The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-04-06
The Issue squareIy stated.

In such contest as that which has be-
gun at Washington it is altogether proper
that the minority should be led by DE COL
YER GARFIELD. His tongue Is one Of the
few sufficiently nimble and INSCRIPTIONS
FOR the occasion.
1t is difficult to conceive Of a baser
cause than that which the Republicans
have undertaken. They have deliberately
and solcmnly determined to resist TO the
bitter end all efforts to secure fair and free
elections to the people of the United States.
1t is proposed by the majority In the two
Houses OF Congress, representing a great
majority OF the people, to amend statute
passed in the midst OF the late war, and in
spired by partisan fury, so as to protect the
electors from being overawed by the army,
or browbeaten and dubbed from the polls by
an embodied force under the name and pay
OF deputy marshals. To this the Republi-
cans in Congress say No; the club and the
bayonet shall both remain at the polls, and
Democrats and Republicans alike shall pay
the cost of the most effectual aud expensive
system OF intimidation. That is the issue.
It cannot be disguised or explained away.
The Democrats say the ballot shall be free,
and the freemen shall not march to the
polls between files Of muskets, or against
rows OF clubs in the hands OF men hired at
five dollars a day TO break the heads OF
their political opponents. The Republicans
say the ballot shall not be free; but that
they will continue TO employ the army and
the horde OF deputy marshals and supervis-
ors, with all the extraordinary powers hith-
erto exercised, in order to obstruct and de-
feat the popular will. Upon this ISSUE
squarely and justly stated, and clearly I'M
derstood, the Republicans cannot stand an
hour. II is necessary, therefore, to obscure
the true situation, and to cover their indie
feasible attitude by some new device. What
this will be is disclosed in DE GoLYER GAR
FIELDS speech.
DE GoLYER GARFIELD expressly and en-
phatically declines to discuss the merits OF
the laws which the Democrats propose TO
repeal He dare not do that Upon the
real question pending between the two par
ties-that is The question OF q free vote, or
n vote controlled to any extent by force APP
piled from Washington-he knows very
well that nine men out of ten In his own
party are against him. Let them once com
nrehend the nnropnhlican purpose Of their
leaders In this struggle. and the tidal wave
the surge that would sweep over the Con-
gressional seats still occupied and abused by
DE GoLYER GARFIELD and his associates.
In this exigcncy they have resolved
upon campaign Of sheer and impudent
false pretences, and DE GoLYER GARFIELD
tells the country that while this legislation,
designed to protect the ballot box against
fraud and force, may be well enough in its
place, II is revolutionary when incorporated
In an appropriation bill. Transparency
false as this is, and heavily as he must
bank upon the ignorance Of the coun-
try when he makes ii, 1t Is the
best excuse he can offer for the stand his
party has taken against the freedom Of cleo
tions. He will find out, when it is too late,
that the pretence is both foolish and fatal.
After weeks discussion by the press it will
be seen through by every man, woman, and
child from Maine to Texas. 1t is the old
story OF the ostrich with his head in the sand
Revolution TO engraft an army regu-
lation upon a bill for the support OF the
armyl Revolution to provide in bill for
the pay of the civil list that a swarm Of UNI
necessary officials shall no longer be per-
mitted to overawe the people at the polls
Revolution to set up safeguards against
fraud In elections! Revolution to couple a
grant OF money with wise conditions in be-
half OF civil liberty 1t is partisan pre-
tence monstrous falsehood, which must
react with crushing effect upon those who
have invented 1t.
DE GoLYER GARFIELD's notion OF the
exclusiveness OF the appropriation bill was
born OF the present necessity But few
years ago the appropriation bill was, under
Mr.. GARFIELD's leadership, made the vehi-
Gle Of a whole body OF unconstitutional re-
strictions upon the Commander-in-Ch Chief
when ANDREW JOHNSON was President and
the interests Of the Republican party re-
quired that he should be hampered. Parts
Of these very laws now TO be repealed were
enacted in this way. From time immemo-
rial the appropriation bill has been loaded
with conditions concerning the expenditure
OF the money granted, and often with indie
pendent legislation having no relation TO
the subject matter Of the bill. And since the
foundation Of the Government, II party has
made more systematic or more ruthless
use of the expedient than the party for
which DE GoLYEB GARFIELD speaks.