The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-05-07

otRTlSS Tue CIVIL 8QLQOr1IlcS OF the United
gressioucl elections. CONGRESSIONAL elections
In every district, in very important sense,
concern throughout the whole country. Each
State and every political party is entitled to q
and consfitutiomsi sursge. Il is the Fight ss Of
every citizen possessing the qualifications
Palioa ~ law 70 a cast 9ns haaa h
estly counted. So long as the exercise of this
power and the enjoyment of this right are
formally. submission 10 suffrage win be ac &C.
corded Loyalty and cheerfuily, and the depart
of the popular will thus expressed. Two pro-
visions OF the constitution authorize ie yfsla-
tion by Congress for the regulation Of congress
constitution declares that the time, place and
manner Of holding elections for senators and
State by the Legislature thereof, but Congress
may at any time by law make or alter such
senators. The ffteenth anendment OF the
constitution Is as follows:
Section 1. The right of citizens OF the United
States to vote shall not be denied or abridged
by the United States or by any State on ac-
count OF race, color or previous condition of
Sec.2. The Congress shall have power to
enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
ment invests citizens OF the United States
with new constitutional right, which is
right the cou1t declares to be exemption from
d discrimination in the exercise of the elective
franchise on account OF race, color or previous
10 protect this right by appropriate legislation
Is expressly affirmed by the court. National
legislation TO provide safeguards for free and
honest elections is necessary, as experience
has shown, not only to secure the right to vote
TO the enfranehised race at the South, but also
to prevent fraudulent voting in the large cities
Of the North. Congress has therefore exercised
the power conferred by the constitution, and
has enacted certain laws to prevent discrimin-
alton on account OF race, color or previous
condition OF servitude, and to punish fraud,
lions. Attention is called TO the following
sections of the revised statutes of the United
states ~; VIZ: section 2ool, which guarantees
tinctton on account OF race, color previous
condition of servitude; sections 2c05 and 2006,
which guarantee TO all citizens an equal oppor-
tunity, without discrimination. TO perform all
the acts required by law as prerequisite or
qualification for voting; section 20Z2. which
authorizes the United States marshal and his
deputies to Keep the peace and preserve order
pressiy authorizes the United States marrs,aI
and his deputies to summon a posse comitatus
whenever they or any of them are forcibly
sisted IN the execution OF toelr duties under
the law and are prevented from executing
their duties by violation section 5,52l which
provides for punishment of the crime of inter
fering with supervisors of elections and depu-
ty marshals in the discharge of their duties at
elections of representatives In Congress. These
are some of the laws on this subject which it
Is the duty OF the executive department OF the
Government to enfofce. The intent and effect
all civil officers of the United States, under
penalty of fine and imprisonment, from en-
for this purpose at the place place
where the enforcement is most necessary.
elections are held the moSt
enactments to which have referred, are those
which protect supervisors OF the Federal
polls. If the pending legislation should be-
come law, there is no power vested in any
officer OF the Government to protect from vio-
lence the officers of the United States en- gagged
in the discharge of their duties. Their rights
and duties under the law will remain, but the
National Government will be powerless TO
enforce Its own statutes. The Stale may en-
ploy both military and civil power TO keep
the p ace, and to enforce the laws at State
elections. Ii is now proposed TO deny to the
United States even the necessary civil author
ity TO prote ct the national elections. No xuf
fcent reasons has been given for this dis
elimination In favor of the State and against
the national authority. II well.founded OBJ
election laws, all good citizens shold unite in
the amendment OF the laws providing that
safeguards of elections should be impartial,
Just and efficient. They should, if possible,
be so nonpartisan and fair IN their
OF power will have no just grounds TO com
PLAIN. The present laws have, in practice.
fraud and violence at elections. In several OF
the States the members OF the different politi-
which they furnish. Ii is the right and duty
of the National Government to enact and in
force laws which will secure free and fair con-
gresstonal elections. The law now in force
should not be repealed, except in connection
with the enactment of measures which will
better accomplish that important end. Be-
1ieving that section six of the bill before me
will weaken, If it does not altogether take
to protect Federal elections by civil AUTHORIZES.
am forced to the conclusion that 1t ought not
ever, not presented to me as a separate ri and
4 independent measure but is. as has been
stated, attached to the bill making the usual
| in The election laws of the country, which are
| in no way connected with the use of the army.
son engaged in the civil service Of the United
States from having ar force at any place of
arrests, to keep the peace or in any manner to
enforce the law. This Is altogether foreign to
the purpose OF any army appropriation bill.
The practice Of lacking to the army appro-
| priatlou bill measures not pertinent to such
bills did not prevail until more than 40 years
become a common practice All parties when
in power, have adopted it. Many abuses and
crept into the appropriation bills The public
opinion Of the country IS repugnant to 1t.
The States which have recently adopted con-
| situations have generally provided a remedy
for the evil by enac.ing that no law shall con-
| tain more than one subject, which shall be
| lions gilmore than half OF the States conta N
substantially this provision. The public well
turn to the early practice Of the Government
and the true principle OF legislation which re-
quires that every measure shall stand or fall
according to its own merits. If 1t were under
stood that to attach to an appropriation a
measure irrelevant to the general object of the
| bill would. bs to lmperil and probably prevent
its final passage and approval,
valuable reform in the par
| liamentary practice OF Congress
| would be accomplished. The best justification
| that has been offered for attaching irrelevant
orders to the appropriation bill is that it is
| done, for convenience sake to facilitate the
| passage of measures which are deemed expe-
dent by all the branches of the GOVERNMENT
| which participate In legislation. II can not
be claimed that there is any such re ason for
attaching this amendment of the election
laws to the army appropriation bill. The his
tory Of the measure contradicts this assump-
| ton. "A majority of the House of Represent
atives in the last Congress wss in favor OF at
| taching this section to this bill. 1t was known
! that a majority of the Senate was opposed to
| 1t, and that separate measure 1t could not
| be adopted 1t was attached to the army APP
4 preparation bill to compel the Senate to assent
| TO it. 1t was plainly announced to The Senate