Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1879-05-29
The { Champions of Free Elec-
lions.


preparation bills, which previous Con-
gress controlled by the same political
party neglected and refused to pass. has
now been in session nearly two moneEs.
To all appearance it is no nearer the &C
complishment Of its own purpose, or
the object for which it was called to-
getlef, than at the outset. Its attitude
is that of Withholding the appropria-
tions necessary to cay on the Govern
ment, except upon the condition that
the P resident shall give his approval to
certain legislation which they desire.
The Constitution has made fOr the con-
iingency which has arisen ii this disa-
@ cement, a specific provision that no
mere majority, but only two-thicds
vote OF each House, sliall override the
Presiden. al ve,o. The object of the
dominant parry OF cod'se is To annul this
provision-to compel the President to
give his assent to such measures as a
mere majority may pass. They have
been fumbling over the vocabulary for
some less offensive name than reyOlu-
ton by which the transaction may be
described, but have not succeeded. One
of their own organs says it is something
more than reyoluIion-it is ruin; and
the observation has the merit of being
accurately true. Sill there they stand
in threatening and defiant attitude, each
day making it more certain that Their
conditions will not be complied with.
and increasing the difficulties and the
disgrace of the Inevitable surrender.
o. course this cannot last fO:ever.
They must presentlV either pass the an
pIopriations, or rcco.d d final and deci-
GIVE re Nusal and go home. Whicheye-
they do, Tie constituents Of these Sub
born statesmen will nayurally inquire o.
them as TO the merits o. the contrOve =
sy. Our Democratic Lends will say to
them, as they have been saving al! alols,
I'VE took ou: staId for ieedom o.
elections; freedom rom the p 'esecce
"and inte~fe cree at the polls of Federal
troops or Federal supervisors. On taai
tissue we 70 ced the e:sta session. ard
"co1 .'ronted the AdminisiIai on. On
"that we appeal to the peOp.e." But
will that fi-e The popular hea- Will
the people rise up in response and say,
"Wel, done, good aad faithful servants,
and pnoceed 10 G We the DemOc al C par
ty the absolute con: oil o. The Gove:l-
me1t it is so eager so:? win the Gnat
tached voters flock to the DemOciay.c
standard III such numbe"3 on such an
issre, as TO bring victory with them? 1t
strikes rs thai TO the cool and thought
full voters of t1-s class-as most of them
are-the question VIII occur whether, "a
ter ali, the e is any such danger of the.
use OF troops at the pos as warrants
the don;nant party in the extreme
measu es il has resotted 10, or whether
che presence of Federal supervise IS
such al outrage laat they must De put
down at such cost. They will be ve.J
litely to inquire who the men ale vino
manifest such soi:citude for the freedom
and putty of elections. And we asL, in
all consciousness, is there a Democ: at
in either House OF Congress with SUCH
constitutional gravity o. demeanor as TO
be able to answer without his tongue il
his cheek? There are two wings or sec
Ions 10 this Democratic parry, whici
Insists so strenuOusly Oh freedom o.
elections. One is the Southern. the Oh
eT the No:thern or Tammany wing.
And lhey are the champions Of free
elections.
Why, there is no fact more notorious
IN political history than tnat, up to The
period OF Republican rule in the South.
there had never been free election in
those States; never time when an op-
ponent of slavery could vote there ac-
cording TO his convictions excepS Oh
pe-n OF his 'fe. Freedom of electloRs
indeed! Why, for ten years before the
war, MAJ could not express political
opinion in the South, much less cast
vote in opposition to the slave-drlving
Democracy, without being tarred and
feathered, or perhaps hanged. And these
are the men who come up TO Washing
ton and make all this pOther about free
elections, demanding in that behalf the
repeal OF laws passed by the only party
that ever gave the South free elections,
and passed for that purpose, 100. Who
that knows history can be fooled with
that sort of talk? And here's our Tam
many Democracy, too, helping to hold
the Government by the Ihfoat under
threat of starvation if the law providing
for Federal supervisors of elections is
not repealed. Somebody will be asking
by and by why the Tammany Democra-
cy are so excited about Federal interfe-
renee. And we presume the answer will
be that it is an insult to Democrats to
put watch on them at the polls, and
that they will not tolerate it. That will
be the answer on the stump and in the
newspapers; no intelligent person can
look his fellow-man individually in the
iace and discuss any such proposition
seriously. The story of Tammany Hall,
and for that matter the Whole Demo-
cratic parry, in connection with free
elections, is too well Known. But herss
the situation, and this is the issue. In a
few days these patriols-let us hope
VII go 5uldling home, and when thei:
constituents ask them what they have
been making all this pother about, viii
answer thai they were insisting upon
freedom Of elections. And their con-
stituents viii say "What! You? Well,
"ailer Ben Hills claim that the NOrrbeIn Il
Democracy saved the Union, we needn't
be surprised at anything" York
Tribune.
OHIO LEGT GTsLATURE.