The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1879-05-01


men at place where any general o.
special election is held in any State, I'M
less it be necessary to repel armed ene-
mics of the United States, or to keel
peace at the polls. -
And section 5, 52S is in these words:
'Evory Officer of the army or navy, o.
other persons in the civil, military, o.
naval service of the United States. who
orders, brings, or keeps, or has under
his authority or control, any troops Oh
armed men, at any place where a general
or special election is held in any State
unless such force be necessary to repel
armed enemies of the United Slater, OF
to keep peace at the polls, shall be fined
not more than $500, and suffer impris.
onment at hard labor not less than three
months, nor more than five years"
These sections, though widely separat-
ed IN the Revised Ststutes, are parts of a
general law passed on the 18th of Febru-
ary, 1866, "to prevent officers of the ar
my and navy, and other persons engaged
III the service, from interfering in elec-
tions IN the States" Q3 Statutes at
Large, page 437.) The first section de-
nounced the use of troops at elections
except IN the two specified cases, and the
second section provided penalties for dis
obedience. The two excepted cases are
when troops were necessary to repel
| armed enemies of the United States or to
keep peace at the polls? The sixth Sec
ton of the appropriation bill proposes to
strike from both sections the words. cor
to keep peace at the polls" and nothing
more, so that the army cannot be used
hereafter for any purpose. As an ab.
stract proposition could there be any ra-
tional objection to this? Oughtthe army
to be used at polls when there has been
profound peace for more than a decade?
Does any one believe that such a law
world ever have received the approval of
the American Congress if it had been
brought forward in time of peace. 1t
was passed when formidable civil war
was IN progress, taxing to the utmost the
resources OF the country. In the opinion
OF patriots Of that day, the state Of feel
ing IN certain parts of the country was of
such character as to endanger peaceful
elections while war lasted unless a mighty
tended or expected it should rein, -,,z
part of the permanent law OF the lanG.l
They were too we'll read in the lessons
of history and the traditions of the Ang
lo-Saxon race to believe a free people
would tolerate, except in great emergen
cies 0ike a war waged for the mainten
ance of the Union), the Interference of
the military in civil concerns. And they
were men of principle and did not wish
it to be otherwise. 1T is no new thing in
time OF peace to repeal q law passed in
time of war. Indeed, no wise statesman
will hesitate tc do it if the law be insult
able to the changed condition Of things.
Ii is part of the very nature Of every
man of our race to rebel against anything
which interferes with the freedom Of elec-
ton, and the days of the republic are
numbered if the people ever consent to
place the ballot-box under the protection
of the bayonet.
But, Mr.. President, this consent will
never be obtained until they have forgot
ten the principles of constitutional hber-
ty and the precedents set by the Com
mons of England. Can it be possible
that principle of common law, right
of the people to have an election free
from the presence of troops, So dear tt
Englshmen 100 years ago, is not equal!
dear to their descendants at the present
Mr.. President, it will require some one
now living to write accurately the his
tory of these times, for the future histo
rian will be slow to believe. that ther
was any basis on which to rest such al
inquiry in the Congress of the Unitet
States during the latter part of the nine
teenth century. Why, then, should nc
the law of 1865 be altered in the manne
: proposed by this bill? It is SAID tha
e President Lincoln signed it, and the IL
: ference is that it would reflect on hi
memory to change it. To say the leas
: this is pretty strong presumption frol
J. such predicate. No man loved NJ
a Lincoln better or honors his memoT
: more than I do, nor had any one great'
J opportunities to learn the constitution
o his mind and character and his habits
= thought. He was large hearted, wis
e than those associated with him, full
1t sympathy for struggling humanity, wit
IS ont malice, with charity for erring me
he loving his whole country with deep d
es votion and intensity, anxious to save
lie Believing, as I do, that he was raised I
lt by Providence for the great crisis of t
as war of rebellion, have equal belief th;
IS had he lived, we would have been spar
IN much of the strife of these latter da,
C. and that we would be on the high road
ID prosperity. Such man, hating
forms of oppression, and deeply imbu
be with the principle that induced the m
,e- of 177G to resist the stamp tax, wor
at never have willingly intrusted power
an anyone, unless war was fragrant, to sc
he troops to oversee an election. WI
DC then, repeat, should not the propos
he measure pass There is no rebelli'
ill nor any threatened, nor any domestic
ny roar anywhere. The Union is cemen
,k- by blood that was shed in defense of
wo integrity; the laws are obeyed North g
&c. South, East and West, and our only ,
VS.: ferences relate to the administration