National Republican., 1881-10-22
SUPREME COURT VACANCY.
The Timber which Is TO he shortly se.
Iected.
To the Editor orTHE REPUBLICAN:

To the Editor OF THE REPUBLICAN:
The White-Liners no longer massacre
negroes in New Orleans. The shotgun butcheries
OF Mississippi have ceased. The Ku-KluX no
longer ride the Caroinns to whip, to burn, and to
kill They have effected their purposes. Their
work Is done. They have laid their hands, stained
with blood, on the machinery of government
The leaders are now Senators, Congressman, Gov
ernors aud law officers, prosecuting for crime;
yea Judges, in ermned robes sentencing men far
less guilty than themselves 10 the gallows and the
States prison. With possession Of the machinery
of elections new policy, free of violence, answers
the end of continuing the possession Starvation,
fire. and blood will not overthrow the negro's
loyalty to his party--the party which gave him
freedom, and made II his duty TO vote But his
voting is harmless 1t is mere idle
form. Tissue ballots and false count will take
care OF that matter. The South Is still "solid."-
solid with increased strength in the electoral col
lege; solid with increased strength in Congress.
Both gained by the Constitutional guarantee OF
citizenship to the negro. This right Is a mere
fiction. The system Is wonderfully like the Eng
llsh rotten borough system in its operation and
effect. Is this situation to be perpetuated? Is 1t
remediless? Congress has passed the necessary
legislation The statute book has laws and en-
aGlmehts IN abundance. The machinery Is COM
plete enough to secure honest elections. The fu-
ture value of this machinery depends upon the
construction the Supreme Court shall place upon
It when the law officers OF the Government shall
enforce these laws with the vigor which honesty,
Justice, aud the purity Of the ballot demand. The
Supreme Court must decide the question OF
jurisdiction over officers Of election under the
statutes Of the United States, supervisors and
deputy marshRls for their act done In the dis
charge of their duties as such, Upon the con-
| struction Of tho Supreme Court upon these acts
and the questions growing out Of their enforce
ments depends the value Of the right OF suffrage in
| eleven States of the Union. Upon the cOnstruc-
| ton of the Supreme Court depends whether law
| lessness by brute force and fraud shall give the
| "sold South Fictitious and illegal strength In
the electoral college and In the House OF Repre-
| sentntiyes. There Is Il sort OF glamour thrown
| around the proceedings of tho supreme Court
| not only the casually observing citizen, but the
| average thinker does not observe its work. At
| tenlion Is now attracted to its proceedings
| by popular debates. The press knows but
| little and crilicises cautiously. Its opinions
| are pronounced, It's decree filed, and they
| become law, and there Is an end of Il
| The timber which Is TO constitute the makeup OF
this tribunal cannot be too carefully selected. The
| Executive has no responsibility which compares
| with that of Its selection. IL Is truly case In
| which mistake Is q crime and blunder isirrep-
arabic. The great question now before this
couniry-the one upon winch the future ofrepub-
lican institutions depends-is free ballot and a
| highest consideration. The rights Of the citizen
and the Integrity ofthe Government alike depend
| JIf9TlpE