Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-03-19
Grave Issues Impending.

When the democratic Congressional eau
Gus first entertained proposition to place
the repeal of the test oath and supervisors of
election laws as riders upon the appropria-
ton bills the proposition was so startling
that Senator Bayard, democrat that he is,
branded such action as unwarranted and
revolutionary. But his voice was unheard,
and as a result we are met with an extra ses-
sion at time when the country demands
repose from legislative tinkering with the
financial interests of the people. The dem
ocratic House forced the issue, and the loyal
Republican Senate met it firmly. An extra
session is now forced upon us with the
openly avowed purpose on the part of the
democratic majority in both houses to com.
plete this revolutionary work. Unless, how
ever the President is weak beyond anything
his worst enemies have ever charged against
him, they will labor in vain.
To show the beneficial nature and charac-
ter of the laws which the democrats are now
fighting so bitterly, we give one or two of
their provisions. These laws provided in
the first place that whenever, in city of
twenty thousand inhabitants or more, two
citizens, or in any county, parish or Con-
gressional district, ten citizens, of good
standing, shall, prior to any registration of
voters for an election of congressman, or
any election in which Representative to
Congress is to be voted for, make known in
10 nd pf ha init aI Gtata
Circuit Court for that Circuit their desire
to have the registration or election, or both,
"guarded and scrutinized," the Judge shall
open his court within ten days of the
registration or election, and shall proceed
to appoint and commission from day to
day and from time to time, and under
the hand of the judge, and under seal of the
court for each election district or voting
precinct in such city or town or Congress
sional district as may have made applica-
ton in the manner prescribed, "two citi-
zens, residents of the city or town, or of the
election district or voting precincts in the
county or parish who shall be of different
political parties, and able to read and write
the English language, and who shall be
known and designated as supervisors of
election" and the judge may revoke, change
or renew such appointment from time to time
These two officials, representing different
political parties are required to attend the
registrations and the elections and see thai
there is no cheating. 1t is federal eye
keeping watch of federal elections. The
two supervisors must be of different politi
cal parties they must be intelligent citi
zens, and they are appointed by fedora
Judge, who is, of all persons in the land, tn
least likely to do injustice in such matter
The deputy marshals can make no arrest
without process of the courts, except il
cases of violence or fraud committed in thei
presence, and the arrested party must
forthwith taken before a judicial officer @
the United States, The whole machiner
of the law begins and ends with the court
of the United States, and if the highe'
tribunals in the land cannot be truste,
when both political parties are also repr
scented, what authority can be? 1t is supe
fuous to recall the fact that this nations
supervision grew out of the enormous der
ocratic frauds in New York city in 1861
but as the democrats want these Safeguard
out of the way 80 that they will be sure
this state in 1880, it is pertinent to alude
it. Day by day the news comes from Was
ington that the democrats are more al
more determined 10 stick fast to the revol
tionary schemes upon which they have {
tered. 1t only remains for the Republican
reinforced by all Independent and rig
minded men and their friends, to sta
firmly and unhinchingly by their guns