National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-02-14
THE DEMOCRATIC REVOLUTION.

mon country.
THE DEMOCRATIC REVOLUTION.
The attempt of the Democrats to engraft
upon the appropriation bills new legislation
to reverse or stop the wheels Of government
is revolutionary in the highest degree but
one short step being open between it and
armed rebellion. The present purpose of
the Southern Democracy is to force upon
an appropriation bill repeal of the laws
regulating the election of President and
members of Congress, and the securing of
their fair and honest election. This is an
1t is secured to it by the Constitution Of the
United States, the same as the right inheres
to State governments under the State con-
stitutions to provide for the election OF State
officers. The authority of the Federal Gov
ernment is indisputable in this regard. 1t
is a wise and just provision, and one which
cannot be eliminated without cndnngerng
the healthy structure of the Government
The object of these laws, which are an
tagonized by the Southern section of the
country more especially, is tosecure an cleo
ton of Presidents and Representatives in
Congress by pure, unrestrained, unem-
barrassed, uncorrupted exercise of the cleo
tive franchise. It applies equally to every
State in the Union, and it places q strong
shield between the ballot-box and wrong
and corruption. There can be no possible
objection to it on the part of honest men,
Ia IL I,os aI IN
the preiudices and hostility of knaves. For
the reason that these laws seek to keep the
elective franchise within the bounds of
honesty they have become obnoxious to the
/ sentiment of class of men whose highest
ambition it is to secure political place and
advantage by agencies that are at war with
the purity of the ballot.box and the guar
antees of good government.
| 1t is well demonstrated in history that in
the late Confederate States, to say nothing
of other localities, it is simply impossible to
punish offenders against the existing cleo
tion laws in the State courts. 1t is only
| through the processes of the United States
courts that the conviction Of offenders can
! be secured, no matter how positive the evil
dence of guilt. With the experiences OF
the past and the probabilities of the future
staring them in the face, the Republican
party stands as a unit in resisting every
effort to abrogate the election laws and
throw the elective franchise open to the
corruptions, frauds, and wrongs that are
known to environ and menace them. II
will resist to the bitter end any and every
measure that looks to disarming the Gen.
eral Government of full and unrestricted
control of its own elections.
The Democrats demand repeal of all
laws for the protection of the elective fran
chise, and they not only demand it, but
they urge their Representatives in Congress:
to stop the wheels of the Government anG
bring everything to stand-still unless that
nelarious purpose can be accomplished
They demand that all safeguards to pur,
elective franchise shall he demolished, O.
the Government shall stop as a consequence
In other words unless our elections fo
President and members Of Congress are dis
armed of all power of selEprotection Their
shall be no Governmental shall be starved
out for the want Of appropriations to enabl
it to perform its proper functions Two o
the reasons assigned for urging this revolu
tionary measure are worthy the men ant
purposes involved. They are these, as w
copy them from their own organ at the Ma
tional Capital:
Again we state that if this Congress fails +
repeal the election law, or, in default of repeal
fails TO force HAYES TO the wall, aud obedi
) emily votes him the money he needs to carr
, out his infamous designs, the Democratic part
will not control the organization of the Forty
sixth House of Representatives, and when tina
2 body meets seven of its members-elect will b
{ serving out sentences in the penitentary,
there is force enough 10 put them there, in aC
cordance with the sentences OF packed juriC
b and corrupt judges.
So, then, here is law for protecting tn
elective franchise from corruption, ballO
box stuf1ing, bull doing, aud intimidation
which must be lifted from the statute boo
and thrown aside to enable Democrat
House to organize itself in corruption, an
: to save seven ofits members, who are guilt
f of crimes against its provisions from tn
. penltentiary. Such an admission is worth
, u party which only sustains itself in pow'
!. by corrupt agencies and violation of Il
= laws. Such an admission would put an
, other party to shame and lead it to hide i
n diminished head.
s The Republicans have clearly-defnC
duty in this regard to perform. 1t shoul
C stand firmly by these election laws an
r, yield not jot or title of their supremac
, fIou,,h tha namocrnts nnrrv thair revol,
8 tionary threat into execution and susper
;, the functions Of the Government. TIL
c revolutionary movement must be met by
i firm and determined front, and the peop
5. will sustain the act as they did the SUI
s. preston of the rebellion, This is a chi
t of the same family, and it must be sacr
a feed for the public welfare, as were liv
e and treasure to save the Union against +,
Il bellion in arms.