Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1879-08-05

The second class to which we refer, are
men no less dangerous to the country.
They claim that the States have entire
control of elections, and that the United
States, as a nation, has no power to con-
trol OF supervise any elections. In the
discussion of this subject in Congress, the
following language was used, and Is quot
ed by Gen. Garfield in one of his speeches.
He says:
So extreme are some of these utteranceS
that Nothing short of actual quotations
from the Record will do their authors just
ice. / therefore shall read several extracts
from debates at the present session OF Con-
grc>S aud group them in the order OF the
topics discussed
senator Wallace Congressional Record,
June 8, pages 8 and 81 says
The Federal Government has no voters II
eslu make none, 10 can constuuuonally control
mono. when 10 asserts the power
10 create and hold national elections or To
regulate the conduct of the voter ON election
,,av, OF GO maintain equal suffrage, IL tIainplts
under foot the very basis of the federal system
and seeks 70 built "A consolidated government
from democratic republic. This Is the plan
purpose of the men now in control OF the Fed
cyal Government, and 10 his end me teachings
uf lradug republicans now are shaped.
There are no national voters. Voters who
vote for national Representatives are quallhcd
ly state constitutions and state laws anu ma.
tioual citizenship is not required OF voter OF
Che state hy amy provision oi the tc"et'h Con
sttgLon nor In practice.
It there Nc such thing then, - a national
election" 10 wants the first element OF an cleo
N... EDs| 80 N,nN
rucuf or fif 10 suits our friends ON the other
side better the nation has nc voters. IL can
not create them, 10 cauuo, qualify them.
Representative Clark, OF Missouri Rec
ord, April s6. page soy. says
The United states has ro voters.
senator Maxey, Texas Record, April
~, page ~, SAYS
10 follow, a, surely as "guss grows and water
nuns" fhlt, under our Constitution, the entire
control of elections must DE under the state
whose voters assemble whose risht 70 VOC :
staf,~. but existed and WAS freely exercised
iuus bciui, .;s adoption
Senator Williams Kentucky Record,
April -. page So says
Tho legislature OF the states and the peopl,
OF the several districts are The constituency oi
Senators and Representatives, in Congress.
They receive their commissions from the gov.
truOr and when they resign (Which j. very
seldom tlCN send their resignation 90 the GOV
eruor and not "a the President They are state
officer, and not Federal officers.
senator Wbyte Record, May u, page
u SAYS
There are no elections OF United states OH
Ger, and NO voter ~ tGe nitcd states The
VOTERS are the voters Ot the states. they are
fi,, l,eople OF the states and their members cd
tlr House of Representatives are chosen 10y
the electors OF the states to represent the PEG
PIE 90 tle states, whose agents they ar"
Mt McLaue Record April 8, page 10
SAYS
IbeIIeVe that tho prov .~.Ou OF law which We
axe about 90 repeal j. unconsututlonal. that Is
TO saw THAI 10 j. ufscou sttutloual FOR the uito
states tU keep the peace anywhere IN lh'
states. either no the polls or elsewhere anu d
b. y,cr,. couSti tutioual, ! believe In common
with gentlemen ou this side of the House, tuA'
~ would Dee highly !neXpedieut 90 exercise that
mower. when That law useo
BE- phrase "to keep The peace" % could only
mean the peace OF the states.
ri,uot possible Co have q breach OF The United
states peace 90 the polls,
These men have opened the States
Rights issue, and have declared that the
question Of national supremacy was not
settled bv the war. As one remarked
we are now 20 discuss the issues that were
before 1860. Our own Democratic friend,
In Oxford County and in the state plain
IL declare that the question Of Statc'
Rights viii bc the prominent issue bctor,
u>. mex, wear, and their plan is TO break
their national opponents by means of The
Grc,uback party, that they may gam the
more strength TO oycrwhc.m those VIII,
believe in the supremacy Of the Union.
The right Of the nation TO supcrlntenc
/ the lection Of its officers, in "a judiciou'
manner, VIII no, be questioned by loya
men. No more Just OF FAIR method than
that now in operation can be devised, i
| is simply this: On petition, two men, one
belonging TO either party, are appointed
90 watch the registration Of voters. They
/ are also empowered TO watch the counting
| Of votes by municipal officers, and t.
make a record Of the same. II any hay,
/ falsely registered, their votes are chal
lengcd. and if the party insists on voting
he Is arrested for fraud The supervision
Is Of "a nonpartisan character and can sci
dom affect an honest voter.
These officers would be powerleSs L
arrest those who attempt to commit fraud
| If there was no force TO assist them. Tn,
/ United States Narshals do this work wheI
properly empowered. These Marshal
also enforce the collection of revenue anC
suppress Illicit distillerieS. In some State.
these officers are resisted by armed men
and they nust have large force to crust
/ these little rebelliOns.
Our States Rights friends contend that
the United States have no voters anC
have no right to enforce these laws b!
use of the army, of MarShalS, or of Su
pervisors. We declare that it Is neceS
sary for the general government TO do al
these things to secure honest elections
within the States, to protect honest voter
and 70 enforce It's laws. This Is the issu,
that has been made up by the last two
sessions of Congress. II is easy to pre-
diet how the loyal North, which believes
in an honest and Untrammeled ballot, vii
vote upon it. The doctrine of States
Rights viii be crushed by load of paper
ballots, and buried beneath them, nevei
to rise again.