Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1879-08-20
TIE WALLACE COMMITTEE.

mittee, says:
"Since the reorganization OF tho
Senate on Democratic basis placed
Mr.. Wallace at tho head Of the Com
mittee to investigate election frauds,
and gave to the Democracy the diree'
ton of that Committees operations, 1t
has given to the country n vast fund
of information, all tending to show the
settled purpose of the Republican man
agement TO control the elections in the
South, not only by force OF the laws OF
Congress, but by means OF laws, de-
vices and contrivance in the States,
No TACT was ever more clearly dem
onstrated than that the sole purpose
of appointing Deputy Marshals has
been TO increase the Republican vote
by unjust methods, and at the cost OF
the public purse. The investigation OF
elections in Philadelphia brought out
startling array of facts and figures,
which actually proved moro than any
Democrat in the Senate or House had
alleged. The United States Marshal
of that city frankly admitted that
there was no occasion for the services
of Deputy Marshals in order TO insure
quiet and fair election. 1t was shown
that the brigades of Deputies appoint
ed hard work for the candidates OF
that party. 1t was proven that many
OF the Deputies were men Of the worst
character, who had done the State
some service in the penitentiary and
other penal institutions. And although
the pile of paying dirt in the Quaker
city was scarcely diminished at all by
the brief investigation, enough Of ras
cality was developed TO make such d
case against the Radicals, and against
their election laws, as to astonish the
whole country and convince every
honest man that the corruption, and
not the publication OF the ballot, was
the one only object of appointing Dep
uty Marshals there
We have taken Philadelphia as al
average sample--a fair illustration
The researches OF the Committee il
other directions have brought to ligh,
the same general condition of things
While Mr.. Hayes was hypocritically
protesting desire to preserve the pu
rity of the ballot, the Committee was
proving, by an impregnable array O
facts, that the laws whose repeal he
resisted were only to corrupt the bal
lot. box and make it render lying YER
dict This was so plainly shown, anC
with such overwhelming effect, thai
the Radicals evaded discussing tho
evidence presented, and branched of
on numberless tangents, indulging il
a profusion of vague generalities hav
ing little relevancy to the question a
issue.
Last week the Wallace Committe,
appeared in Providence, Rhode Island
where it sunk a shaft and struck LEAD
which is likely to make that diminu
tive Commonwealth more prominent
as an object OF National interest thar
she has been since the Dorr rebellion
1t is not with the election corruptinl
laws Of Congress and the National bull
dozer that the Committee has beer
dealing in the domain of Anthony
Local disfranchisement and local cor
ruption of the ballot are the great fea
lures of the situation. II has been in
contestibly proven that the Demo
cratic State of Rhode Island has beer
and is made Republican by systematic
cd and persistent disfranchisement anC
intimidation. In the single city o
: Providence 5000 ioreign.born adul
males are robbed of the right Of SUI
irage. On last Friday reputable cit
izen of Providence testified that pre-
vious to the change in the registration
law there were 5000 qualified foreign
born voters in this city, but since thel
there were only forty out Of 5000 VIII
were qualified to vote Another wit
ness testified that many OF the manu-
featuring establishments carry thei
employees to the polls and make then
: vote the Republican ticket Hon
, Thomas Davis testified that the poorc
classes are so much under the contro
of the wealthy that there is very littl
voting from principle Thomas Nc
Marraugh testified that there ar
many foreign residents who will no
: become naturalized, because the,
. would thus become subject to draft
etc, and yet not to be entitled to vote
Several other witnesses testified tha
they desired the franchise, but wer
: unable to obtain the requisite real es
tate These arc but samples, and tn
worst has not yet been reached.
A real estate qualification, for tn
foreign.born citizen only, is such an out
rage on equal rights, such u base dis
elimination against class, that w
are sure il will be detested by homes
men of all parties According to tn
laws of Rhode Island a man may be
taxpayer all his life-having persona
property only-may be compelled {,
serve in the army to suppress insur
rection or repel invasion, and yet h,
cannot vote tor any officer, municipal
State or National; while the meanes
native-born white or black can vote
so long as he keeps out of the pen
itentiary.
1t has been known Tor years tha
the cotton lords OF Rhode Island rul
their employees in the matter OF voting
with an absolute, despotic sway. Tn,
workingmen are plainly told that the,
must vote the Radical ticket or ge
work elsewhere. We admit that i
isn't very heroic to submit to compul
sion, but we are not speaking of heroes
These are poor and very practica
men. They have wives and children
10 be fed and clothed. Rather thai
risk hunger and cold, and continue,
suffering for their families, these mel
, vote against their convictions. Shal
we blame them, or the proudpurse al
istocrats who give them the choice o
thus voting or going out to hunt 70
work in an over-stocked labor market
and on the threshold of winter
While thus, for years, Rhode islam,
=. has been held by tho Republican col
umn by the means above mentioned
while that Democratic State has bcel
misrepresented in the Senate an,
House by Republicans, her Senator
and Representatives have been loudl,
bewailing the fact that the white pee
pie of the South, solidified by the crue
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