The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-02-25
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Especial to Baltimore SUM- M
fHz fEpgnAL ELECTION LAWS. 81
WAsHsNsTea February aS.--ft Is elaiffsed
to-day by. the House Democrats, " 30 are
determined 10. force an extra session, tn AZ
the ntire party in the House IS now uniteo
OF, the noint that the repeal OF the alecfion
laws must be attached to The Legislative, exc
.eutiye. and judicial appropriation bill.
They say they don't care what tue eenate
Democrats do: the reneal must go on oritte
.I,ill shall fail. Sufficient has transpired to-
dav tofinslicate that the situation hes mate-
r;a,iy al,anead since last week, aud it is not
denied hp the friends Of Speaker Randall
that he has been won over tothe view that
now Is the time to work for repeal. Inc
point Is made that il the subject Is SUI
Tered 10 20 over to the next session,
then the appropriations to. be made now
will all last UP to june 80, 1880; That
1t will be only four months between that
time and fhe presidential election; shat II
me House refuses then to make the appro.
IIpriaiions unless the election laws are re-
uenIed the Administratio can manage to
yet along for theishort space offourmon
without the appropriations, and the next
presidential election will be conducted with
the immense advantage to the Republicans
of aIl the electfon-laws machinery. 1t
seems to be generally accepted now as q
fact that; III these laws are to. remain the
Democrats Gun: very easily be defrauded oil
the next presidency, just as they were oil the
last, even should their real majority be
much greater than it was in 1876. The en-
tire operation of the election laws has from
the beginning been onc-sided. Supervisors
of elections and deputy rDarshals are, Win
perhaps the rarest exceptions, appointed
only in the southern States and in New
York city and other localities In the North
which are VIGOROUSLY Democratic.
~. THE REPUBLICAN OBJECT.
The moral is that che, election machinery
devised by the Republicans was not TO pre-
vent OF interfere with Republican batiotboxI
shifting. but only to iesrorize over Demo
cratic communities. Judge Bond andJ Judge
Settle, between them, have sentenced 10
prison score OF two OF citizens OF the
Democratic States OF Maryland aud Florida
Tor alleged Violations Of the election laws,
hut not one OF the Republican DULLES and
lballot-boy suffers OF Philadelphia has been
or will be dealt with by the Federal iudici-
ary.a 1t is manifest that no law wbicllis exc
cuted only as to sections and as to party divi-
sions should continue IN force. The plan OF
the Republicans is now said to be to appointa
host OF deputy marshals and election super
visors for California and secure the four
members, Of the House OF Representatives
from that State at oil hazards. In the light
OF the Developments OF the last few days
there, seems to be no longer question that
the Republicans have. hopes that they may
be. able, under certain contingencies far
from improbable, to capture the next House
of Representatives, ifIlt does not meet in
advance of the regular December session.
The knowledge OF this fact has undoubt-
eddy had the effect to soIdify the Democrats
in the House, 49,. -. .'...... :,f., ......,
,.. GRIPPING THE POLlT1CAI.A ARM. g.. IL,
!: The Legislative. executive. and judicial
appropriation bill has been selected as the
Droper=bil on which to engra!t the repeal,
because, while its failure will not at all have
any bad effect on the business interests, it
would seriously embarrass the Adminstra-
ton. The bill makes appropriations not
only for the salaries OF members OF Con-
gress, but for the President and his Cabinet,
The Department employees, and the expenses
attending the operations OF the Department
Of Justice In fact, the bill, as very aptiy
termed by Mr.. Kimmel, OF Maryland, is the
"polticai arm of the Administration, and
the crippiing of this arm caDnot fail to-
have effect. Therefore, wbile.the Admin
istration mightIpossibly run for four months
without the. appro priaions contained IN
this bill, it would be utterly unable
to. do so for sixteen months. In this
bill would properly be included the appro.
IN pF n Io l,nl <
and supervisors OF election. Since the
House passed under Democratic control APP
preparations for this purpose have been
withheld; but both in 1876 and 1873 the
Department OF Justice authorized the up-
pointments 10 be made, and the appointees,
it is said, were paid through funds diverted
from other appropriations Now it seems
there is deficiency OF $250,000 on this ac-
count, and the Senate Committee on Appro-
prlations is expected to, provide for it in the
deficiency bill. But the House will never
consent to make appropriation for any such
purpose, and if the Senate insists there will
be another chance for deadlock. Alto
gether, the probability is at this writing
very strong that one or more OF the appro-
priation bills may fail. The situation, how
ever, may possibly change before the end OF
the week, though not so regarded by many
leading members or the house.
.g PROSECUTIONS IN LOUISIANA.
Mention was made few days ago Of the
wholesale convictions under the election
laws of prominent Democrats In Florida.
It appears that the same thing is to be at
tempted in Louisiana. Marshal Jack Whar-
ton has stated to me that be has already ar
rested on charges OF violating the law many
prominent ctiZens of Louisiana, including
eX.members OF Congress, journalists, and
men prominent IN business and in social
life. 1t is understood that one or more OF
the Democratic members-elect to the House
from Louisiana are to be arrested. Judge
Woods, in Louisiana, is said to be rs de-
ternined an upholder OF the election laws
as any OF the Federal judges, and is ex-
pected to- be as rigorous in sentencing per-,
SONS who may be convicted. 1t IS said that
the parties to be tried In" Louisiana may
fare better perhaps than those in Maryland
and Florida, because most OF them have en-
gagged to defend them eX- United States Dis
tIict- Attorney Beckwith, who is repre-
sented as much ADLER man than the pres,
ent district attorney (Leonard), and as hay
ing much more influence over the. blacks,
who will Of course make. up the bulk OF the
h"."1.: : TROOPS AT TIE POLLS. !,
:, II the Senate should adhere to its action
OF Yesterday in striking from the army APP
preparation bill the clause forbidding the
use Of troops at the polls, that, bill may also
fail, as 1t is not to be expected that the House
will recede from the stand it has taken on
this subject. ..s.. y7a-, sa,. =.
: The indications last night were that the