St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-12-03

T
formed one OF the highest possible duties OF
the Office Of the governmeuL the protection
OF the ballot, IN pursuance Of law or In
known violation of r.
Mr. Keller tho1ghi before the house should
prepare 70 iinpesch the United States mar
shal In Cincinnati il Eas important Il should
known the whole situation snrrOu nding that
officer when be undertook 20 provide that
there should be 4 peaceable election, where
all persous u al races might 70 and
cast their ballots st the very time when
these deputy marshals were appointed in Gin
einnati there were gcing about the streets Of
thai CITY officers, or Taen pretending 10 b.
officers Of that municipal corporation. seiz-
ing men simply because they we're colared
men, locking them up by hlnireds and
KEEPING them there till the polls closed the
l4tl OF October. He might not BE- entirely
correct, but the newspapers stated that in one
station house in CiDeinnsti so cOlOre0 nen.
against whom nothing was alleges, were
held through election day in or1er that they
could not 20 To the polls and vote. Ise
would Ike 10 amend the resolution
80 as 20 widen the scope OF Investigation.
This would help the house decide whether the
marshal had acted wisely and prudently IN
the li-ht OF the great responsibility thrown
upon uim when he appointed the unusual
number OF Laarshals- lie believed no peace
able, quiet citizen vas ever injured by hav-
ing strong peace power around the polls
Il was only such persons as went 70 the polls
TO create riot and disorder that objected u f.
Mr.. Follett insisted the resolution vas
broad enough 70 give the Ofiiecr frA opl.ortu-
nifty 10 show his surroun diugs. % SHOW evrry
condition that contributed In any Way what
ever TO the conduct with which he was
charged. He (Follett did no; desire 10
make a personal siafement OF al that oc-
CURED on election day, he preferred 70 do
that after the Investigation should have heen
made. and when Il would no longer be neees-
sary Tor any gentleman on this fOor 20 de-
feuG the position be occupied By extreme
charges OF partisan papers. he preferred 10
have the facts before be spoke on TIE con-
duct OF that election. lie proposed the poo
pie Of the country, on proper investigation,
should DC Informed OF the actual condition II
th.ngs. The gentleman from OHIO tKcifer)
had said men were arrested and discharged
El,nout there being preferred against them
any charge Of crime. They had been a.
reslrd simply because IL vas known why thrv
had come into Cincinnati from adjoining
states. As 10 the depaiy msrshals. they were
armed with British bulldogs and told TO use
them. II that was the method TO secure
fN@NN-'AN auA SANNN4Ans IL
name don't do il. There was a statute pro-
hihiting the United States army from com
ing near the polls. Who would say that
drilled officers were not more suitable 10 be
at the polls than men selected from the
workhOuse and from the pOorhOuse for their
known brutality and criminality. These
charges were made in good faith. II they
were not true he wanted the country 10
know 1t. II substantiat1d by evidence, the
house should not hesitate one moment To
say that an officer thus derelict in duty, thus
violating the public trust, was no longer lit
to be a servant Of the people.
Mr.. J. S. Taylor, of Ohio, alluded TO the
terrifying of colored men on election day.
Mr.. Miller of Pennsylvania, regretted tie
investigation stopped at the Ohio river. II
should extend 10 the southern states, where
no regard was paid as TO how the ballot was
east Or counted.
Mr.. G. d. Wise, of Virginia, said he had res
oluiiOn prepared looking to an Investigation
Of the election in southern state. Mr.. Miller
said while he believed that in the southern
states they had ceased to kill aud destroy, the
shot gun had been LAID aside temporarily,
they kept up the practice OF counting their
meu in without regard TO the ballots cast
Mr.. keifer asked leave to offer an amend
rnert directing the committee ca expenfH-
lures OF the department OF justice to investi-
gate all circumstances attending the. recent
election.
The members Of the house Of representa-
tives from the first and second districts of
Ohio, but Follett, refused TO yield. Mr. Follett
also declined to yield 10 Mr. Hiscock. who
desired to offer an amendment enabling the
marshall to bring forward the facts justifying
or explaining his action.
Mr.. Reed declared the resolution one sided
on its face, and instigated by a gentleman
who felt himself personally Gggrieved BY the
counting of votes on election day.
Mr.. Barksdale said he would welcome an
investigation OF the election in any southern
state.
Mr.. Converse thought the country would
read with some surprise Of the course pur-
sued by the gentleman on the other side
upon this proposition TO impeach an officer
of the United States. lie thought il the first
time in the history OF the country when
party had resOrted TO sill sorts of chicanery 10
avoid an Investigation of a public officer,
when Il was proposed 10 impeacb him. Not
only had the gentleman on the other side
done that, but they had even undertaken 10
arraign n sovereign state. and proposed To
inquire whether that state hsd not been at
tempting To interfere with the election of
members OF congress.
Mr.. Keifcr-Who arraigned statel
Mr.. Converse-I understood the gentleman
himself to have stated that at the election in
Cincin natl the laws were oEerridden ana
sovereign citizens not allowed 10 vote their
sentiments.
Mr.. Keifer-I said nothing against the
state. Only against few individuals.
Mr.. Couverse-Not only did the gentle
ta eh,f. ~.
tleman from Ohio q. ID. Taylor) made
more serious charge against his native stale,
and the two gentlemen, and the gentleman
from New York (HiscOck) propose TO invrsu-
gate the state and see whether she has not
undertaken 10 interfere with the purity of
elections. Tue fact was, there never had
been time In Ohio when the humblest
man, black or white could
not go TO the polls in perfect
safety and deposit his ballot on election dav
The only interference with the ballot came
from men wearing the livery OF the United
States. He had risen for the purpose Of re-
pudiating this slAuder on his state and her
laws. The appointment Of deputy marsbals
WAS only scheme 20 enable the Republican
party 10 carry the election. They simply OBJ
tained money out Of the treasury to help that
party carry the eleetion.
Mr.. Brumm inquired why, IL the gentle
man was sure that Ohio was pure, he did not
challenge the investigation.
Mr.. Con verse-It is simply a slander on
our state, and this marshal himself has not
bad the hardihood TO make that charge. I
seorn TO stand here and see nv state
arraigned by poor, petty marshal / do not
propose 10 have my state arraigned and put
ON trial because some marshal may say he
has reason for arming a few deputies.
L. n.