The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1880-05-13
AN HONEST ELECTION.
The One Great Issue Between the
Parties i'm the Next Campaign-Dem-
Ocratic Opposition to Free and Fair
Elections FOrcibly DeIineated i'm "A

Elections FOrcibly DeIineated i'm a
Speech by Gen. John COburns
[Gen. John Coburn before the Young Mems Rebuilt
can Club OF indianapolis.
While we stand firmly by the results of the
war, and reconstruction, and by whatever
else has been done, there is another thing that
we as Republicans propose to obtain for this
country-we mean to have fair elections. That
has been one of the questions that has been be-
fore Congress and before the people ever since
the days of reconstruction. 1t was one of the
first aims of the Republicans after the war to
devise such measures as that the people of the
South white men and black men, and all to-
gether, might have the right to vote, and the
effort was to give such protection that the legal
voters might have the fullest enjoyment of their
rights, and that a fair, full, and free election
might be everywhere held It was expected
that the people of the rebellious States would
cordially accept the offers held out to them
and 1t IS true that at the start large number
OF them did cooperate in the measures planned
by Congress. But the struggle has been going
on for many years upon this question, until now
we are startled with the fact that the only polit
zeal issue before the people is how an election
shall be conducted. Never until now was this
the one question agitating the public mind In
other years there has been a division of senti-
ment upon some great measures, some lines of
public policy, some important principles, some
method of action, or some question OF eXpendl-
lures. But now we do not find that it is any
thing in the action of the Republican party
that merits severe condemnation from the
Democrats but the great struggle is how
the election is to be conducted. When you
think OF this surprising issue between the two
parties, it is enough to set rational person
thinking. Why is it that we are brought to
such an issue? When men are going to run 81
race, both sides consent to have the track
cleared. In a contest of musicians, the first
necessity is to have silence. Ii you are trying
q question in the courts affecting the rights OF
property or personal liberty, the first thing i'll
sisted upon would be that there should be
silence, and the Sheriff must be there to en-
force order and keep the peace, SO that the trial
may proceed orderly But now, when we are
going to have race which in Importance sur
passes all the races ever run; when we are go
ing to have trial before which all trials the
world has ever seen sink into insignifcance-a
trial as to who shall grasp the scepter of empire
who shall guide the policy and dispense the
patronage, and stand at the helm to steer the
ship of state instead of there being an agree
ment between both parties to have men at the
polls to keep order, we find that one party is i'll
favor of breaking down every barrier which
had been put up to prevent disorder and con-
fusion and violence. That party has been labor
ing at this for years. The laws that have been
passed by Congress year after year since 1870
have been adopted in view of the fact that one
political party was attempting by every means,
by fraud and violence and intimidation, before
and on the days of election, to grasp at power
and offices, and this not i'll the South alone, for
in New York more than anywhere were the
elections carried by fraud and violence. We find
that party at all times endeavoring to the ut
most of its ability, to defeat any measure in
tended to prevent fraud at elections and
when at last, by fraud and violence and
they obtained majority in the lower house.
and subsequently in both branches of Con-
gress, we see them voting to drive away every
officer whose sworn duty it was to keep order at
the polls. In the extra session last year the
struggle was continued, and this year it has
been resumed, and they arG evidently deter
mined to wipe out all OF the election laws by the
riders which they have added to the Deficiency
and Appropriation bills, intended to tie the
hands of the President Of the United States as
commander-in-chief of the army. The army
they say, must not be used on election day
and yet that day, of all other days in the year,
is the one when there should be peace, and or
der, and quiet, and when, therefore, the Presi-
dent should have full power and authority to
arrest criminals and protect law-abiding cit-
zens. In the bills now before the President
they propose to take all this power away from
him; but do not believe they will receive his
signature. | have no personal knowledge of
his Intentions but do not see how the Pres-
dent can ever sign such bills as these. do not
think can do better than bring before you
from the Congressional Record some facts
bearing upon this question. 1t is SO intimately
connected with the present canvass that people
cannot be too fully acquainted with the actual
condition of things Under the 2,0O2d section
of the Revised Statutes the President is es-
pecially empowered to use the army
to preserve the peace at the polls
Congress or Presidential electors are to
be chosen. But hear it asked, Why is it that
the Republicans are so wonderfully anxious
about the retention and enforcement Of this
proviso? Why do you make this fuss about it
Do you have any trouble in Indiana?
Why are you worrying about other peoples
business? The reasonis just this The election
i'll Louisiana is just as much our election it is
theirs. These men make laws for us, and the
electors choose q President for us. The cleo
tons in 1876 might have been fairly conducted
in Indiana, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New
York, and in the entire North and large
part of the South, and yet we were in danger
of tumblng over the precipice into civil war
simply because in Florida and Louisiana and
South Carolina there was grave ques-
ton as to who had carried the State,
because there had been violence and
fraud and intimidation i'll those States.
Therefore, it is our business. and we must see
to it. Even though the Sc things may not hap
pen in Indianapolis, it is just as bad for lis if
they happen anywl ere else. Such violence is
transgreSson of tie laws of the United States,
and the President should have the power to call
IN the military arm If necessary, to suppress it.
Why is it that every democrat objects to having
troops at the polls, when they cannot call
single instance of troops under orders having
intcrfered with the progress of All election? |
went to Alabama to look into this very matter,
and after the most thorough investigation it was
proved that not one man had been interfered
with by the troops, although hundreds of people
were killed or injured by the violence of the
mob. Unfortunately the troops were not quite
near enough to be of service-not so near as
they should have been. Let me give some
facts as to the way these elections were con-
Quoted in some of the Southern States. In
Louisiana nineteen parishes gave, in the spring
of 1868, Republican vote of "a, 1884, against
"a, 800 Democratic In the fall of the same
year, between Grant and Seymour, there were
only 1858 Republican votes, while Seymour was
/ - OPJn