Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1879-06-04

tion by any Judge oil the courts or the United
States. The validity OF these laws Is sustained
by the uniform course OF Judicial action and opin-
ions,
A REcol RISE TO HISTORY. Z
IL it Is urged that United states ~electios laws
are not necessary, an ample reply Is furnished by
the history of their origin and of their results.
They were especially prompted by investigation
and exposure of frauds committed In I c city and
state OF New York. ut the election or 1873. Com
mittees representing both of the leading political
parties OF the country have submitted reports to
the house OF representatives as 10 the exttn Mt of
those frauds. a comm ttee of the 10th congress,
otter n full investigation, reached the conclusion
that the number of fraudulene votes east IN the
city OF New FORK alone in 1858, was not less than
70, NO. A committee OF the iilh congress- In their
report, submitted in 1871. adopted the opinion
that Tor every one hundred actual voters OF the
CITY or New York IN 1873, one hundred and eight
Votes were cast, when in fact tue number Of law
full votes cast could not have exceeded IS per
cent. of the actual voters OF the city. BY this
statement the number OF fraudulent votes at that
election In the city OF New York alone WAS be-
tween thirty and forty thousand. These frauds
completely reversed the result OF the election IN
the state of New York, both as TO the choice of
governor and state officers and ms To the choice of
electors OF president and vice president OF the
United States. They attracted the attention of
whole country. Ii wa sald that If they could he
Continued and repeated with impunity free gov
ernlHcat was impossible. A distinguished sena-
tor IN opposing the passage of the election laws,
declared he had Tor a long time believed that our
form of government was comparatively a failure
in the larger cities. To meet these evils and 10
prevent these crimes the L nited states laws regu.
lating congressional elections were enacted.
THE FRAMERs OF THESE LAWS
have not been disappointed in their results. In
large cities under their provisions the elections
have been comparatively peaceable. orderly and
honest. Even the opponents of these laws have
borne testimony to their value and efficiency and
TO the necessity for Their enactment, lhe com
mittee of the Iith congress-, composed of mem,
beers, a majority of whom were opposed TO these
laws, in their report on the New York election of
l~sI6said. The would commend TO other
portions of the country and 10 other cities the re-
merkable system developed through the agency
OF both cal and federal authorities acting in har.
mouy for an honest purpose. In no portion of
the world and III no era of time where there has
been an expression OF the popular will through
the forms o. law, has there been u more complete
and thorough illustration of republican institu-
lions. Whatever may have been tho previous
habit or conduct of elections in those %eilios, or
however they may conduct themselves In the
future, the elections of 1876 will stand IA n monu-
inent OF what good faith. honest means on Il gal
forms and just authority may do for the protection
OF the electoral franchise
THIS BIlL RscoG NIzEs
the authority aud duty Of the United States 10 ap-
point super, Isors TO guard and soruliuize congress
sional elections, but II denies TO the government Of
the United States all power to make it, supervision
eiiectual, The great body of all parties want frce
aud fair elections. They do not think a free
election means freedom from wholesome restraints
OF law, or that the place of an election should be the
sanctuary FOR lawl,ssness aud crime. On the day of
an ell elton, peace and good order are moro accessory
than on any other day OF the year On that day the
humblest and ieeblrst citizens, aged and iairm,
should be aud should have reason 20 feel that they
are safe in the exercise of their most responsible
duty and their most sacred right as members of So
ciety-their duty and their right to vote. The con-
stitutional authority to rcgulate congressional cleo
tons which belongs TO the government of the United
states, and which il Is necessary to exert to secure
the righ' to vote to every citizen possessing tho
requisite qualifications, ought to be enforced 10y APP
propria e leg station. SO far from public opinion
in any part of the country fayofing any relaxation
of the authority OF the government in the protection
Of elections from violence aud corruption, | believe
it
DEMANDS GREATER yGoR,
framed for that purpose. Any oppression, any par
tisan partiality which experience may have shown
in the working of existing laws, may well engage
the careful attention both of congress and Of the
executive in their respective spheres OF duty for the
corr of these mischieis. As no
congressional elections occur until after the regular
session Of congress will have been held, there
seems to be no party ~exigcncy, that would preclude
II reasonable consideration ~ that session of any ad.
minstration details that might improve present
methods designed Tor the protection OF all citizens in
the complete and equal exercise of the riAht and
power of suffrage at such elections. But with my
views. both of the constitutionality and of the value
of existing laws,
l CANNOT APPROVE
with the enactment of other legislation which may
reasonably be expected to afford wiser and more ell
cient safe guards for free and honest congressional
elections,
~(sigued) RUTHERFORD b. HAYES.
Executive Mansion, May 20, 1879.