The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-05-13
The Issue squareIy Presented.

The Fraudulent President has vetoed the
bill enacted by Congress ITO Prevent Mill
tary Interference at Elections" The text Of
this bill is as follows:
Fhoa The presence Of troops the polls is contrary
70 the spirit Of Institutions and the traditions
people, and tends TO destroy the freedom elections.
TAereoss b. enacted s. That It shall not be lawful to
bring 20 employ at any place where general spe
rial election Is being held In State any part the army
navy the United States unless such neccs
ry repel the armed OF the United States or
TO enforce section article Of the Constitution Of the
United States and the laws made In pursuance thereof
application OF the Legislature the Executive the
State where such force Is to be used and much Of all
laws as Is inconsistent herewith is hereby repealed"
Tho Constitution OF the United States pro-
yides that " the United States shall guar
antee to every State in this Union a repub-
lican form of government, and shall protect
each of them against invasion; and, on APP
plication OF the Legislature, or Of the En-
ecutive when the Legislature cannot be
convened, against domestic violence"
The bill which Congress has enacted
merely prohibits the use of the Federal
troops lat any place where a general or
special election is being held in a State"
The troops may garrison the Federal build
lngs. may guard every approach to them,
but they shall not bo at the place where the
qualified voters are exercising the right uf
suffrage They shall not be employed to
lntimidate freemen or to interfere In any
way with electors.
III 1t Is necessary to protect the rcpubli-
ran form Of government Of any State, TO
repcl invasion, then the Executive power Of
the United States must be present every
where in the State and the whole strength
Of the army and navy must be exerted. The
bill which Congress has enacted especially
guards this constitutional power Of the TX
ecutive.
If domestic violence threatens TO override
che power of State on election day, and the
authorities Of that State call upon the United
States, as the Constitution provides, the
army and navy must be employed till order
Is restored and the supremacy OF the law
indicated This constitutional power Of
the Executive is carefully preserved in the
bill which Congress has enacted.
What then is the issue between Congress
and the Fraudulent President ? The pre-
Rmble Of the bill which Congress has en-
acted expresses in language precise and
concise the whole issue: "The presence Of
troops at the polls is contrary 10 the spirit
Of our institutions and the traditions Of our
people, and tends to destroy the freedom Of
Elections"
The Congress Of the United States de-
elares that elections must be free; that the
right of the citizen to exercise that fran
chise shall not be curtailcd or even threat
ened by the menacing presence of Federal
troops. The Fraudulent President OF the
United States, backed by the men who COM
bined to give him disgraccful tenure of the
high Office he holds, declares that whenever
In his judgment it is necessary TO employ
The army and navy OF the United States to
control elections, he will 50 employ them.
He may bubble about the constitutional
duty Of the Executive TO enforce the laws at
all times, and about unconstitutional at
tcmpts to limit the power Of the Executive;
but, nevertheless, the issue remains as Con-
gress has presented it, that the presence Of
troops at the polls is not only contrary to
the spirit Of our Institutions, but dangerous
10 the liberty Of the people.