The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1879-04-04
LEaALIzED sCouNDRELIsx.

LEGALIZED SCOUNDRELISA. a
The Utica New York; Observer
gives the following concise deanttton
If the Federal election law, and thinks
It's repeal can be effected only by utii- t
Izing the appropriation bill !: ~ /,
On the question Of repeating the UNI
federal election acts, the
are so clearly In the right
that the Republicans have virtually
the argument on its merits,
and have put In a demand for more
time. They make a plausible state
ment to the effect thatthe repeal should
be taken up In the regular. order OF
business, and should not be
forced through Congress at an extra
session. Further, they profess 10 be-
lieve that It should form 4 distinct act
and should not be tackled to an appro-
priation bill. .-{sy 49,
It is proper to consider these points
fairly. First as to the question of time.
Congress will meet In regular session |
in December, 1879. Six weeks or two
months will elapse before any lmpor- |
tant bill can go through the regular
process and be enacted into n law.
This delay would carry US to January
OF CeOruaFy, looO. - WOVAu O0 S.A0
event of Presidential canvass. The
country would be stirred to partisan
activity. A fair discussion Of abstract
politics could not then be had. The
Republicans would assert that the
Democrats had repealed the federal
election law to aid them in carrying
the doubtful States, and the Demo-
Gratis would respond that they had done
1t to prevent the Republicans from re-
peating the frauds Of 1876. With so
many other subjects claiming atten-
ton, this repeal could not get the at
tention it deserves, and it would be
handled on both sides unfairly.
1t is hardly necessary to say that If
we did not believe the federal election
laws were bad in theory, and worse in
practice, we should not advocate their
abrogatiou. They are q menace to our
institutions. They give to irresponsi-
BILE judges who, in some instances,
| have proved themselves unmitigated
1 knaves, a larger power than the gener-
i al government legiti,nately possesses.
They foist upon Utica forty needless
office holders, at an expense Of $4,000
for each Congressional election, and
this money goes not to purifying the
ballot, but to fattening few objects OF
quasi judicial favor. This system in
wolves an expenditure of not less than
three million dollars year. 1t ena-
bles a beggardly and irresponsible
minority in some of the States to con.
troll the whole machinery of an cleo
, ton, through power derived from dis
/ tant sources. 1t involves the use o.
the army to intinidate voters and or
, occasion to set aside the verdict of the
+ people. In England, if the troops o
!, the government should take possession
, CT polling place. under orders from
the Queen, the Queens head woult
pay the penalty. In France, if thu
military should pass upon the title o
!, the civil authority, as was done IL
: Louisiana and South Carolina, ther,
would he u revolution inside OF twenty
!. four hours. In no other country OF
= the face of the earth. with the possibl
exception of China, would the crime
!, wrought under the cover of this fedeI
. nj election system be permitted to g
! unpublished. It has already been sue
: cessfully used to deprive the people c
. their chosen Chief Magistrate. Unde
it's operation q drunken judge has pre-
. vented a State from exercising it's SOY
= ereign rights. A subordinate otficis
> in New York city, with this system .
= his back, has driven from the pol
:, 10000 voters. We submit that it
= time to repeal these lawless statutes.
q ), The Republicans, however, insis
). that when the people understand tn
= question they will condemn the part
n that f,vors repeal. If they really b<
y lieve that, they ought to welcome ea
d ly action, with II view to securin
!. abundant time for the discussion
% They want to raise an issue over tn
y abrogation of these acts. We are nt
If only ready to meet the issue, but W
Ir maintain that it should be raised i'm
mediately that all phases of it may b
duly weighed before the Presidentis
. election of 1880 crowds it into tn
>. background.
W 1t remains to consider the suggestio
!: that the repeal should be effected
ne the regular order of legislative bus
,e ness. That is II short horse soon Gu
g ried. Mr.. Hayes, whose fraudulel
K title is based on these uuconstitution
tx election acts, will veto any bill abr
IN eating them. The Democrats lack Il
II. numerical strength required to pass q
re net over his veto. Therefore ii the