The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-03-09

THE SUPREME COURT OF THE UyrTED STATE
DECLARES THEN CONSTITUTIONAL.

THE SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES
DECLARES THEM CONSTITUTIONAL.
WASHINGTON. March ga decision was
rendered in the United States Supreme
Court to-day In the case OF Albert Sieboid
ct a.. election judges OF Baltimore. who
were convicted In the United States Circuit
Court for the district Of Maryland upon the
charge OF interfering with supervisors Of
election and United States deputy marshals,
and sentenced to various terms Of imprison-
ment, and who now petition this court for
wri.s OF hdbeds corpus and certiordri on the
ground that the statutes under which they
were indicted and tried generally known
rs the " Federal election laws ~ are uncon-
stituiioual and void. This court. In a long
opinion by Justice Bradley, holds that the
Federal election laws are constitutional and
valid; that the circuit courts have jurisdic-
ton under these laws; that under the Con-
stitntion Congress has supervisory power
over regulations made by States for the
management OF congressional elections
that I'm the exercise OF such supervisory
power, Congress may impose new duties
Upon officers Of election, or the addition OF
penalties for breach OF duty. or provide the
attendance OF officers TO prevent fraud, and
see that the elections are legally and fairly
conducted; that the exercise OF such power
can properly cause no cessation OF regula-
tons or jurisdiction; that there is nothing
In the relations OF State aud national
sovereignties to preclude the cooperation
LOT both in the matter OF the election OF
representatives.; that Congress has power
to vest in the circuit courts the appointment
OF supervisors Of election; that the proyi-
sion authorizing deputy marshals to keep
tha 10 not tf.ffA nal. fhaf b.
National Government has the right to use
physical force in any part OF the United
States to compel obedience to its laws that
the supervisory power Of Congress includes
the power to compel State officers Of cleo
ton 10 observe such State laws with regard
to elections OF representatives as Congress
may have left unchanged. The petitions for
h1bcdS corpus and ceTtiOrdri are denied.
Justice Field dissented, and read long
opinion, in which he maintained that it is
not competent for Congress TO punish a
State officer for the manner in which he dis
chaI ges duties imposed upon him by State
laws. The judicial power OF the Govern
ment, he argues, is limited by the COnstitu-
ton TO ceases IN law and equity arising
under the Constitution and laws OF the
United States" and 10 certain other cases
which the Constitution enumerates.
After remarks upon the character OF Fed
eral legislation since the war, and its bear
ing on The reserved rights OF the States,
Justice Field says that until the recent de-
clsions ia the Virginia cases he could not
have believed that the former carefully
considered and repeated judgments OF this
court upon provisions of the Constitution
and upon the general character and pur-
poses Of that instrument would be disre-
garded and Oyerrued. But these decisions
lin the Virginia cases. do, in his judgment.
constitute new departure; and without
intending any di,respect to his associates
Justice Field is OF opinion that the rules
laid down in those and in the present cases
tend towards the conversion OF our Federal
system into q consolidated and centralized
GnVorpmpnt