Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1880-04-07
COMPLETED THE p1oToRY

Nv bOHlbNihNiN leiNN HN''" ''NN
tho Constitution of the United States
gives no authority for Federal inter
ference with State elections. 1t holds
that there ia no provision of the funda
mental law which gives TO the central
government any right to send either
soldiers or Deputy Marshals to take
care of the people while they are peace
fully engaged in dscharging the high
est and most solemn duty that devolves
on u citizen.
Tho Supreme court long ago decided
that the United States has no votes,
that the voter is creature of State
laws, each State having the right to
fix and changethe conditions and quail
fications of suffrage. The Democracy
believe in this, for ii is palpable, in
controvertible fact, and they believe
that any fair Interpretation OF the Con.
stitution would place the States voters
under control of the States at election
time,
Holding these views and believing
their maintenance essential to the pres.
ervation of the system of Government
devised and established by the fathers
of the Republic, oil Democrats desire
the repeal of all laws antagonistic to
their opinions. But for the events
which set aside the lawful election of
1876, and continued the executive
power in tho hands OF the party that
had been defeated at the polls, the
the statutes Of which VIC are speaking
would have been repealed some months
ago, and the right of local selfgovern'
ment would, by such repeal, have been
restored to the people.
Bat the power which the Radical
party gained by criminal violation of
the Constitution was used to defeat the
repeal of the laws enacted and on.
forced in the interest of that party.
And since the votes of Mr.. Hayes pre-
vented the econsummation of the patriot
ic work attempted during theextra scs-
sion of Congress, the Supreme court,
fulfilling its part OF the Republican
programme, has pronounced the cleo
tion laws Constitutional.
The Democratic party is now, as it
always has been, party Of law and
order. When it cannot lawfully de-
stroy laws that it deems unjust and un.
constitutional it submits TO the evil
with as much resignation as possible.
As these laws can't be repealed, they
must stand until the Democracy have
power to wipe them out in the regular,
prescribed way.
But Congress has the power with
the consent Of the acting President to
strip those statutes Of their partisan
character. The House has shown how
this can be done, and the veto mes.
sages of Mr.. Hayes commit him TO the
approval of such legislation, Unless
Mr.. Hayes shall decide TO go squarely
back on the utterances of these mes
sages, unless he shall declare that it is
Republican and not Federal control OF
elections that be wants, be is bound to
aflix his signature TO the bill which
passed the House last Friday There
is no way of Ovading this issue. He
can't veto that bill without declaring
in effect, however artfully the purpose
may be disguised in rhetorical drapery
that he wants his party, for partisan
ends alone, to have supervision of the
elections.
1t was, under all the circumstances
a splendid days work when the De-
mocracy of the House passed that bill.
1t was the best possible thing to do,
because it relieved the party from a
troublesome matter, and because it Of
fectually annihilated the only feature
of the election laws for which any Rad.
ical politician cares, or ever cared, q
single groat. When that bill becomes
q law, when tho Republican managers
can no longer put their corps of parti,
san bulldozers about the polls, those
managers will care no more for the
Deputy Marshal statutes than they dc
for the laws OF TimbuetoO.
For these reasons We look to the
, Democracy OF the Senate to follow up
J the victory cf the House and make its
, fruits q tangible reality II is an.
} nounced that there will be fight made
, by the Republicans in the Senate, OIL
some of the most stalwart Of them, ia
order to brace up Mr.. Hayes for veto
, But the position of Mr.. Garfield, taken
, in connection with Mr.. Hayes message
, Of last Summer, indicates that this
bracing will fail Of its intended effect
, However that may be, the duty Of the
controlling party in the Senate is clear
, 1t is TO give united and earnest sup
port to the bill, to bring it to a vote at
an early day and let it 60 to Mr. Hayes,
to be completed by his approval. We
repeat, he can't refuse that approval
without being set down by the whole
country as demanding RepEblican in.
stead of Federal Deputy Marshals to
work on election day, He cannot wish
to court such infamy.
ORDER Versus ANARCHY.
Our friends of the Lancaster Inielli.
gencer kindly suggest that "the Patriot
falls into one or two serious errors in
commenting on the action of the State
Committee at Pittsburgh" To this
we make the retort courteous that the
Intelligencer has deliberately stepped