The daily gazette., 1878-12-04
The Message Not Satisfactory.

The Message Not Satisfactory.
THE PRESIDENT ALREADY RECEIVING
sNUB FROM A REPUBLICAN JOUR-
NAL-HIs NEW IDEA CRITICISED AND
CONDEMNED.
From the Phila. Telegraph.
Mr.. Hayes Message is, in the majority
of its settings-forth, such a mere recital
of matters and things that everybody
knows quite as much about as does the
President, and the recommendations
which it contains are mostly so decidedly
in accord with precedents or with the
well-understood views of Mr.. Bdyes, that
the one original suggestion which it does
make assumes a par icular prominence
and Importance. This suggestion is that
by the terms of The original Constitution
and without regard to the thirteen h, four
teenth, and fifteenth amendments, the
Federal Government has the power of
supervising not only Federal but State
elections. Mr.. Hayes, we regret to say
uOto iO tADihil WIN llG
that would be desirable, all the circum-
stances of the case being taken into con-
sideration, how he came TO originate this
idea and in the absence of such expla-
nation. it is fair to presume that he eyolv-
ed it out of his inner consciousness. As
it is an idea that considerable majority
of Mr.. Hayes countrymen will not be
likely to accept simply on his say-so, and
as some serious difficulties may arise
should Mr.. Hayes undertake to make a
practical application of l., we cannot but
regret that he did not deyo,e a consider
able portion of his Message to discussion
of the fine constitutional point involved.
Mr. Hayes is very right when he says
that at is the right of every citizen pos
sessing the qualification prescribed by law
to cast one unintimldated ballot, and to
have his ballot honestly counted" To
possess a legal righ', however, is one
thing, and TO obtain The benefit of it I'M
der certain circumstances is quite another
especially to obtain the benefit of il by
means of certain preferred agencies. I'm
der our system of government certain
powers and duties are expressly conferred
upon the Federal Government, and out
side of them 1t has neither powers nor
duties. If the Constitu ion gives the
Federal Government authority to assume
supervision of all elections, why that is
the end of the matter; but if the COnsti-
does not give the authority, and if for
lack of such authority certain citizens at
certain elections are unable to cast unin-
timidated ballots, or 10 have them count
ed-we are glad that the President lays
stress on the counting-what the Presi-
dent, or what the Congress, or what the
President and COngre together, are 90
ing to do about ii we are unable to see.
This is apropos of Mr.. Hayes request
for an additional appropriation to the
Department of Justice, in order that Wig
orous legal proceedings may be institut-
ed against persons in South Carolina and
Louisiana whom the President believes
have been interfering with the freedom
of elec ions. The request Is one that
ought 10 be granted, provided there is "A
satisfactory eXplauatio given respecting
the manner in which the Executive pro-
poses to use the money. If it is proposed
To use it in accordance with Mr..
Hayes new and original theory of Fed
eral rights and responsibilities, it will
pei llalS Dt Illsl dS well lDI congress 10
refrain from voting the money until the
correctness OF that theory has been de-
monstrated with good deal more explic-
itness than it is in Mr.. Hayes Message.
II might be an exc client good thing to have
the Executive branch of the Fed
eral Government taking a hand at the
management of all elections, but the
founders of the government certainly
thought that it would not be,and most of
the present generation Of American citi-
zens are very distinctly OF the same
opinion as the founders of The Govern
ment. 1t may be impossible under the
existing regulations always TO have exact
and equal justice done, but the chances
are that matters and things wonld be
worse ra her than better We're a change
TO be made such as people who keep
their eyes so intently fixed upon certain
Southern communi les that they are un-
able to see what is going on under Their
noses are disposed 10 advocate whenever
the bulldozers are represented as.bulldoz-
ing in more than commonly aggravated
fashion.