National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-05-29

in n special manner TO superiutcnd their con- |
duct Oh that day SO as to prevent any viola |
tion of this act, aud for that purpose to dctan |
them In camp unless 1t shall be signiicd TO
him IN writing by the officer or officers prcsid-
ing over or conducting such election that the
vicinity Of such troops will incommodo or may
ovcrawc the voters, aud that he is rcqucatcd
to remove them to such convenient distance,
not exceeding one mile, us in such notice may
he prescribed, IN which case 1t shall he the
duty Of the officer to conform to the request
contained in such notice: PrOridcd, dlCdyS
That il shall be lawful for such officer to leave
at the proper station such guard as may be
necessary for the protection Of the works, mill
tary stores, and other property which may
have been intrustCd to his care.
SEC g. Ind BE- il further cadctcd That any
officer who shall refuse or fail to observe the
regulations of this act shall be adiudgcd guilty
| of fdsobcdencc Of orders and shall be cashicrcd.
Nothing in this act contained shall be con-
| strued to deprive officers or soldiers Of their
| right to vote MS citizens, for which purpose
| those who are entitled to vote may be permit
| ted to attend such elections unarmcd, as other
persons
Passed the House of Representatives March
| II, 1900.
There may have existed a necessity for
the above bill at the time it was brought
forward, but it bears 10 analogy 10 the
Democratic measure which it is called for
to Justify as precedent There never has
been, and there never should be- an array of
armed troops of the United States at the
polls. But if necessity should exist
for their use to preserve the pub
lie peace and maintain tie rights of
citizenship at the ballot-boX the law which
would prohibit that use would ibc an out
rage upon right and justice, inasmuch us
it bids bounty upon fraud injustice, and
violence The idea of having our elections
nterlercd with by what is termed bayonct
rule 81. is obnoxious to the sense of right
of every American citizen. Such a thing is
abhorrcnt. But when attempts are made
to intimdatc the voters in the free exercise
of their franchise; when Lull-dozcrs and
ballot-boX suffers attempt to corrupt the
balot-bo when these things and mare
occur to abridge the right of suffrage and
disturb the peace during our elections, with
no adequate power on the part of the civil
authorities TO protect right and preserve
the peace it would be far more abhorrent
70 correct public sense TO know that the
army is prohibited from givingits aid in the
enforcement of the laws and in the
protection Of the dearest rights Of the Amer
lean citizen. As no instance exists in his
tory where the army of the United States
interlered in any degree with our popular
elections when conducted pcaceably and
lawfully, and rs repeated instances have
occurred where armed banditti Of citizens
have bcscged the polls and interiered with
the rights of citizenship the reason for pro-
hibiting troops is not so clearly OF the side
that there is any danger Of their interfering
with the rights Of the people us that they
may possibly interpOsc between armed
mobs and ballot-boX suffers and the ballot
box, TO prevent the perpetration Of their de-
signs. The army has no tcrrors for any save
those who would violate law and right, and
hope TO escape its power under tho popular
} clamor of no bayonet rule.