Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-07-25

well tell you plainly the reason the De-
mOcracy forced the issue, now, though
only six members of Congress are to be
chosen this year The people were
swindled out of their choice for Presi-
dent i'm 1876. That fraud was accom-
plished by the audacious and revolu-
tionary threat of the leaders OF the he
publican party, that, when the election
returns came to be counted, the Senate
and House of Representatives should
not count them as contemplated by the
Constitution, and as practised from the
the foundation of our government, but
that Mr.. Ferry, OF Michigan, who hap
happened TO be President, pro tcDlpdre,
Of the Senate, should himself exercise
the power of determining all questions
arising i'm the count. This threat,
backed up by President Grant with a
show OF bringing troops to Washington
and sending iron clads to New York,
was successful in accomplishing the
swindle by the indirect method OF the
Eight to Seven Commission. 1t needed
no gift of prophecy to tell that party
which was ready to disregard the Con-
StitutiOn and all precedents in ascer-
tanning the result OF a Presidential
election in 1876, would resort to any
measure, however unjust or violent, to
win a second victory in 1880. The ar
nv had been used to terrOrize voters at
the South and TO pack and dispense legis-
latures. Why would it not be used
again if the law permitting this use re-
NAMED on the statute books? Super
visOrs and marshals had been appointed
by the thousands ut each congressional
election i'm the large cities, made up
chiefly of bummers, and paid out
Of the public Treasury five dol
lars a day, many Of them ten days
at a stretch, to force the election OF
Republican of Congress against
the will of the people. Hundreds OF
men in the South have been indicted
for alleged interference with supervisors
and marshals, and were being tried
under law for empannelling juries
which packed them with partisans pre-
determined to convict-making the jury
trial an odious and shameful mockery OF
Justice. Was it right to leave this party
with the lawful authority to spend mil
lions Of the peoples mOnep in hiring
DULLES to threaten, arrest, and imprlson
State electors and State judges and clerks
of election? We determined to make
the issue on these laws now, in the year
preceding the great contest, in which we
feared they would be employed to
thwart the will Ofthe people.
The result of the struggle, so lar, IS
the total repeal of the odious system OF
packing juries; the prohibition OF the
payment of money to send or maintain
troops at the polls; and the Withholding
of appropriations for fees of marshals
until Congress can see what the fees are
to be paid for. We have appealed from
the President to the People. You have
to decide the controversy. If you want
to pay hundreds of thousands OF dollars
each Congressional election to have bay
onets around the polls and marshals
and spies to inspect and control State
election officers, vote the Republican
ticket, for the Democracy will never
spend dollar for that service.
You all know, fellow citizens, that we
have i'm the United States form of gov
eminent hitherto unknown among men.
1t is partly the result of the fact that the
thirteen colonies were each separate or
CARNATIONS OF government under dis
tinCt charters, and that thry conieder-
ated as States and declared their indie
pendence, calling themselves the United
States OF America. Several years after
their independence was achieved a
Constitution was adopted which Gre
ated a central government with certain
powers therein set forth, which COnsti-
tuition provides as follows:
The powers not delegated to the
United States by the Constitution, nor
prohibited by il to the States, are re-
served to the States respectively or to
the people.
These reserved powers are the great
mass of the powers OF government. You
are protected in almost all Of your rights
of person andproperty by the State SOW
creigntv alone. Our whole code of laws
defining the rights OF persons and prop
erty. and providing remedies and pun
ishmcnts for wrongs, which make up
the very body of our civilization, is
adopted or created and enforced by the
States, and not the general government.
Outside OF the scope of this State sOver-
eighty lie the powers specially delegated
to the other sOvcreign-the whole peO-
pie of the United States operating
through the general government. These
two sovcreigns, the Republic and the
State, have distributed between them
bv the decree of partition, the Constitu-
ton of the United States, all OF the pow
crs regarded by the people as safe to be
entrusted To any government.
Now, by the Constitution Of the Uni
ted States, the whole power TO provide
for and regulate elections OF members OF
Congress was left with the respective
States; but for fear any OF them might
fail altogether to provide for such cleo
tons, Congress was given power TO
itself, by law, 10 provide for them. Ii
Ohio should refuse tOpaSs law to elect
members of Congress, the United States
might pass such a law, and provide for
the times, places and manner OF hold
ing such elections and the appointment
Of all the election officers. But none Of
the States ever did refuse or fail to pass
such laws; and from the foun-
dation OF our government down
until 1871, the elections were con-
Quoted without any Interference what
ever by Federal officers. In 1871 the
Republicans enacted this Federal cleo
ton law. 1t did not pretend to repeal,
alter, or amend any Of the State laws
providing for the appointment OF State
officers TO conduct these elections or
prescribing their duties, but it gave the
Federal courts and marshals the power
to appoint supervisors and deputies, to
inspect and direct the action Of State
officers in the performance of their du-
ties under State election laws. From
the very nature Of our government
from the separate characters and pow
ers Of the general and the State Govern
mcnt-it is Just as unconstitutional TO
subject state officers while performing
duties under valid State laws, 10 the SUI
pervision or control OF Federal officers,
as il is to subject Federal officers TO the
supervision or control OF State officers.
That sort Of interference is organized
anarchy. Ii submitted to in respect Of
this subject by the States there are no
duties which State officers are called on
to perform which the Federal govern
ment may not supervise and control.
Mr.. Foster says that "the great question
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