The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-05-16
LET CONGRESS STAND FIRM.
PENNSYLVANIA PAJRIOTS POINTING
OUT THE PITH or DUTK
a Petition Fmbodying Timely Truths-The
Repeal of had Lnws not Enough Make
Sure OF mn Honest Election In 1sSOl


The following paper, cmbodylng some
timely truths and signed by cightysx Repre-
sentativos and fifteen Senators Of tho Legisla-
ture OF Pennsylvania. and by the Secretary Of
Internal Affairs and the Auditor General and
the clerks in their offices respectively. was sent
10 Congress on Tuesday last
10 he H,qora5 ne Igg.e NJ Rpieseaire o, he
Uir'ei Strio N cDagres oseBbJi.
Tho petition OF tho undersigned members Of
the Legislature OF Pennsylvania. executive Of
ncers and citzens Of tho State ut The seat Of the
Government. respectfully rcprrsont:
The course OF recent events has excited in tho
minds OF your petitioners very serious appre,
tensions Tor tho stability Of our institutions and
the peace VI the country.
Our Government is supposed to bc admins
terod 10y AGENTS Of the peoples choice. ana thore-
fore ucriolirnl elections. NJ. cc,ssnry. No
honest citizen can doubt that these elections
ought to - FREQ and fair. Nor can II b" denied
that implicit obedience 10 tho popular viii when
legally expressed by the vote Cf ne majority IL
the plgincst Of our moral and political duties
Yet 1t Is perfectly certain that these iun lamrntn
principles luVO been grossly and Systematically
violated for many years. Physical lOrrr, to-
gethcr with all forms Of fraui md Cv'ry species
OF corrurtlon. hns been used without scruplc
" cnrry state elections and falsily returns.
Wa do not mention these inris for the instruc-
ton Of Congress. They are known 20 all men.
md e. none b 'tter than your honorable bodies
You yours 'lvcs collected ami laid b';orc tho
country lhe evidence whch nroyes without
hon claimed ana got possess on OF thn Govern
inent. not hy vote OF the people or their chosen
i'l~ iht hhhli'oN ilAuNi lNlTt ia IAill'tNt
We have much reason to fear lhrt these dis
homes, practices will be repeated Thcsucccss-
tors for "a stronger effort in 1850. Another
cheat viii compel Us to choose hctwc"n two Of
the most irichtiul calnmitcs which can happcn
TO any ucoplo-cv war or tame submission TO
Government hopelcssly rotten.
For the sake 81 tn" luhlic peace and in tho
intercs; of common justice;t promote the gem
oral good mi 20 SECURE the blessings ~ uuiyrr-
sal liberty; ont OF a due regard Tor tlcmcmory Of
our fdtNFf- AMI n natural -nIIrtUln for the wei
lure OF our children. We hesco'a your honor
able bodies g. take this subject into your care
ful consideration mud make such regulations
thercup'n as will guard us IN the future against
outrage ketlose Of the past.
To accomplish thut end Il is necessary. in the
first place. that certain provisions of existing
statutes should IT, repealed. We refer to
ize the presence OF military forco at
elections; ojhcr ats requiring test Oaths
and stl o,Hers whie6 give The FDrnl s yIST
yisors and mar,hals the movers which they
enacim MT, II IS Obvious thai they may be used
by corrupt administration for IMPROPER. un-
Just ana oppressive PURPOSES nay. II Ia Ger
tain that tn y hare been So used aud SO long AS
they continue ON the statute book we cannot
hope Tor free and fair elections We cordially
approve the resolution Of your honorable bodies
70 Incorporate The repeal OF thcsc laws IN the
appropriation bills, and we cannot sufficiently
admire the nrmnoss and lei ~ with which
you have urhcid ths rights 90 your constituents.
notwlths nndlng all threats ~ revolution from
the enemies OF liberty and Justice.
