Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-06-04
The Minority Report on the Franchise
I'm New England.

Senator Blair, in behalf of the minor
ity of the Senate Select Committee ap-
pointed to inquire into alleged frauds,
ETC., in the recent elections, recently
submitted report taking issue with the
finding of the majority as presented by
Senator Wallace last month, in regard
to alleged intimidation of voters in the
States of Massachusetts, and Rhode
Island, characterized by the majority
as " "civilized bulldozing." The minor
ity of the Committee deny that one sim
gle allegation of fraud, misconduct, civ
ilized or uncivilized bulldOzing" or
intimidation or attempted intimidation,
or political misconduct of any kind on
the part of any Republican or any en-
ployer or manufacturer, or any person
of any party, either in the State of Mas
sachusetts or Rhode Island, was proven
before the Committee. No doubt some
abuses may exist, since these States are
in this world; but any impartial person
will say that the Committee did not
| find them. The conclusions Of the ma
| iority are not in accordance with the
| facts. Not only were none of these
charges proven, but on the contrary so
utterly were they exploded by the in
trinsic weight of evidence before the
! Committee that no impartial man who
reads the printed evidence can contra
| dict this assertion. The minority review
at great length the testimony taken in
Massachusetts, and Rhode Island, and
say;
We have thus touched upon all allegations
| of fact found by the majority from the great
mass of testimony taken by the Committee.
FfnoH inn
than we are at liberty to appropriate, IL is i'm
| possible to properly analy2e the testimony and
exhibit the utter failure of this partisan at
| tempt TO dctame the people OF two OF the
| most renowned of American cOmmOnwealths
If suffrage Is free and pure anywhere on the
face of the earth, il is free and pure I'm Mussa
chusetts and II Sde Island Religious tolera
tion rose I'm the one and American liberty was
born in the other. In both the independent
virtues of the sires survive in their sons
Whoever attempts to institute parallel be
tween them and the terrible condition whict
has well-nigh eXterminated Republican gov
ernmcnt in some less fortunate portions OF
our common country, from which condition
the eternal principles of liberty and Justice a.
they exist and are practiced in Massachusetts
and in Rhode Island alone can rescue them
commits an act OF futile hostility to the caust
Of good government throughout the land.
The minority remark "that, finding
no evidence whatever of intimidation a
elections, either in Massachusetts o
Rhode Island, they concur. with the ma
lority of the Committee, although fO
an opposite reason, that there is no cal
for National legislation upon that sub
iect, so far as those States are concern
ed" 4" But" they add. "we can not ad
init the impotent doctrine of the Com
mittee that if their conclusions of fac
were true, to-wit, that imprOpe
, practices exist in the State visited, 81
far as the election of National officer
are concerned, and the freedom G
/ choice by voters has been interfere
with and persons practically threatene
1 with dismissal from employment if the
= voted in opposition to the wishes c
1 their employers-it is not within tn
t competency of Congress to correct thi
g wrong by additional or any Legislation
= provided the State fails to remedy S
= profound an evil Suffrage is not unde
t final control of the States so far o
t National elections are concerned. .
r duty is devolved by the Consttutio
, upon the States which, by adopting tn
e Constitution, they have agreed t
t perform. If they fail to perform tha
: duty they do not destroy the Constitu
Q tion, but simply violate their duty ant
Y compel the interference of Congress t.
Z preserve the Government by establish
9 ing and enforcing necessary laws"
I The minority report is signed b
o Senators Blair, Hoar, Teller, an
Kirkwood.