The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-11-09
The Outrages of Tuesday,

Fortunately for the country, as well as
for the Democratic party OF Virginia, it
will be a Democratic House OF Representa-
tives that will pass upon the title Of the
Coalition congressman claiming to have
been elected last Tuesday from this State.
The crime OF arresting election officers and
putting stop TO the voting is the greatest
of outragcs. We doubt whether such
one was ever before perpetrated by Fed
cral official. We could not imagine that
the law authorized or justified such an at
tack upon the liberties OF the pco-
pie. 1t is a seh-cyident proposition that if
the Federal marshals or supervisors have
the power thus to strike dumb the voters
thus to paralyze their arms-and prevent
freemen from exercising the right of SUI
frage, then there can never be any more
elections in the United States afterthc Chief
Executive shall have once determined to
stop them or prevent them. We therefore
examined yesterday the act OF Congress
under which Mr.. PLEAsANTs and his mar
shals and supervisors were acting, and
were not at all surprised to find that it
reads as follows. After providing Tor the
appointment OF those officials, and saying
what they shall do on registration-days, &C.,
&C., the law declares as follows:
"Section 2022. The m:sSshal and his
general deputies, and such special depu-
ties, shall keep the peace and support and
protect the supervisors OF election in the
discharge OF their duties, preserve order
at such places Of registration and at such
polls, prevent fraudulent registration and
fraudulent voting thereat, or fraudulent
conduct on the part of any officer OF cleo
ton, and Immediately, either at the place
of registration or poHing-pldce, or else
arhere, and either before or after register
ina or Uotinq, to arrest and take into GUS
tody, with or without process, any person
who commits, or attempts or offers to com
init, any OF the acts or offences prohibited
herein, or who commits any offence against
the laws of the United States; but no per-
son shall be arrested without process for
any offence not committed i'm the presence
of the marshal or his general OF special
deputies, or either of them, or OF the
supervisors OF election or either Of them
and for the purpose OF arrest or the preser-
walton Of the peace, the supervisors Of cleo.
ton shall, i'm the absence OF the marshaPs
deputies, or IL required TO assist such depu
ties, have the same duties and powers ~
deputy marshals; nor shall any person, o,
fhe ddu of such election, be arrested irith
out process for any offence committed OF
the DAY of registration"
"Section 5522. Every person [who OBJ
structs, binders, or assaults, &C.. the mar
.sbals and supervisors shall be liable to Ia
..stan arrest ,oithom process"
Observe: In order not TO permit TIN
maFsha,s to stop the elections under colo
OF law, the act Of Congress expressly de
.elares that the arrest shall be "EITHEI
BEFORE OR AFTER REGISTRATION
OR NOTING" Isn't that plain enough
What other object could have been in tn,
mind OF Congress when the act wa
passeds To satisfy yourself that this /
the correct view of the matter, il is onl,
necessary to read the concluding words o
the same section This section had alread,
- provided rs we have just shown, that ar
rests must be made either before or afte-
registration on election; but It was eyi
dent that IN ARES. for offences committed
on Pcgistration.das might under that pro
vision be made or election day, seeing thai
election day is always Cater" registration
day; and therefore 10 guard against ar.
resting voters and Stopping either the re-
ceHing or the casting OF votes Congress
added the words Ia which the section iu-
ciudes, and which VIZ have put in italics.
Again; This view - sustained by the
words describing where The arrest may be
made-~ namely, "either a. the place Of re-
gisfrafion, or peatng-pkace. or elSe,ehere"-
but II must be "either before or after re-
gistratioD or election" Teat is to say,
after the election j. over the officers may
be arrested Ut the votipg-plaee or wherever
they can he found.
This view Is still further supported by |
section o522 which provides that Tor other
for those named in tae law
drst above quoted--persons "shaH be Ha-
We TO instant arrest ,oithom proceSs,"
These are the only offenders who are liable
o instant arrest.
Zee how reasonable this construction OF !
ne law Il. Neither Republicans nor Demo-
rats In Congress can be presumed TO have !,
tended to confer upon Mr.. d. +. PLEA. al