River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-06-05

Slonal elections are not State elections, but |
national elections. Il leaves IN full |
force the existing statutes under which |
supervisors are stiil TO be appointed by |
national authority to observe and witness |
Congressional ELECTIONS, whenever due |
application is inade by citizens who de- |
sire said elections to be s.guarded and
scrutinized." If there is power 10 SUI
pervise in any respect whatever the Con-
gressional elections it exists under section
article / OF the constitution. 1t is a
power belonging to the government of
the United States, is paramount and SUI
pleme, and includes the right to employ
the necessary means to carry it into
effect.
The statutes of the United States
which regulate the election of members
Of the House Of Representatives, an
essential part OF which il is proposed to
repeal by this bill, have been In force
about eight years. Four Congressional
elections have been held under them, two
of which were at the Presidential cleo
tons of 1872 and 1876. Numerous pros
ecutions, trials and convictions have
been had in courts of the United States in
all parts of the Union for violation of
these laws. In no reported case has their
constitutionality been called III question
by any judge of the courts of the United
States. The validity of these laws is
Sustained by the uniform course of judi
cial action and opinion.
WHY PASSED.
If it is urged that the United States
election laws are not necessary, an ample
reply is furnished by the history OF their
origin and their results. They were es-
| pecially prompted by the investigation
and exposure of frauds committed in the
city and State of New York at the cleo
| tons of 1868. Commissioners repre-
senting both of the leading political par
ties of the country have submitted re-
ports to the House of Representatives of
| the extent of these frauds A committee
of the fortieth Congress, after full in
vestioation, reached the conclusion that
| the number of fraudulent votes east in
| the city Of New York alone in 1868 was
not less than $4,000 A committee of
the forty fourth Congress in their report
submitted in 1877, adopted the opinion
that for every 100 electoral voters of the
CITY of New York in 1868, one hundred
and eighty eight votes were cast, when,
| in fact, the number of lawful votes cast,
could not have exceeded So per cent. of
the actual voters of the city. BY this
statement the number of fraudulent vo-
tiers at that election in the city of New
! York alone was between thirty and
forty thousand. These frauds complete
ly reversed the result of the election in
the State of New York, both as to choice
of government and State officers, and as
to the choice of election OF President and
| Vice President of the United States.
| They attracted the attention of the whole
country. 1t was plain that if they could
he continued and repeated with impu-
nifty free government was impossible. A
distinguished Senator, in opposing the
passage of the election laws, declared he
had for long time believed that our
form of government was comparative
failure in the larger cities. To meet
these evils and to prevent these crimes
the United States laws regulating Con-
gressional elections were enacted.
THE RESULT.
The trainers of these laws have not been
disappointed in their results. In the large
cities, under these provisions, the elections
have been comparatively peaceable, order
ly and honest. Even the opponents OF
these laws have borne testimony to their
value and efficiency and to the necessity
for their enactment. The committee of
the forty-fourth Congress composed of
members a majority of whom were OPP
posed to these laws, in their report on the
New York elections of 1876, said: "Fhe
committee would commend to other por-
tons of the country and to other cities
this remarkable system developed through
the agency Of both local and federal au-
thorities, acting in harmony for an hon
est purpose. In no portions of the world
and in no era eff time where there has
been an expression of the popular will
! through the forms of law, has there been
a more complete and thorough illustra-
ton of Republican institutions. What
ever may have been the previous habit
or conduct of elections in these cities, or
however they may conduct themselves in
the future, this election of 1876 will stand
as a monument of what good faith, hon
est endeavor, legal forms and Just author
| ity do for the protection of the electoral
| franchise
WHAT THE PEOPLE DEMAND.
| This bill recognizes the authority and
duty of the United States to appoint SUI
perYisors to guard and scrutinlze Congress
sional elections, but it denies to the gov
eminent of the United States all power
| to make its supervision effectual. The
great body of the people Of all parties
want free and fair elections. They do not
| think that free election means freedom
| from the wholesome restraints of law or
that the place of an election should be a
sanctuary for lawlessness and crime.
On the day of an election peace and good
order are more necessary than on any 9th
er day of the year. On that day the
humblest and feeblest citizens, the aged
and infirm, should be, and should have
reason to feel that they are safe in the
exercise of this most responsible duty,
and their most sacred right as members
of society-their duty and their right to
vote.
The constitutional authority to regulate
Congressional elections, which belongs to
the government of the United States, and
which it is necessary to exert to secure
the right to vote to every citizen possess
ing the requisite qualifications, ought to
be enforced by appropriate Legislation
So far from public opinion IN any part OF
the country favoring any relaxation OF
the authority of government in protection
of elections from violence and corruption,
| believe it demands greater vigor, botn
IN the enactment and in the execution OF
the laws framed for that purpose
Any opposition, any partisan partiality
which experience may have shown IN the
work of existing laws will engage the
careful attention both of Congress and OF
the executive in their respective spheres
of duty, for the corrections of the mis-
chiefes. As no Congressional elections
occur until after the regular session OF
Congress will have been held, there seems
to be no public exigency that would pre-
clude reasonable consideration at that
session of any administrative details that
might improve the present modes de-
signed for the protection OF all citizens
in the complete and equal exercise OF the
right and power of suffrage at such elec
tons.
But, with my views both of the consti-
tutionality and value of the existing laws,
! cannot approve any measure for this
repeal except in connection with the en-
actment of other legislation which may
necessarily be expected to afford wiser
and more efficient safeguards for free and
honest Congressional elections.
tSigned) RUTHERFORD B. HAYES.
Executive Mansion, May 30, 1879.