Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1890-07-05
THE SPEECH
OF HENRY CABOT LODGE OF MAS
SACHUSETTS IN SUPPORT OF
HIS FEDERAL ELECTION
BILL In THE
House of Representatives on Friday
June 26th

not enter further into the eonstitu-
tional question, for it seems to me TO
be wholly needless. 1t is safe TO say
that no clause OF the Constitution is
more plainly expressed than that
which relates TO the control by Con-
gress of Congressional elections, and
that none has ever been more decisi-
vely construed by the great tribunal
upon whom the high duty of finally
interpreting the Constitution devol-
YES. Congress has the absolute
power to deal with the election of
members of this House as it pleases;
and the fact that it has never used
this or any other power sparingly
makes no difference i'm the
argument.
Power implies responsibility, and
where responsibility exists it cannot
be shirked by leaving in allegiance
the exercise of the power designed to
meet it. if citizens of the United
States entitled to vote for Represen-
tatives in Congress are deprived of
their rights, it is the duty of Con-
gress to see that they are protected.
If Congressional elections anywhere
are tainted with fraud or corruption,
or are perverted by violence. it is the
duty OF Congress to interfere, and
that duty is imperative, because the
power of interference exists. If the
people or any considerable body of
people, believe that Congressional
elections anywhere are with fraud
or corruption, it is the duty of Con-
gress to interfere in order to restore
public confidence.
1t is not enough that elections
should be fair; they must be known
to be fair. They must be known to
be fair beyond the reach of doubt or
questioning. 1t is as important to
have public confidence in the verdict of
the ballot-box as il is to have the YER
dict itself honest. If people come to
believe that the result of the cleo
tiOns is not in reality the will of the
majority, the day is not far distant
when that result will be set aside by
force and the very foundation of the
Government will be shaken. Ifpopu-
lar distrust is not.well founded, Con
gresS must demonstrate that elections
are fair. If fraud and violence
really exist they must really be root
cd out. Congress therefore has the
power, and with the power the duty,
10 legislate: and the method in
which it proposes TO deal with the
question, under this bill, is before the
House. The only point that now
remains to be considered and il is
the mos ;rpDortant az all il that
which relates 10 une expectancy and
necessity of such legislation
question to be determined by an ap.
peal TO facts.
This bill is a national bill, intended
TO guard Congressional elections
IN every part of the country when il
may be demanded have heard il
freely charged that it is not national
but sectional, yet when | observe the
heat of the persons and the newspa
pers who make the assertion, Their
Vehemence leads one to remember
THAT suspicion always haunts tn,
guilty mind. 1t was said many
years ago by a distinguished states
man of my own state that freedom
was national and slavery sectional
SO it may be said with equal trutl
that honest elections are nationa
and dishonest elections are sectional
III an impure ballot-box was uni
Versal condition the frame of tn
National Government could not Ions
endure. Anything that makes 70
purity of elections must be nationa
in its scope, and fraud although no
confined to any section OF the cOun
try, is, fortunately for us, Away
local and sporadic, and therefor
never national. The facts in tn
case, however, demonstrate tn
national character of this measur
more thoroughly than anything else
Mr.. Speaker, the elections in til
great Northern cities are not tn
only ones which have come unde
suspicion. 1t is believed by
large portion of the American peopl
that there are districts in the Sout
where fraud in some form control
despOtically the verdict of the ballot
box. have always observed, si
among the gentlemen who repr
sent those States a noble zes
against the varied forms of wrong
doing which have at times disfgure
Northern elections. Nothing can
finer than the honest and mani
rage with which they denount
bribery, the great factor, they sa,
in Northern elections, and the foul
dation of Republican success. Who
ever benefits by bribery, it is an ev
thing and a grave peril to-day in I'll
commonwealth. /, for one, do NJ
underestimate it or blink it in Il
least. i say frankly that l will 10
hands with any of our zealo,
friends on the other side in promo
ing legislation which will put ste
to it.
If could have my way NJ
Speaker, would put the secret al
official ballot into every district
this country, because that is t
only thing have ever seen viii
actually and practically stop the u
of money at elections. 1t must n
be forgotten. however, that legisl
ton against bribery or anV 9th