Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-05-01

utterly incompatible with elections.
We propose 10 take out the words
"or to keep the peace at the polls, :" and
The statute will then stand as IL the law
OF Pennsylvania to-day. OF the neces-
Hity for this action, arising from pructi
cal experience, | shall not now speak
| content myself with the assertion Of
the broad principle that free elections
with troops at the polls are impossible
The right and the power i'm the execu.
tive arm of either State or Federal Gov.
ernment to place troops at the polls on
election day IL an utter denial OF what
Is vital TO the free exercise of the elec.
| tive franchise. care not whether
there be but one soldier TO ten thousand
square miles or one soldier 10 every acre
IN this broad country. Behind the
power Of one soldier acting under the
authority of the executive command of
military power Mt the polls stand forty
million people. IT is the obedience of
this people to law. It is the recognition
that Law is mighty and that the man
with his blue coat and his bavonet is
representative Of forty million of people
that gives potency and majesty TO his
presence. When you place him there
~ 'aAht ~ fIlAhilNf the effect u AZ u
was in the precinct have named in our
own State IN 1869. Then all men bowed
their heads in forced obedience. for the
Federal power was there TO intimidate
aud control them they dare not at.
tack ii they must acquiesce the law
unlawfully asserted cocrced obedience
This sentiment of obedience to law
aciuates all Of our people, and IT is be.
cause law and the power of law brings
troops to the polls without necessity and
in derogation Of one of our great rights
that we seek TO repeal this statute. In
my own experience have had to send
an uuarmed sheriff To arrest crowd Of
men acting in violation law. When il
was suggested that we should have troops
TO aid the officer, ! said no, a true and
brave man acting in the performance Of
his duty under the command of law is
worth thousand troops and il 70
proved. The feeble assertion that there
u no danger Of intimidation because
there is only one soldier TO the thousand
square miles is simply begging the
question. Behind that ono soldier
stands the power of q great people. At
the polls he IS under the control Of his
officer and he may be directed to do
what partisan aims or malirnty may
find for him TO do. Such a possible use
Of power Is the deprivation OF that great
right that finds its existence in every
b,il of rights in this country. that he
long TO the people. is n part of their
ancient liberties. and TO bo protected
and preserved even at the sacrifice Of
the blood Of Anglo lSaxons.
There has been IN the past nothing
OF the kind. and i'g enforcement now
takes away one Of tho greatest and dear.
est rights that belongs TO this people.
We propose to take away this power.
We propose to stand by the American
system Of free elections. That ia our
doctrine in this bill. We propose 10
stand by the American system as it cx.
ists in tho bills Of rights Of the States
and a. II was found all over this country
until this exercise Of war power in 1862.
1868. and ls5i. We propose TO separate
the ballot from the bayonet. We pro.
pose TO restore to tho civil power It's alb
solute control over all the machinery
Of government. A free system Of laws
cannot tolerate even the possible use OF
force at the fountain.head Of power. II
is standing menace, perpetual threat.
In the interest of the people, in the
light Of the plaiuest principles of civil
liberty, the performance Of plain duty.
in the exercise Of the legislative power
of this people, we propose TO rcstore 10
the American people their own system
Of free elections.
The Congress Of the United States
makes appropriations for but two years.
The President of the United States can.
not enlist man or pay dollar without
an appropriation by Congress. Congress
makes rules for the government oi the
land and naval forces. and these short
appropriations and this limited authority
Of the Executive over them arc the very
basis Of our system. We propose. a.
have said, in the execution of plain
purpose, following precedcnts and prac.
tice and Law and organic law to their
legitimate results, TO restore by this bill
to the American people their own sys.
tenn of free elections. Why should we
not do this? Who denies the right TO
free electIonsi Has the Senator from
Maine denied this right2 Will Any
Senator deny this Iightf Will any
gentleman attempt to argue that the
right TO free elections does not belong
to this people as one of their great car.
dInal rights7 If so, why not restore il
The answer is much narrower than the
concealed but real argument. Arc the
people not entitled TO free elections9
Why il IL that Senators do not rise in
their places and assert that the people
have not right 10 be free from Execu.
tive interference The argument of the
Senator from Maine is that you will not
be interfered with, no troops will inter
fere with you there are only 80 many
troops here and so many there you are
not being interfered with. But the
Senator forgets that upon the statute
books Of this country there stands Law
which gives TO the Executive the power,
the right TO do this thing. and that in
partisan bitterness, in the control of
elections b. one party or the other. a
standing menace may become an actual,
a terrible fact in the future as it has
been in the past.