The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-11-15

candidate should have fair and equal
representation in the officers OF election.
Each voter should announce openly who
he votes for, and his name should be
written on a list under the name OF the
candidate for whom he votes. Secrecy of
the ballot should, as general rule, be
preserved, but where II is charged on aiti-
dayit that there is danger that fraud will
be perpetrated the surest mode to ascer-
tain the truth is by n viva voce" vote.
And while Congress has no power to pro-
vide for the election Of Presidential elect
ors and United States Senators, it has un-
questioned powers TO make all necessary
laws TO ascertain whether their election
has been fraudulent or not, aud TO refuse
to recognize any election procured by
fraud. In accordance with these views /
have prepared the following bill to be intro
duced in the next Congress, and hereby
submit II through your columns for the
mature consideration and deliberate judg.
ment OF all peace.lovinC citizens who de-
sire to avert all possibility OF another civil
war. JAMES Il. CHALMERS.
An act 10 enforce the fifteenth amendment 10
the Constitution OF the United States;
BE II enacted, that whenever 100 voters In any
| Congressional District where an election Is TO ljC
held will make and file with the C'crk OF the
| Huusc Of Representatives. Oi the United states au
affidavit stating that they believe that on account
| oi race prejudice the election will not be fairly
held by the state officers II shall be held by
| United states officers, hercinbcforc provided
| The Clerk Of the House Of Representative, shall
| appoint Cs many commissioners Of election for
each county in the district rs there arc candidates
| Tor Congress, ns follows One supporter Of each
candidate, 10 be nominated by himself or the Ex-
| ccutlle Committee Oi the parry, and appointed by
the CLERK. But II any candidate or any party falls
UT a. "A INF i.giNu ha HIarl hal
| appoint some suitable person 10 represent such
candidates, aud II he refuses 10 act the commits
| siOncr or commission who accept shall 20 forward
aud perform all the duties hereinafter prescribed.
The Commissioners shall establish their head.
quarters at the County seat or II there be two then
county and shall make publication OF the time and
| places OF holding such election, conforming as
near h possible io the STATE laws, and shal provide
| suitable stationery and houses and everything
necessary for holding an election, aud shall furnish
each In pcctor with printed copy oi this net
| Aud at loast ten days before holding an election
| the Commissioners shnll meet and each one shall
appoint an inspector and each inspector shnll an
point one clerk aud Onc peace officer for each yut.
Ing precinct IN the county and In CHsc Of the death
| or removal ofany Commissioner, inspector, clerk
| or pcarc officer, othen inny bc appointed in the
same manner the original. except, In ease any
| inspector refuses 10 serve, the inspector who
| accepts may appoin. another 10 represent
the other parties. and II no one will
| accept may proceed 10 appoint all the
necessary clerks, and with them hold the election.
|
| shall BE- made by one Of the peace oiiiccrs. The
| clerks shall be provided with paper sufficient 10
contain the names Of all the voters, aud shall
| write the names Of each candidate Gt the head OF
| each voting list A. each voter comes up no shall
| De- asked and answer distinctly iOr whom lac votes
and thc clerks shali write his name on the lii
| votes and onch clerk shall number aud ,All out
distinctly how many votes the lat vote make, for
his candidate. " any voter i challcngcd the
clerks shall write challenged after his name,
| but lac shall be permitted 10 vote without delay,
| aud tougncsS must decide Ia case uf q contest
whether the vote was LEGAL OF not aud the polls
| must hc kept open without adjournment unill al
| have voted who nrc present aud dtsriug to vote.
When the pOlls are closed the INSPECTORS aud cef
shall In Writing sum up the number oi votes Tor
| eich candidate aud az once publicly proclaim the
| sang. The clerks aud Inspector. shall lieu aud
certify each voting lit kept by the clerks and the
| summing up Oi the result made hy lhcmalyps aud
sali put The same Into box prepared ipr that puf
pusc and sccurly lock and seal IL up aud two III the
! inspectors or clerks of opposite PARTIES shall take
| nrd deliver tie box tn the Commissioner uf Elpc.
| ton us soon as pucuci,hc. A. sppn ~ the hoxc,
! atv received the Commissioners oi Election shall
cauynr the returns and make stticmgni iu writing
ot the number ui votes for each chandida'o ga Thai
] county and publicly proclaim the same aud shall
then tmn9nit by mall ~ the clerk of the Hon 4,
/ Of representative one copy of the l.si oi yoirrs
AMI the returns iruin each voting pltCp lu tie rnu.
] ", securely wmpIHd and sealed aud the ind1r.c.
ncut ui one oi the commissioners that they arr uct
ton rrluur a. nll be sufficient i0 transmit the same
~ mail ir,c ~ pueiago The other lists ui yuicrs
aud all other lapcfs received frum each pfc.
