Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-10-06
TROOPS 1T THE pOLYS.

Senator Blaine, in his speech at Bellaire,
ONO, last week devoted considerable time to
discussing the resolution of the Democratic
party OF that State condemning the employ
ment of troops at the polls. He claimed
that the Republican party, in standing up
against the repeal of the law authorizing the
presence of the army at elections had had
no desire to intimidate any legal voter, or to
influence him in the course he wished to pr,r-
sue. The only purpose sought to be &C.
oomplished was to preserve the peace and
protect every citizen in his right to cast a
FREQ and untrammelled ballot. He ridiculed
the idea that the sight of blue uniform
and mCsket would have the effect of in
tluenclng any man, forgetting that those
things are the symbols of authority and that,
no matter how small force is employed, the
threat implied is quite as potent as if the
voters were overawed by a large army. A
single soldier is hint of the possession of
greater power which is ready to be exer-
cised in case the menace is not effective.
AS showing whether or not troops have
been employed in the past to intimidate
voters, an exchange has made few extracts
from the report of committee of the Della
ware legislature appointed to examine into
the use of troops in that State. The COM
mittee examined large number of Witness
es, and arrived at the following conclusions
The testimony of the witnesses proves that
the presence of military at the polls did pro-
duce great intimidation and alarm; did result
in favor Of the Republican party and in the in
Jury OF the Democratic party; did prevent a
1ree ana q! fair expression of public sentiment;
and did secure the election Of governor of this
State against the known wishes of large ma
Jorlty OF the legal voters of the State. A care
ful review of the testimony sufficiently proves
that IN all the hundreds in Kent and Sussex
counties, to which troops were sent by the gen.
era! government, they were placed under and
made subject to the absolute control of parti-
san marshals, many Of them entirely destitute
OF character, and capable of being Influenced
by designing partlsans to the commission of
any act OF outrage or violence which might be-
come necessary to the accomplishment of their
op]ect-the carrying the election in favor of
the Republican ticket. That the marshals did.
IN violation of the constitutional and legal
rights Of the citizens of the State, use the mill
tary forces under their command to intimidate
and deter Democratic voters from the express
sion OF their opinions and the fair exercise of
Inc elective franchise; that in some hundreds
they arrested unofending citizens and kept
tnem IN confinement for hours, and in others
they frightened the voters from tho polls.
If the troops were once used to serve a
party purpose they can be so used again.
But, say the defenders of the system, the
government has too much regard for the lib
critics of the citizen to employ troops for any
such purpose. How does any one know
this! Are our present rulers any better than
those we have had in the past? Or will the Of
hclals we shall have in the future be any more
regardful of the right of citizens than were
those few years ago? Human nature is
the same all the world round, and if the
present or the next administration saw O
chance of perpetuating its power by the use
or troops to inimidate voters, it would no,
hesitate to do so. At any rate, we prefer
that 1t shall not have the power, even though
there may be no immediate danger of it's exer-
else. The simple possession of dangerous
power is strong temptation to its exercise
and the only safety Of the people is to have
all such powers wholly abrogated. Mr..
Hayes may not use the army to defeat the
will of the people, but of this we have no
guaranty. 1t is best to be on the safe side,
and to remove the possibility of such a sub
version of the theory of the republic.