The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1879-10-09
Then telling what steps he had taken with the
best organized regiments OF New York to guard
all the rights OF every citizen, he said:

best organized regiments OF New York To guard
all the rights OF every citizen, he said:
Notwithstanding all this, by the Presidents or.
ders. United States troops were brought from dis.
tant posts and quartered In the city Of New York,
and ships Of war were anchored In It's harbOr. II
was certainly not unreasonable to expect that the
first drop Of citizens shed in the city OF New York
by Federal troops In time OF peace. nigh lead to
terrible results, involving great loss Of life and
inC3lculable destruction Of properly.
At the last moment, that is to cay, the afternoon
Immediately before the election. the officers Of
the United States fortunately and wisely, aban.
doned the extreme ground they had taken and
entered into stipulation witn the local euthori
ties OF New York City In my presence, which re-
suited in preventing anv armed interference BY
troops, either by the United States or Of the
State.
Gov. Hoffman closes his message thus
To depend for the peace and order OF localities
on the Federal army is not selt government; TO
substitute the regular soldier with his musket rs
peace 0fticer In pace Of tine constable with his
writ is not to preserve the peare but to establish
the condition of war: to surrender elections TO
the control of the Pr sident supported by armed
forces is to surrender liberty and to abandon q
republic.
PENNSYLVANIA.
At the election In 1859 for Governor Of Pennsyl.
vania, In the third precinct Of the Fifth ward
Of the city of Philadelphia, an armed body Of
marines were brought 10 the polls. They took
possession thereof and closed and kept closed for
an hour until they saw ht to open them and per.
nit these to vote whom they thought ought to
vote.
Governor Geary. Republican Governor Of Penn
sylvania, Major General In the army, In his
message to the Legislature in January 1871, said .
The employment of United States troops at
elections without the consent Of the local and
state governments, has received considerable at.
tention aud apprehension. 1t is regarded as an
interference with the sovereign rights of the
States which was not contemplated by the foun-
ders of the General Government, and II persisted
In must lead to results disastrous to peace and
harmony. The practice is one so serious in its
tendencies as to merit prompt consideration and
decisive action, not only by the Aeneral Assem-.
bly, but by Congress- One Of the complaints Of
the complaints Of the colonists against the Brit
ish King was the oppression growing out Of the
assumption OF this power. They said: HE has
kept among us Ia times of peace standing armies
without the consent Of our Legislature" and
what IL especially pertinent to the case In point,
He has affected to render the military independ'
ent OF and superior TO the civil power" The al
legged authority for the use Of troops at our State
elections is derived from the tenth section Of an
act Of Congress, approved May 81, 1870, entitled
IAN act to enforce the right of citizens Of the
United States to vote in the ses sersl States Of the
Union, and for 9th purposes" which authorizes
the United States Marshals to call to their assist
ance such portion of the land and naval forces
OF the United States or the militia as may be ne.
cestary to the performance of the duty with which
they are charged, and to insure faithful observ'
ance Of the fifteenth amendment TO the COnstitu.
tion Of the United States" But 1t must be
forced construction Of this law that will justify
the presence OF armed national forces at our
places Of election when no necessity exists there
for and where their presence is calculBted to pro-
woke collision, With good President the exer.
else of the power referred to might have no In
| furious results, but in the hands OF bad man
governed by personal ambition 1t might prove
exceedingly calamitous. Unconscioukly good
| President might be induced TO employ II wrong
| fully; bad one would be almost certain to use
| IL for his own advancement. Under any circum-
stances in my opinion, 1t is unsafe and aDtBgO-
nistic to the principles that should govern our
republican institutions. At the last October cleo
ton United States troops were stationed In Phila-
delphia for the avOwed purpose of enforcing the
election laws This was done without the con
sent or even the knowledge of the civil authOri.
ties of either the city or the State, and without
any expressed desire on the part OF tDe clUzeDB ab
far as can be asceTtsined without existing neces-
sity. From conscientious conviction OF It's i'm.
pOTtance have called your attention TO the sub
ject. neglect TO have done so might have been
construed as an Endorsement Of q measure that
meets my unqualified disproval. The civil su.
thorities Of Pennsy lvanis have always been and
are still com petent to protect It's citizens In the
exercise of their elective franchise and the prop
er and only time for the United States military
forces 10 Intervene would be when the power OF
the Commonwealth is exhausted and their aid Is
lawfully required,