Cnct shall be Kept by the Commissioner, iur two
! years sccunly locked In the box. unlcs, thoy afc
ufdcrd a. produce the amc NJ evidence In case ~
q contest over the election. A. soon as all returns
itom such Uongfcssianal District ave received by
lhc Clerk oi thc Home Of Representatives hr shall
| make ntubunicd sHicment % the total votes cast
iuf ctch candidate for Cong Co. snd shall issue d
Ocrltaic oi election to the uuc ha iug the hrhert
numbCr Oi vote. and plncc hi naiuc on the roll of
| the lionrc. and sl,lll preserve all Iapcr aud r.
turns concerning the election In hts 0ihcc Hut the
name Of NO man shall he plHccd on the roll Of the
House n anidnsits nfc made that his election was
pruCupi by any intimidation u yotcrs until Con
| gree, shall de- de that question.
Section ? nc II iuithoi enacted. That whrueVcf
| Presidential elections ate 10 be voted iot IN any
Congressional district whcrc the election Il 20 ~
held 10 hcrcin provided lot there shall bo one al.
ditiona clerk nppointcd by each inspcctor to keep
nc lisi oi lotcn iof Presidential elecior The
ticket II each parts shnl - pasted ~ the head of
each w., aud the yuisn shhll be askci iur whom
they vote i1r President and the name II the voter
shall d. written audcr the naIne rgae cnting such
| n candidate. Tho lls's shai h. sigrc'l. orftifcd
/ lud returned 81 ihg Commissioner Of Election
aud b. them summed up, tEuel aud cyitiae,i and
Iginincd 10 tic Clerk .. ihs liowe Of Rcprrsenta.
| tlycs, herein provided fpi Congfva .onal
elections H. b. preserved as a record IN hn ofice
and u from n cumpaffOn o. the rctunn ~ made
with the returns made w the state oaiccrs II shaii
siisnr that the electors chosen und.r IN" sts,,
election d.d not In truth receive the majority OF the
/ vote IN aid sistcs ~ such election, then tie
electoral vote oi aid state for rrv,idsnt aud Vic.
\ IN ,idcnt shall not b. counted.
section a ~ it further enacted. that whenever a
ieglflaufu IL 81 b. elected which 4 tD choose an
United States senator for Presidential Electors. II
dayi with the sccrutary 81 the uniie siaies senate
stating that they believe that on account 0i uoc
| priuiioo the state stnhi0n and member Of the
Legislature viii not b. iairy elected AZ the election
~ b. held hy the State oiiccrs thcu the socrrtafy
oi the United States senate shall appoint Que Com.
missioner u Lleciion iof each party having OF
expecting 10 have candidates at such elcc.
tlou un the written nomination uf tho ~.
ccntiyc Commitccs Of such paues, aud ~ oas.
any party should fail or refuse 70 nominate
n Commissioner, then the Secretary shall select
suitai lc Commissioner 10 represent such party That
aid Commissioners shall make their hcldquafi
~ the Capitol Of the State, aud wheueycf peti.
toned ~ "a do ID ten NoCfN vi any cnuulg nf Ncna.
indal District they shall each appoint one Com.
missioner ~ Election i0f such county OF district
who shall cach appoint Que in,pcctof iof, each
Not,rg lpicclnci IN such county o. district, Who
shal each appoint one clerk aud one peace officer
20 hold ttrcial election iof muinien ~ the Legs
latuIu ana .cuaton ~ the sane time and piscea
that snci, election (. 70 y held by the state an.
horitia, bu' the polls Of the one 90 h. ~ distant
from the other ~ not o Interfere IN any way with
The state election. Zach voter shall smio pnbirly
iuf what ticket of, ihc wishes to vote 4 mixed
shall ~ written by the clerks under he ticket
OF pefsun f0f whom he vO'cs The iti oi
votes shall = signcd aud ecfiiled by the inspect
or AMI Cicfks and returned 20 the county coinmll
siopcr. nnd ny them summed ~. srnei. eefii6ed
aud utnfncd 20 The cunm's.ionc Tor The state
who .hal tHni cgftiiy and fetura them to the
served a. record Ia biz oiloe. and II ID shai ap.
pear if1m coinpan,on Of the returns 10 madu with
the rtufns made by the eifie officers that maiuf.
! ~ Of The mcmbcn oi The Lcrlslaiuc Anl stais
psron ch0lon a. United States senator ~ fuch
| lcgtlatuv shall b. admitted 10 y scat IN tho
United tate henaie, aud no voic cast ~ Ircsl
aenmsI Ilse,of, appoinicd bi such Legislature
section W II further enectcd that the slsc.
tigus pToyafl iof Ia us aei shall not iai W fcr