Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1879-05-07

the polls"
"SEc. 5,52S. Every officer of the army or
navy or other person in the civil, military
or naval service of the United States who
orders, brings, keeps or has under his au-
thurity OF control any troops or armed men
at any place where general or special elec-
ton is held in any State, unless such force
lie necessary to repel armed enemies of the
United States or to keep the peace at the
polls, shall be fined not more than 5000,
and suffer Imprisonment at Lard labor not
| less than three months nor more than five
years"
PEACE AT TIE POLLS.
The amendment proposed IL this statute
in the bill before me omits from both of the
foregoing sections the words sor TO keep
the peace at the polls" The effect of the
adoption of this amendment may be con-
sidered:
FIRST. Upon the right of the United
States Government TO use military force to
keep the peace at the elections for members
of Congress, and,
SECOND. Upon the right of the govern
ment BY civil authority to protect these
elections from violence and fraud.
In addition to the sections of the statute
above quoted the following provisions of
law relating to the use of military power at
the election are now in force:
"SEc. zoos. No officer of the army or
navy OF the United States shall prescribe or
fix, or attempt to prescribe OF tix, by proc
lamation, order or otherwise, the qualitica-
ton of voters in any tate, or in any man.
ner interfere with the freedom of any cleo
tion in any State or with the exercise of the
free right of suffrage in any State.
"SEc. 5,529. Every officer or other per-
son in the military or naval service who by
force, threat, intimidation, order, advice or
otherwise prevents or attempts TO prevent
any qualified voters of any State from tree
ly exercising the right of suffrage at any
general or special election in the such State,
shall be fined not more than five thousand
dollars and be imprisoned at hard labor not
more than five years.
"SEc. $3.50. Every officer Of the army or
navy who prescribes os fixes or attempts to
prescribe OF fix, whether b. proclamation,
order, or otherwise, the qualification of vo-
ters at any election in any State, shall be
punished as provided in the preceding Sec
ton.
"SEC. 5,53l. Every officer or other per-
son in the military or naval service who by
force, threat. intimidation, order or other
wise, compels or attempts to compel any
officer holding an election in any State TO
receive a vote from a person not legally
qualified to vote, or who imposes or at
tempts to impose any regulations for con-
ducting any general or special election in a
State di9erent from those prescribed by law,
or who interferes in any manner with any
officer of an election in the discharge OF
his duty, shall be punished as provided in
ssction 5,529.
"SEc. 5,532. Every person convicted of
any Of the offeuses specified in the five pre-
oao.,- sections shall, in addition to the
punisbments nr.- .-ein severally prescribed, be
disqualified from holding an, ONCE "i hon-
or, profit or trust under the United Sle.eS,
but nothing in these sections shall be con-
strued to prevent any officer, soldier, sailor
or marine from exercising the right of suf
frage in any election district to which he
may belong, if otherwise qualified accord
ing to the laws in which he offers his vote"
SUFFICIENT TO PREVENT MILITARY ISTERFE-
RENEE.
The foregoing snactments would seem TO
be sufficient to prevent IL ilitary interference
with the elections. But the last Congress,
TO remove all apprehension of such inter-
ference, added to this body of law section
Is of an act entitled can act making appro-
priations for the support of the army for the
fiscal year ending June 80, 1879, and for
other purposes" approved June Is, 1873,
which is as follows:
Sec. Is. From and after the passage of
this act it shall not be lawful to employ any
part Of the army of the United States as
posse comitatus or otherwise for the pur-
pose of executing the laws, except in such
cases and under such circumstances as such
employment of said force may be expressly
authorized by the Constitution or by act of
Congress, and no money appropriated by
this act shall be used to pay any of the ex-
penses in the employment of any troops in
violation of this section, and any persons
wilfully violating the provisions of this Sec
tion shall be deemed guilty of a misde-
meanor, and, on conviction thereof, shall be
punished by fine not exceeding $1,000, or
BY Imprisonment not exceeding two years,
or by both such fine and Imprisonment"
This act passed the Senate after full con-
eideration without a sipgle vofs recorded