans. -