The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1879-05-27
IN. Y. Sun. 18th inst.)
The Issue Squarely Presented.


The Fraudulent President has vetoed
the bill enacted by Congress "To Pre-
vent Military Interference at Elections"
The text of this bill is as follows:
"Whereas, The presence of troops at the
polls is contrary to the spirit of our institu-
tions and the traditions Of our people, and tends
to destroy the freedom of elections,
"Theretore be IL enacted &c.. That it shall
not be lawful to bring to our employ at any
L place where general or special election is be-
| ing held in State any part of the army or
navy of the United States, unless such force
be necessary to repel the armed enemies of the
! United States, or to enforce section 4, article
4, of the Constitution of the United States and
the laws made in pursuance thereof, on appli-
cation Of the Legislature or the Executive of
the State where such force is to be used; and so
much of all laws as is Inconsistent herewith is
hereby repealed.
The Constitution of the United States
provides that "the United States shall
guarantee to every State in this Union
Republican form of government, and
shall protect each of them against invs-
sion; and, on application of the Legis-
lature, or of the Executive (when the
Legislature cannot be convened) against
domestic violence"
The bill which Congress has enacted
merely prohibits the use Of the Federal
troops sat any place where general or
special election is being held in State" !"
The troops may garrison the Federal
buildings, may guard every approach to
them. but they shall not be at the place
where the qualified voters are exercising
the right of suffrage. They shall not
be employed to intimidate freemen or to
interfere in any way with electors.
Ii it is necessary to protect the repub
lican form of government of any State,
to repel invasion, then the Executive
power of the United States must be pres.
ent everywhere in the State, and the
whole strength of. the army and navy
must be exerted. The bill which Con-
gress has enacted especially guards this
constitutional power of the Executive
If domestic violence threatens to over
ride the power of State on election
day, and the authorities of that State
call upon the United States, as the Con-
stitution provides, the army and navy
must he employed till order is restored
and the supremacy Of the law vindica-
ted. This constitutional power of the
Executive is carefully preserved in the
bill which Congress has enacted.
What then is the issue between Con-
gress and the Fraudulent President p
The preamble of the bill which Congress
has enacted expresses in language pre-
else and concise the whole issue: "The
presence of troops at the polls is con-
trary to the spirit of our Institutions
and the traditions of our people, and
tends to destroy the freedom Of elec-
tions."
The Congress of the United States de.
c'ares that elections must be free; thai
the right of the citizen to exercise that
franchise shall not be curtailed or even
Threatened by the menacing presence Of
Federal troops. The Fraudulent Presi-
dent of the United States, backed by the
men who combined to give him a dis.
graceful tenure of the high Office he
holds. declares that whenever in his
Judgment it is necessary to employ the
army and navy of the United States to
control elections, he will so employ
them. He may quibble about the con-
stitutional duty of the Executive to en-.
force the laws at all times, and about
unconstitutional attempts to limit the
power OF the Executive; but neverthe.
less, the issue remains as Congress has
presented it, that the presence of troops
at the polls is not only contrary to the
spirit Of our institutions, but dangerou:
to the liberty of the people.