Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1880-05-12


that every possible safeguard should be
thrown around the ballot-box, and the
people left free to express their will
through it.
We must have Congress to provide
means for the support of the Government.
Without legislative branch we shall
perish. We must have a President to see
that the laws are executed. Elections in
the several States must be held for the
selection OF members of Congress and
President OF the United States Ifa State
government be sufficient to insure fair
and free expression of the will of the peo-
pie, no interposition on the part of Fede-
raj officers will be necessary and none
will take place. This every man knows
who hold a seat in this House. But if
the State authority be insufficient or not
disposed to protect the citizen in the ex-
ercise of the elective franchise, and ac-
cording to his own will and convictions,
whenever congressional election is to be
held the General Government may and
ought to extend its protecting power to
every voting precinct in the land, and
by the aid of its marshals and troops. if
necessary, enable the people to hold their
elections.
On such protection may depend the
election of a Congress at all. State au
thority may be opposed to such elections,
and may desire to extinguish the Nation
al Government, remanding all power to
the States, and it may be that by the
strong arm Of the Federal Government
alone can Congress be secured. We
know, too, that fraud, violence and in
timidation have been practiced in some
of the States to an extent when should
every well disposed citizen and receive
his condemnation. The people have held
elections, cast their votes In apparent Sc
curity, but by some pretext, or through
some fraud theirlvotes were never count
ed, but ottentimes destroyed.
Upon the present basis of representa-
ton in this House, there are in each con-
gressional district throughout the United
States about twenty-five thousand lawful
voters in ordinary elections, when the
people are free to exercise their choice,
each member of Congress receives from
twelve to fifteen thousand votes. But if
we turn to some of Southern States, we
find there are three members of this
House holding seats who received less
than three thousand votes each. There
are three other who received less than
four thousand votes; six others less than
five thousand; and four others who re-
ceived less than six thousand; all demo-
Gratis. Gentlemen may tell us they had
no opposition, and the vote in these dis
tricts was therefore small This may be
true But in the name of freedom and
the laws which shall protect the people of
this country in the free exercise of their
political rights, / ask what has become
of the republican party in those
States But short time ago the
republicans carried some of these States,
where this small vote now appears, by q
majority of thirty thousand. Have our
democratic friends converted the people
to their faith; i so, why do they not cast
their vote with and for them? No, Mr..
Chairman, they are not converted, they
are there with the same political belief,
but disfranchised, ,intimidated, and driven
from the polls. If not that, they are pro-
scribed, disgracel, threatened, and often
driven from thei. homes, until they dare
not assert their Political views, and they
stay away from elections.
Three years ag, Congress was kept in
continuous sessio, for thirty days to de-
termine questionsof fraud and intimida-
tion practiced in ome of these States in
the election of PRESIDENT. We should
bring to our aid e7ery department of the
Government to avoid repetition of
like occurrence. We then found our
selves involved ina difficulty never anti
cipated by our fathers who framed the
Constitution. A violation of the elective
franchise to such an extent was never
contemplated by the most far-seeing
statesmen, and Congress for the first time
in the history of the Government was
obliged to adopt 8 new plan of determin-
ing the result of an election, and did,
fear, usurp the perogative Of the Presi-
dent of the Senate in counting the elect
oral vote. Insteai, however, Of adopting
means to avoid lepetition of these trou-
bles our democratic friends on the very
eve of an election SO important as to affect
every State in the Union and at which
the members of this House are chosen as
well as President, now propose to re-
strict the use of any military force what
ever, however great the emergency, and
prohibit the use OF soldiers in preserving
the peace or in the execution of the laws
made for the protection of the ballot.
They say by this amendment that no
money therein appropriated shall be paid
Tor the subsistence, equipment or transpor-
alton of any portion of the Army to be
1sed as police force to keep peace at the
POLLS at any election held within any
State BY This we understand they are
% withhold from the troops all money
which might be due them while in the
execution of such duties and in pursu-
lnce of law meet this proposition, this
cheme to capture the Government, upon
he broad plane for which it is intended.
t amounts to prohibition of the use of
he military forces to restrain armed
,odies, leaving Violence to have its sway
N election days Armed forces may pa !
rol the streets, visit the voting precincts
freak up and de.troy elections and bal I
ot-boxes at will, Land there is to be no re- {
nedy. Federal roops may be within