The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1879-03-12
Our Washington Letter.
VERITAs.

| the Executive the rlght 10 station
troops at the polls IN certain emergen-
cies, or that the President might net
pervert it to securing partisan advan-
tages. The same may be said as to
the possibilities under the statute Gre
ating Federal supervisors. But OBJ
iections Of similar or much more ser.
ious import may be urged against
almost every law on the statute books.
nevertheless their proprietS, their alb.
solIte necessity is nevtr seriously ques-
toned save by the criminal classes,
marauders and freebooters against
whose evil designs and practices they
were specially intended to protect the
law abiding members of society. But
not one specific case ofsuch perversion
Of the laws under consideration has
been proven, though the country was
ransaoked to find it, and a partisan
committee was hurriedly packed off to
New York, hoping that of the hun.
dreds or thousands alleged against
Supervisor Davenport, one might be
found capable of substantiation. Both
efforts were dismal, ignominious fail.
ures. In the face Of the volumes Of
false charges of usurpation and arbi.
trary sketch of power written and
spoken against Davenport in and out
of Congress, the most that the com.
mittee could find to report against him
to their fellows waiting in Congress
with the hope that its findings would
afford some justification for and vim
dicate the revolutionary programme
adhered to the end, was that he (Da-
venport) being the instrument of
despotic law, should be abolished.
However, conceding the fact of occa-
sional instances of prostitution of the
two laws in question to partisan ends
or their abuse by tyranical or incom-
petent military commanders and su.
pervisors, it is demonstrable that for
every instance of the kind, thousands
entitled TO exercise that right have
been encouraged to deposit their vote
by the presence at the polls of a sufi.
cient number Of soldiers to insure them
protection, who had otherwise refrained
wholly from voting from the peril
they would thereby have incurred to
life and limb, saying nothing of other
| thousands bulldozed into voting with
a party that they lothed. And it is
as susceptible of proof that only the
zeal and good judgment of Federal
supervisors has prevented the legal
and reputable voters of many of our
large towns from being overslaughed
and overwhelmed by the army of
cruisers and repeaters which Democra-
cy has habitually organized from the
residents of the back slums, to decide
elections in favor of an unscrupulous
minority. 1t is only this latter class
who object to the soldiers and super
visors at the polls on election days.
Ten or 12 regular appropriation
bills were finally agreed to; two, the
Army and Legislative, executive and
judicial, containing "riders" to repeal
the law allowing soldiers at the polls
and abolishing election supervisors,
failed, thereby involving the necessity
for an extra session.
Among other bills of public import.
ancs signed by tho President were the
following; Bill reducing tax on tobac-
co and amending internal revenue
laws: census bill; bill to aid refund
ing of national debt by issue of small
Treasury certificates bill to prevent
the introduction and spread of infect.
ious and contagious diseases, and that
providing for payment of arrears of
pension under the late act. Total num-
ber of bills and joint resolutions intro
duced in the House during the session
was 6,826; Senate, 1886. Among
those Of more or less national moment
that failed besides the two appropria-
tion bills named we're bill to regulate
Interstate commerce.; Steamboat
bill"; Geneva Award bill; postal
savings bank bill; that to repeal spe.
Gle resumption act granting pensions
to Mexican war survivors; sugar
l,illl IL ~