The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1879-04-04
THE FEDERAL rLECrIoN LAWS.

ton which it had assumed during the
last session in regard to the odious and
burdensome federal election laws which
were enacted by the Radicals and un-
der which have been uselessly paid out
hundreds el thousands of dollars Of
the peoples money. The OFeyoaida
affects to see, in the attempt to repeal
these laws, design on the part of
Democrats to regain and perpetuate
power by the practice Of all sorts of
frauds at elections. In making this as
sertion that paper is either wilfully
blind to the true state of affairs or pur-
pOsely and recklessly mistates the case.
In the last session, the general ap-
preparation bills failed because the Rad.
ical Senate refused its assent to the ac.
tion of the Democratic House in repeal.
ing "the several sections Of the Revised
Statutes of the United States, from
and including section 2,0ll to and in
cluding section 2,03l, and all other pro-
visions of law authorizing the appoint
ment or the performance of any duty
by any chief or other supervisor of cleo
tions, or any special deputy marshal or
other deputy marshal of elections, or
the payment of any money to any such
supervisor or deputy marshal of cleo
tions for any services performed as
such"
These sections do not touch the pro-
visions of law which make criminal of,
fences of frauds at elections and pro-
vide for the punishment of such frauds.
The sections designated are those which
create special officers, supervisors of
elections, and which authorize the crea-
ton during elections of small army
of deputy marshals, who, in the Ian
guage of Senator Bayard, are to ere
ceive large amounts lavishly paid for
doing that which they could have no
right to do, interfering with free elec-
tions in the States"
The Oregonisn asserts that the crea-
ton of these election supervisors" can
have no political significance, because
one must bo appointed from each politi-
cal party. That paper knows, if it is
posted at all, that these supervisor"
are appointed by the Federal Circuit
Judges, and We would like to know
where a Democrat has been appointed
as one Of these supervisors. The
fact is, the whole machinery of this cum
brouS affair is made up from federal ap-
pointments. The deputy marsbals re-
ceive their appointments from the mar
shals, who make as many as may seem
good for them. The supervisors, Of
whom there may be two at each polling
place, are paid from 50 to so per
diem. The deputy lnarshals get s. Il
day for each ten days, $50 head, and
Of them as many as eleven thousand
have served for one years elections
No such officers were known in this
country until 1871, and no good has
been known Of them since 1871.
In the nature of things these officers
have been and must be mere partisan
tools Of the Administration at Washing
ton, of whatever politics that Aminis-
tration may be. The law authorizing
them is simply means of corruption.
In 1876, under this bad law, an i'm
mense army of these partisan instru-
ments was turned loose upon this coun-
try. There were 1868 supervisors
and ll,6l0 deputy marshals, at a cost
to the people with whose rights they
interfered of S27j,29 in money, and
untold wrongs to the citizens. In
1873, the number was less, and the ex
pense was S202,29I. These sums did
not foot the bills, and the late Congress
was asked for s25O,OOO more to make
up unpaid wages. The Democrats in
the House did not chose to sontinue
the system, and sought to abolish it.
The Radical Senate, though fully aware
of the result before the incoming Dem
ocratic Senate, dissented. Tho appro-
Priations failed. An extra session re-
suits.
While the Oreyonian is mourning
sver the approaching demolition of
this infamous Radical election iugger-
naut, other Northern Radical papers
are whining about it as "another in
stance of Southern aggressions" s"-claim-
ing that the South once more controls
the Democracy and seeks to repeal
these sections of law in order to fur
ther oppress the negro voter. Two
facts show how false these statements
are. First, deputy marshals are only
allowed in cities of more than 10000
inhabitants, which are few and far
between in the South. Second, Of the
S275,Q00 used to pay them in 1876,
s230,000 were used in the Northern
States, $4,000 in New York alone.
The same proportions obtained in 1878.
The money was spent in Northern
Democratic States mainly and in the