The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1881-10-20
The Federal Election I.aws-Whai
Congress Ought to Do.

/ Though most of the prominent fedel
al officers IN the State are actively en-
gagged in the campaign for the ovel
throw of the Democratic administration
in the pending election, there is som
consolation that the federal laws de
signed to interfere with the suffrage Q
our citizens, will not be operative in thi
case. There are no members of Con
gress to elect this fall, and therefore b,
utmost stretch of power it cannot b
assumed that it is within the scope 0
federal authority to supervise the cleo
tions. In the exercise of this super
vision of Congressional elections, tn
Republican party pretends to find tn
right of passing on the qualifications o
voters at the polls, and to make arbitra
nv arrests in the discretion of fedora
supervisors. The Constitution o.
the United States provides that tht
qualifications of the electors of represen
tatiyes in Congress shall, in each State,
be those requisite for the electors of the
most numerous branch of the State Leg
islature The Constitution of our own
State, declares what those qualifications
are. 1t further casts upon the Legisla-
lures the duty of enaeting laws to de
termine by proper proofs the persons
entitled to the right of suffrage thereby
established. Nevertheless, when Con-
gressmen are elected, this prerogative
Is torn from the States, and the Federal
authority assumes to punish alleged
offences not only of Federal, but of State
laws. Suffrage is peoples right, the
regulation Of which has been committed
to the State authorities and its control
by the federal government is a usurpa-
ton. In vain did Congress during the
fraudulent administration of Hayes pass
bills modifying the law relating to the
appointment and powers of supervisors
OF elections, and an unlimited supply of
deputy marshals to aid them. They
were invariably struck down by the
veto. The Treasury accounts tell the
story about these supervisors and their
subordinates in way that the plain
people can understand far better than
by arguments, however eloquent or pow
erful, because they touch every taxpay-
er's pocket, and by that ready method
quicken his intelligence remarkably. |
In 1876 there were 1868 supervisors
and 1,610 deputy marshals employed |
in twenty-three States, of which fifteen
were Southern, at cost of two hundred |
and seventy six thousand dollars, in
round numbers. At the Congressional
and Presidential election last fall the
operation of this political machinery was
severely felt A campaign fund of more
than quarter of a million, with thous-
ands Of active and INSCRIPTIONS parti-
sans to expend it for the advantage of
one side, is drawn from the Treasury
avery second year, to elect Republican
Of Congress, and every fourth
year to aid the election Of Republican
President. Besides the effect of such
system must be demoralizing, and it
lrags the Judiciary into the active con-
licts politics, because the Judges of
he Circuit Courts appoint the supervi-
ors.
These laws have operated as a most
oppressive agency for the persecution
f our people for political causes. In
numerous cases they were indicted under
hat most odious form, by information,
nd not by the finding of grand juries
5 the Constitution provides, and TO save
be trouble and cost Of annoying aud ex-
ensive prosecutions, they were forced,
5 a choice Of evils, to choose the less :
Expensive, but still burdensome plea, of !
DO cOlltendere. Free and fair elections
tnnot be had while this federal machin-
y Is irtFpded into the States, and hun =,
reds of thousands ofdollars are annually :
bed to grease the wheels and to keep "
artisan engineers at wo17iL,. The Republi-
ms have been doing this for the last =,
ght or ten year.; and the Democrats :,
Congress should keep up the agia- =
IN until they are repealed When +
ayes after having been defeatedat the =
lis, was installed into the Presidency,
great opportunity was thrown away. A
1t for that fatal blunder, these odious
VS. would have long since been re-
n lad