Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-05-02
THE VERMONT PHOENIX, BRATTLEBORO FRIDAY, MAY 2

all power to keep the peace at the congress-
ional elections The congressional elections
in every district, in a very important sense
are justly matter of political interest and
concern throughout the whole country. Each
State, every political party, is entitled TO the
share Of power which is conferred by the le-
gal and constitutional suffrage. II is the
right Of every citizen, possessing the qualifi-
cations prescribed by law to cast one vote
unintimdnted and to have his ballot honest.
/ ly counted. SO long as the exercise OF this
| power and the enjoyment Of this right are
common and equal, practically as well as for.
mally, submission to the results of the SUI.
frage win he accorded Loyalty aud che-rfullv,
and all the departments Of the government
will feel the true vigor Of the popular will
/ thus expressed
REGULATING CONGRESSIONAL ELECTIONS.
Two provisions Of the constitution author
/ lie legislation Of Congress for the regulation
/ of tho congressional election. Section I of
| article | of the constitution declares thai the
/ times. places and manner Of holding elections
| for Senators ard Representatives ,hIl be-
| prescribed in each State by the Legislature
thereof, but thu Congress may at any time hv
/ law, make or alter such regulations except A.
to thu places of choosing Senator's. The fif-
tccnth 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 color pre-
vious condition Of seryitude.
Section ,. The Congress shall have power to enforce
this article by appropriate legislation.
The supreme Court has held that this
amendment invests the citizens of the United
States with newconstitutionalr right whichis
| within the protecting power Of Congress That
| right the court declares to he exemption from
discrimination III the exercise of the elective
franchise, on account of race, color or previ-
Gus condition Of seryitude. The power Of
Congress to protect this right by appropriate
legislation is expressly affirmed 10y the court
National legislation to provide safeguards for
free and honest election is necessary, as ex-
rrrleuce has shown, not only to secure the
right TO vote to the eufmnchised race at the
South, but also to prevent fraudulent voting
in the large cities of the North Congress
has, therefore, exercised the power conferred
by the constitution, and has enacted certain
laws to prevent determinations on account Of
race, color or previous condition Of seryitude.
and to punish fraud, violence and intimidation
at federal elections.
IMPORTANT LAWS.
Attention is called to the following sections
Of the revised statutes Of the United States.
See root which guarantees to all ctil ns
a right to vote without distinction ON account
Of race color or previous condition OF srryi-
tude secs. 9O05 and 2OOG. which guarantee
10 all citizens equal opportunity, without dis.
elimination, to perform all the acts required
by law AS prerequisite qualification for
voting see. 2O22, which authorizes the
United States marshal and his deputie, to
keep the peace and preserve order at the fed
eral elections sec. 2024 which expressly author
ICES the United States marshal and deputies
to summon u posse cOmitdtus whenever they
or any of them are forcibly resisted in the
execution of their duties under the law. or
are prevented from executing such duties by
violence; sec. j522, which provides for the
punishment of the crime of interfering with
the supervisors Of elections and deputy mar
shals III the discharge of their duties at the
elections Of r representatives. to Congress.
These are some Of the laws on this subject
which it is the duty Of the executive depart
meut of the government to enforce The in
tent and effect Of the sixth section of this bill
is to prohibit all the civil officers Of the Unit
ed States under penalty of fine and mprison-
ment, from employing any adequate civil
force for this purpose, at the place where
their enforcement is most necessary, namely,
at the place where the grtssiunul elections
are held. Among the most valuable enact
ments to which | have referred sre those
which protect the supervisors Of federal cleo
tions in the discharge of their duties at the
polls. If the proposed legislation should be- |
come law, there will be no power vested in |
any officer of the government to protect from |
violence the officers of the United States en-
gagged in the discharge of their duties Their |
rights and duties und' the law vii remain |
but the national GOV, runvnt will hc power |
less to enforce its own statutes The States |
may employ both military and civil power to |
keep the peace and to enforce the laws Of |
State elections. 1t is now proposed to deny |
to the United States even the necessary civil |
authority 10 protect the national elections |
No sufficient rasou has been given for this |
discrimination ia favor Of thu Stat, and |
against the national authority. II wei found |
ed objections exist against the present ua-
tional election laws, all good citizens should |
unite in their amendment The laws pruvid- |
ing safeguards of the elections should be- i'm
partial just and efficient They should, If |
possible, hr SO non partisan and fair in their
operation that the minority, the party out Of |
power, will hay, 10 just grounds to complain
The pres Mt laws have, in practice, uuqucs-
tionably conduced to the prevention Of fraud
and violence at the elections. In several Of |
the States, members Of different political par
ties have applied for the safeguards which
thy furnish. II is the right aud duty of the
national government TO enact and enforce
laws which will secure free and fair congress
sional elections. The laws now in force
should not be repealed exec pit in connection
with the enactment of measures which will
better accomplish that important end
CONCLUSIONS OF TIE PRESIDENT.
Believing that sec 6 of the bill before me
will weaken, if it does not altogether take
away the power of the national government
to protect the federal elections, by the civil
authorities, | am forced TO the conclusion
that it ought not to receive my approval |
This section is, however, not presented to me
as separate and independent measure, but
is, as has been stated, attached to the bill
making the usual annual appropriation for
the support OF the army. 1t makes "a vital
change in the election laws of the country,
which is in no way connected with the use of
the army. 1t prohibits, under heavy penal
ties any person engaged in the civil service
of the United States from having any force
at the place Of any election prepared to pre-
serve order, to make arrts SITS to keep the
peace or in any manner to enforce the laws.
This is altogether foreign to the purpose Of
any army appropriation bill
The practice of lacking to appropriation |
bills measures not pertinent to such bills did
not prevail until more than 80 years after the |
adoption of the constitution. 1t has become
4 common practices AL parties, when III |
power have adopted it. Many abuses and a |
great waste of public money have in this way
;rept into appropriation bills.
THE PUBLIC OPINION OF THE COUNTRY
IS against it, The States which have recent
y adopted a constitution have generally pro-
'ided remedy for the evil by enacting that
no law shall contain more than one subject,
which shall be plainly expressed in its title.
The constitutions of more than half of the |
States contain substantially this provision.
The public welfare will be promoted in many
says by return to the early practice of the
government and 70 the true principle of leg
Station, which requires that every measure
shall stand or fall according to its own mer-
IS. If it were understood that TO attach TO
IN appropriation a measure irrelevant to the
general object of the bill would imperl and
probably prevent its final passage and ap-
lroyal,