The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-05-02

We therefore anosI ieSFSS'A"'s
earnestly recoamend this article to the pc
rusal OF congressman and the paoilc:
TEE ,pu,n OBJECTIONABLE LAWS.
There are four laws which the Democrats
tried to repeal at the last session OF Con-
-press. and whose repeal they are still de-
,,s;rous # possible, to effect. These are:
1. The law authorizing two supervisors
OF election, one belon gipg to each party, to
be appointed by the Federal courts, for each
voting place.
Q. The law authorizing the marshals TO
apnoint an unlimited number OF deputy
marshals, all OF whom may be Of one party,
to sustain and support the supervisors In
their efforts to secure fair ID election.
2. The law authorizing district attorneys
and other persons TO require grand and
petty Jurors in the Federal courts 10 take
the iron. clad oath.
4. The law authorizing the President 10
station troops at the polls to preserve The
peace when elections for congressman are
going on. .a."
= II is understood that the President is
willing to allow the two laws last named 10
, he repea!ed. AS balf-loaf is better ,han
TO bread, it would be wise in the Demo-
Gratis in Congress to pass separate bills re-
healing those two laws. II would be q
Doint well worthy OF being gained-an
achievement upon which any Congress
might well plume itself-a victory for good
government, and sufficient justification
for the extra session. even II nothing else
were done. Its passage would lift a burden
from the shoulders OF the southern people,
and make it possible to get jurors In every
southern State who are not enemies OF the
people amongst whom they live. Its pas
sage would also prevent the oyeraWinS Of
the voters by Federal soldiers.
The law authorizing the appointment OF
supervisors is hcId by many 10 be uncon-
stitUtiona. But Mr.. EDMUNDs, who is an
able constitutional lawyer, declares that he
believes it TO be clearly within the power OF
Congress to pass such law. The debates
in the United States Senate at its last ses-
sion upon this point were characterized by
great ability. The speeches Of MIR. MORGAN
of Alabama, and Mr.. EDMUNDs OF Vermont,
the one on the one side and the other on the
other, were based upon the very funda-
men(ai priucrp,o, Of tho- Governments. hr:
EDMUNDs did the best lnaL could be done on
his side Of the question; and we are apprc-
~hensive that II case involving The point
were carried to the Supreme Court OF the
United States that tribunal might decide
that MIR. EDaUSDs is right. OF course no
strict constructioniSt can for one moment
concede that he is right. The history Of the
formation OF the Government, and the de-
bates in the convention that framed the
Federal Constitution, and particularly the
views Of the fathers OF the republic and all
their legislation. prove that it was never in
tended by those who formed this Gov
eminent that it should be CONSOLE
dated central despotsm. But the pro-
cess OF development" has added to its
powers a number that its trainers never
expected it 10 have. Let it be remembered
that the power to provide for supervisors OF
elections is not derived by Mr.. EDMUNDs
from the new amendments, but from the
Constitution as 1t came from tue 'ConVcn-
ton Of 1887. We must, therefore, look at
facts as they are, not as we would have
them. The whole country must first be
educated up to the high appreciation Of
constitutional rights which prevails in the
South before the Democrats in Congress
can stake too much upon the absolute re-
peal OF the law authorizing supervisors !;
and to put all four measures OF repeal into
one bill would be to stake too much. Let
some Of the objections to it. and then let it
20 for what it is worth. II the other three
laws were repealed, this one could do COM
parativeIy little harm. .'1...'',..+l !.
But the law authorizing the appointment
by partisan marshn's Of an Unlimited num-
Der Of deputy marshals ought certainly to
be either repealed entirely or so changed as
to alter its whole character. AS 1t now
stands, it is disgrace to the statute. book.
1t not only authorizes an unlimited number
Of deputy marshals, but allows professed
Democrats to be bribed to work for the Re-
publican ticket. Ittakes the peoples money
and uses it to debauch the voters and to set
at naught the will OF the taxpayers. It
makes the money in the United States
Treasury corruption fund to be used
for the election Of Republican con-
gressmen. 1t permits deputy marshaIs
Ito browbeat voters and drive them
from the polls, as the villain JOHNNY
DAVENPORT has done In New York city ut
every election for congressman held since
the law was passed. In word, it brings
The Irresistible power OF the United States
government into play to aid in the perpet-
nation OF the power OF a mere party, and
that the worst party which this country has
ever known. II such law can possibly be
repealed it ought to be repealed, even at the
risk OF dozen extra sessions; but not at
the risk OF the failure OF the repeal of the
other three laws. The life Of the nation is
really involved in the matter; for IL the Re
publieans sre allowed ever by it's use to re-
gain control OF Congress, they Will never,
never again surrender that control. But the
President cannot be cosrced to sign bill
repeating it by putting in one bill words
that would operate to repeal all four laws.
In fact. to put the whole four together
would be to give him plausible reason for
refusing to sign the repeating bill; whereas
by presenting each question In separate
bill he would be compelled to act upon each |
upon Its own mexits. ~ @ y 5.s't