But The rrt'als which you propose TO eflc't in
this way viii not in our judgment meet nll the
requirements OF the times. There should be
agains; the fraud and violence which. in the
absence % preventive legislation, Will. without
doubt. be ATTEMPTED.
II you shall be of opinion TINT State elections
Tor members OF Congress can. in any case be
oycrseen or the state laws be enforced 10y Fed
eral officers consistently with the Constitution.
we cannot Object 10 u system OF supervision
which promis = to check false voting or expose
false rcturrs The appointment by the Federal
courts ot good. honest and lawful men rs SUI
pervisors ~ election ut places where they them
selves have n right to vote. and with powers
properly limited. might result hcnchciaily. But
we protest against all laws which place the right
OF suffrage NJ the mercy OF unprncirlcd hire
lings sent upon voters by corrupt agents Of the
general Administration topromote its interests.
The necessity Of subordinuting the military
10 the civil authority is universally ncknow-
edged rs n fundamental principle Of all free
governments. The Intervention " the army in
hardly fail to compass the denth Of popular lib
erty sooner or later, y should. therefore, be
made u high criminal offence for any military
ohlcer 10 usurp the functions OF acivil magis-
trate. Ia interfere with the proceedings OF any
court or legislative body TO bring any organ
lzed force TO a polling place. TO assume the
power OF deciding a contested election, to in
stall or assist at tho installation OF state on
Ger not duly elected. or In any way whatever to
Interfere with the affairs Of a State except upon
regular demand OF lis proper AUTHORITIES
Rgreeably to the Constitution: ana no military
officer who commits such offeuse should DO
permitted 10 plead in eXtcnuution thereof that
he acted unlcr the orders of a superior. On
order should be held us guilty as he who
During the pondency Of an election for cleo
tors Of President and Vce-prcslent no act Of
Congress can constitutionaliy be- made 10 con-
trol the proceeding. But when the ballots nre
all deposited and tho poll clos 5 the appoint
Dlelh Of electors is. in the opinion Of your
TEMPT To alter II y an offence which may be- de-
fined AMI punished by the United States. We
therefore. pray that an net Of Congress be
passed for tho proper and just punishment OF
any State olllccr who shall wiliu.ly miscount
the ballots. or make u falls" return thereof. or
certify mat any person has been chosen an
elcctOr who Is known not to hty9 received a
majority OF the votes actually cast. All persons.
whether citizens of tho state or not who en-
courage. aid. or abet such fraudulent prnctise
before or after the fact should be held as in
paii drierio With the principal criminal. and
any Federal ofiiccr who insists ur"n counting
rs vote what he knows 10 be a fraud or a
forgery. should be- punished as felon Let
THIS be extended 10 members Of Congress. but
without al,us ing th"ir constitutional freedom Of
debate j the President or any head Of q de-
pnrin!rut shall appoint g. or keep in ofl'e "a
person known to have been guilty If su n olec-
ton Frauds he should be decmel Il pdriicepS
c'u9us. subjected 10 impeachment aud tried
Thera is yet another kind Of corruption
which Of Int years has vlsibly increased. j. in
ercas n, nni ouEi TO be- wholly ubplsAed we
mean the practice OF raising money for election
PURPOSES ~ as ,s6mcnis On the salaries Of
are periodically drawn from the public treas-
airy. not iopoy lha expense Of ihr Government
n no Other way has the niluencr OF the general
GuFrrnmrut been brought in moro dangerous
conflict with the freedom and purity Of State
elctions. We prny your hon radio bodies to
stup tbs i} forbiddinE. under proper penalties.
Ail solicitations OF public officers for these pur
pQ, "nd Ull l.pu,nis by them.
Nerre nNure that these meas uros, Just and
necessary IS lhcy arc Will moot with violent
but with n.th Houses OF Congress and the yet
cannot hrrye that the wll fail.
Anu your B. 'uuUners Will ever pray. &c,
Sipue1 lv g. .fhtv-efv Unf.roeart.. fy.s opI nj