The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1879-03-22
the several States Of the u
aoTrTuFRN STATE


This law further gives the power Of APP
pointing supervisors to the judges of the
u. s. courts who are political appointees.
In cities of twenty thousand or more in
habitants these supervisors must be APP
pointed on the request of two citizens, and, lin
counties, on the requisition of ten men, and
the circuit judge may delegate his function
Of appointment to the district judges, and
the court, when opened for this purpose,
is to sit permanently until the day after
election.
1t is made the duty of supervisors to at
tend at the registration places, and to
challenge any person Offering to register,
whatever that may mean; to attend to the
scrutiny of the registration lists and mark
for challenge such names "as they may
deem proper, without being required to
give any reason for such marking, and
they are to examine, verify and autheDti-
cate the registry lists in such manner, as
will, in their judgment, detect and expose
wrong.
They are further required to attend at
the polling places on election day, to ohal-
lenge voters whose right either of them
may doubt, and no limit is fixed by law to
this power of challenge, although the reg
lstry lists have baen already thoroughly
supervised. They are to remain with the
ballot boxes until the election is complet-
ed and the certificates and returns signed
and 10 inspect the tally books and other
paraphernalla, and the manner 10 which the
election is conducted, and on all these
subjects they are finally to report to the
chlet-supervlsOr of the election district.
They ere further to not only count, but to
canvass each vote cast at their precinct,
and they are to attach to the returns ANY
statement touching the truth, accuracy or
fairness OF the registry or election which
they or either of them may desire to
make, and forward these to the chief su-
pcrvisDr. That is to say, the law allows
either OF the two supervisors the right to
attack the election at bis option.
They have the right to place
themselves anywhere at the regis
tra'ion or polling place where, in their
judgement, they can best oversee the pro-
ceediUgs,and TO canvass the ballots when
the voting is done,
Finally, the supervisors may make cOm-
plant that taey have been interrupted by
bribery, solicitation, interference, hind
rance, moestatIOD, violence or threats
thereof on the part of any person." such
complaint to be sent to the chief supervis-
or within ten days after the election, and
he is thereupon required, acting as eom
M par 10 npx1
witnesses, take testimony, examine into all
the facts and file his report and ali reports
aud evidence with the clerk OF the house
OF representatives The chief supervisor
ni the judicial district is named by the
Judge OF the circuit court aud holds Office
until removed. He receives applications
for the places Of local supervisors, and
recommends to the court those he thinks
ut, and he receives, examines, files and
makes proper disposition of all the re-
ports, not only of the supervisors, but of
the deputy marshals.
The marshal OF every judicial district is
required to appoint deputy marshals. The
law does not seem to limit their number in
any way-in any city of twenty thousand
inhabitants or over on the petition Of ten
citizens-and these deputy marshals shall
dSSl5b tue buJSENlSUE5 III IuelF uuLl66 anu
have the power of summary arrest without
process during the whole period of regis
IratlOn and voting, either at the places
where these operations are conducted or
elsewhere. These deputy marshals are
paid SIS per day for their services, not to
exceed ten days, and supervisors in cities
receive the same pay. The chief supervi-
cor is rewarded by fees. 1t will be remem-
bered that the Office of United States mar
shall is always political office, the reward
OF partisan services; that the deputy
marshals for election purposes are there
fore sure to be partisans, aud that, in fact
the law authorizes the party in power il
every city OF twenty thousand Or more 10.
habltants, to appoint any number of Its
followers deputy marshals and pay then
sou apiece out of the public treasury fol-
their partisan services. 1t is not an ex.
travagant statement on the part of the
democrats, therefore, to say that this dep
uty marshal law enables the party 10 powe
10 pay It's canvassers very handsomely on
OF the general taxes.
sections 5,522 and 5,523 of the revised
statutes provide for the punishment of an,
que VINO shall Interfere with them, either
by threats or action, or who refuses m an
sWer any inquiry made by them or give
false answer, but even these criminal stat
utes DO not do more than enable Quarrel