Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-04-18
sATURDAY.........APRTL Is, 1885.
Deputv Marshals.

LOT WRIGHT, Of Cincinnati, still
finds defenders but the action OF the
proper auditing officer is evidence
enough to satisfy the public that LoT
was influenced by no good motive in
making his appointments of deputy
msrshals last October. He appointed
not only negroes, but men who lived in
Kentucky and perhaps other States. lie
appointed not single Democrat, or at
any rate not one who was not ex-
pected to vote the Republican ticket,
although there were n thousand or
two deputies appointed. The moral
effect of the success which he thus
achieved in October was clearly
seen in the increased majority given for
the Republicans in November. AS the
results OF the October election had
shown that Ohio would certainly vote
for BLAINE in November, there was OF
course no possibility Of bringing out
the full strength of the Democratic par
ty at the latter election. The point we
wish to make is that the appointment OF
one or two thousand deputy marshsls
not only resulted directly in Republican
success in October, but might as Sc
condary consequence have resulted in
the election Of Republican President.
And the Cicinnati Commercial Gazette
goes so far as to say in its last issue:
1T is the opinion Of those most init
mate with the facts, and who under
stood the exigencies of the occasion,
that Marshal Wright erred. if anything,
in not employing larger force than he
did,"
We have not referred to this matter
as partisans. We have not attempted
to Justify any wrong acts of the Demo-
cratic leaders in Ohio, as the following
paragraph from leading Republican
paper, the Providence Journal, testi-
fies:
"The Richmond (va.) Dispatch, re-
ferring to the defeat Of the Democrats
in Cincinnati, says that when a party
sets UP such men as John Mclean for
its leaders, and overlooks such men as
Allen e. Thurman, it is time for it to
be buried. This is terse and true. Ex-
Senator Thurman is one Of those men
who dignity the party to which they be-
long, as they are an honor to the coun-
try; and this not more because Of
learning and experience than because Of
unimpeachable integrity. One may
differ with such man as Thurman,
but if be does he would do we'll TO look
to his law, and reconsider his conclu-
sions. The Ohio Democracy has, it
seems, so far as the State is concerned,
drifted into the hands Of the liquor
dealers, the sbysters, and the mere
politicians. The Richmond Dispatch is
as courageous as it is observant and
discriminating when it tells its party
what may and what ought to befall it if
it goes on in such wise."
We have alluded to LOT WRIGHT's
conduct as furnishing a conclusive argu-
ment in favor of the repeal of the law
providing for the appointment of deputy
marshals TO supervise elections. The
Washington Post Of Thursday says on
this point:
"That it will ever be abolished is a
matter Of considerable doubt, but that
it will be shorn Of some of its more
odious features under Democratic rule
and made as little rs possible an instru-
ment Of terrorism and intimidation the
country may reasonably expect"
What would Mr.. HALsTEAD say il
the Democrats should follow LOT
WRIoHT's example? If he had a
right to appoint two thousand deputies,
he had right to appoint five thousand,
and Mr.. HALsTEAD says he did not
appoint enough. Let the Democrats
next year appoint four thousand depu.
ties in Cincinnati, twenty thousand in
New York, as many in Philadelphia, and
a proportionate number in all the other
cities in the United States, and they can
coerce the election Of a Democratic
House Of Representatives. Would that
be right? Let the marshal here in
Richmond appoint next year as many
deputy marshals as LOT WRIGHT APP
pointed last year in Cincinnati, and
what party will be the sufferer?
Recollect that these deputy marshals
receive five dollars day, and are ap.
pointed with the understanding that
they will vote the ticket of the party tC
which the marshal belongs, whether
they are members OF the one or. the
other of the two parties, and you car
imagine that the money thus expended
is q corruption fund. We trust that
the Democratic party will not commit
itself to the support Of such law.
Such course would have but one good
resuli--namely, to render it absolutely
certain that the Republican party would
never regain power.
-
Our Congressmen.