Stevens County tribune. (Morris, Minn.) 1877-1880, 1879-05-08

elections. The laws already in force are all
that are required for that end. But that part
of section 6 of this bill which is
SIGNIFICANT AND vnALLY IMPORTANT
is the clause which, if adopted, will deprive
the civil authorities of the United states of all
power to keep peace at Congressional elections.
Congressional elections in every district in a
very important sense are Justly a matter of pO-
litical interest and concern throughout the
whole country. Each State, every political
party. is entitled to share of power which is
conferred by legal and constitutional suffrage.
1t is the right of every citizen possessing the
qualifications prescribed by law to cast one
UNINTMIDATED BALLOT,
and have his ballot honestly counted. So long
an the exercise of this power and the enjoyment
of this right are common and equal, practical
ly az we'll as formally, submission to suffrage
will be accorded Loyalty and cheerfully, and all
departments of the government will feel the
| true vigor of the popular will thus expressed.
| Two provisions of the constitution authorize
| legislation by Congress- for the regulation of
Congressional elections. Section of article l
| of the constitution declares the time and place
! and manner of holding elections for Senators
| and Representatives shall be prescribed in each
State by the legislature thereof, but Congress
may at any time by law make OF alter such reg
ulations except as to places of choosing Sena-
tors. The
FIFTEENTH AMENDMENT
of the constitution is as follows:
| Section l. The right of citizens of the United
States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the
United States, or by any State, on account of race
| color, or previous condition of servitude.
Sec. 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce
| this article by appropriate legislation.
The supreme court has held that this amend
| ment invests citizens of the United States with
a new constitutional right which is within the
PROTECTING POWER OF coNeREss
The right the court declares to be the ex-
emption from discrimination in the exercise of
the elective franchise on account of race, color
| or previous condition of servitude. The power
| of Congress to protect the right by appropriate
legislation is expressly affirmed by the court,
National legislation to provide safeguards for a
free and honest election is necessary as ex-
perience has shown, not only to secure the right
for all to the enfranchised race at the South,
| but also tn prevent fraudulent voting in large
cities of the North. Congress has therefore
exercised the power conferred by the constitu-
ton, and has enacted certain laws to prevent
discrimination account of race, color, or
previous condition of servitude, and to punish
FRAUD, VIOLENCE AND INTIMIDATION
at federal elections. Attention is called to the
following section of the revised statutes of
the United States, viz: Section 1904, which
guarantees all citizens the right TO vote with
ont distinction on account of race, color or
previous condition of servitude; sections zoos
and 2096 which guarantees to all citizens equal
opportunity, without discrimination, to per-
form all acts required by law as a prerequisite
or qualification for voting: section 2O20, which
authorizes the United States marshal and his
deputies to keep the peace and preserve order
at general elections; section 1924, which ex-
pressly authorizes the United States marshal
and his deputies to summon posse commltatus
whenever they or any of them are fOrcibly re-
sisted in the execution of their duties under
the law, and are prevented from executing their
duties by violation; section 1922, which pro-
vides for the punishment of the crime of inter
fering with supervisors of elections and deputy
marshals in the discharge of duties at elections
of Representatives in Congress. These are
some of the laws on this subject which it is
the duty of the executive to enforce. The
INTENT AND EFFECT
of the sixth section of this bill is to prohibit
all civil officers of the United States, under a
penalty of fine and imprisonment. from EN-.
pioying any adequate civil force for this pur
pose at places where their enforcement ia most
, | necessary, namely: the places where Congress
: sional elections are held. Among the most
valuable enactments to which have referred
, are those which protect the supervisors of fed
eral elections in the discharge Of their duties a
the polls. If the pending legislation should
become a law, there is no power vested in any
r officer of the government to protect from vic
3 lence the officers of the United States engaged
] in the discharge of their duty. Their rights
,, and duties under the law will remain, but tn,
! national government will be powerless to en-
force its own statutes. The State may employ
both the military and civil powers to keep thu
, peace and enforce the laws at State elections
: 1t is now proposed to deny to the United States
even the necessary civil authority to protect
: national election. No sufficient reason ha,
| hop0 Uiy for this diapri M in favor N
D the State and against the national authority
: If wellfounded objections exist against thu
present national election laws, all good citizens
should unite in their amendment. Laws pro
! viding safeguards of election should be
, IMPARTIAL, JUST AND EFFICIENT.
' They should if possible, be so non-partisar
: and fair in their operation that the minority
party out of power will have no just grounds t.
complain. The present laws have in practic'
unquestionably conduced to the prevention Of
fraud and violence at elections. In several o.
the States members of different political par
ties have applied for safeguards which they fur
nish. 1t is the right and duty of the national
government to enact and enforce laws which
will secure free and fair congressional elections
: The laws now in force should not be repealed
! except in connection with the enactment oil
o measures which will better accomplish tina
{ important end. Believing that section six o
the bill before me will weaken, if it does no
altogether take away the pow,r of the nationa
government to protect federal elections, by tn
o civil authorities, am forced to the conclusion
that it ought
NOT TO RECEIVE My APPROVAL.
That section is. however, not presented t.
Z me as separate and independent measure
g | but as has been stated, it is attached to tn
' election laws of the country, which is in wa
+ connected with the use of the army. It pro
. hibits under heavy penalties any person en-
I gagged in the civil service of the United State
' from having any force at the place OF any cleo
. tion prepared to keep order, to make arrests
to keep the peace, or in any manner to en-
force the laws. This is altogether
: FOREIGN TO THE PURPOSE
t of an army appropriation bill. The practice O
: lacking to army appropriation bills measure
3 not pertinent to such bills did not prevail uu
= til more than forty years after the adoption o
! the constitution. 1t has become the commo
: practice, and all parties when in power, hav
q adopted it. Many abuses and great waste o
public money have in this way crept into ar
, preparation bills. The public opinion of til
country is against it. The States which hav
recently adopted constitutions, have generall
: provided a
REMEDY FOR The EVIL
r by electing that no law shall Contain more tina
9 one subject, which shall be plainly expressed
e it's title. The constitutions of more than hal
f the States contain substantially this provision
7 The public welfare will be promoted in man
t ways by q return to the early practice of th
q government and to the true principle of legis
4 lation, which requires taat every measure sha
q stand or fall according to its own merits. ]
. it were understood that to attach to an apprC
: priation bill measure irrelevant to the geners
t object of the bill would imperil and probab
prevent its final passage and approval, an
INVALUABLE REFORM
: in the parliamentary practice of Congress
{ | uuonld he Rccnmnlished The hest insti6nafir,