Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-06-28
A PROTEST ENTERED.
NORTHERN DEMOCRATS APPEAL TO
THEIR CONSTITUENTS.

The Federal Election Bill Declared TO be n
Menace to the Republic-A Partisan and
Sectional Measure-An AIIusion TO the
Precedents.
WASHINGTON, June 27.-The Northern
Democratic members, OF the House of Repre-
sentatives have prepared the following
formal protest against the National election
bill, now under discussion in the House:
The undersigned, representing in the Con-
gress of the United States, constituencies in
States north of the Ohio and Potomac rivers
feel it their duty to their fellow citizens to
briefly call their attention to the extraordinary
dangerous and revolutionary measure now pro-
posed by the leaders of the party in power for
passage in the House of Representatives
Under doubtful construction of the Constitu-
tion this bill proposes to substantially take
from the states and local authorities control of
all elections at which members of Congress are
balloted for, and hand the same over to United
States Judges appointed to office for life, and
Chief Supervisors of elections.
NO PRECEDENT FOR IT.
If the power claimed resides in the Consti-
tuition, which deny the Republic has gone
through the difficulties of the formative period,
made heroic struggle against dissolution,
triumphed and successfully readjusted itself to
changed conditions without the exercise of
such power by the Federal Government for 100
years and over. Mr.. jefferson and the fathers
OIL heDuDuC WOQlQ nave cO0slQereQ such
proposition as this as dangerous as an open at
tempt at Capitalization.
This bill is purely partisan measure in
tended primarily to control the elections for
Congress and Presidential electors in all the
States, and to intimidate. hound, obstruct and
harass by political prosecutions in unfriendly
hands the adverse majorities in the cities of
the n orth. 10 this end Il gives to the control
of the Chief Supervisor of elections a body
of Federal police spies, who are author ized to
make domiclliary visits. superutend the
naturalization of our fOreign-born citizens
place the citizens under strict scrutiny of these
trusty and unprincipled Federal detectives for
DAYS both preceding and following an election
and in every way subject him to the power and
control of said party mercenaries of government
in a way at utter variance with republican in
stitutlons and the great principle of American
freedom, home rule.
A COSTLY SCHEME.
To carry on this scheme of Imperial Govern
ment millions of dollars will be taxed from our
people, and the judiciary of the United States
prostituted to the basest partlsansnip in the
management of elections. And these invasions
of the liberties of our people will be left for
safety, to partisan juries in the Federal courts
composed entirely of the men of the party in
power.
The Constitutional objections to the bill are
follows:
In view of the great danger to the rights and
nDerties OF the people, and to the principle of
local Sell governments involved in this bill.
we respectfully appeal to American freemel,
without regard to party to enter timely pro-
test by way Of public meeting or otherwise,
against TINS consolidation of government, the
destruction of popular rights and the very
foundation of American liberty for we indulge
no mere rhetorical flourish when we solemniy
af1rm on our loyalty citizens and on our
honor as Representatives that this yicious and
unpati lotlc measure is most serious menace
TO the very life of The Republic.
THE TSSITF DrErNrr1
The issue is. shall political party elect itself
and keep in power by paid agents. who are to
control the political elections in all the statesY
The signatures are as follows: William s.
Holman, G. r. Buckalew, William M.
Springer, William McAdoo, Amos j. Cum
mings, w. f. Wilcox, James Kerr Samuel
Fowler, William Parrett, j. Chipman
Benjamin Shivelev, c. a. Mcclellan, ]. r.
Brown, !. w. Covert, A. n. Martin. c. n.
Mansur, D. B. Brunner, j. r. Williams
William Mutchler, Richard Vaux. Levi |
Maish, Joseph Il. o'Neil, Massachusetts: |
John F. Andrew, Charles II. Turner, New |