The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1890-06-13
The Proposed Federal Election Law.

The Proposed Federal Election Law,
1t is evident that the Republicans intend
to retain control of the next House of Rep
resentatives by foul means or fair, and to
this end they seem determined to take con-
troll of the elections for congressman in all
the States. At caucus held by the Repub-
lican members of Congress, Tuesday night,
some of the features Of the proposed law
were agreed upon. Republican election SUI
pervisors are to be appointed in each con-
gressional district, who are TO participate in
the registration, voting and canvassing the
result, and their returns are to be prima facie
evidence of the right of any member to his
seat in Congress.
The pretext alleged for this outrageous in
vasion of the right of the people of q State
to choose their representatives in their own
way is that the negro voters are in MAORI
ty in the Southern States. 1t is taken for
granted that all of them vote the Republican
ticket, an6 therefore Republican congress
men ought to be elected from those States.
Under the arbitrary rules prescribed by
Speaker Reed no doubt the law will be pass
ed Individual Republicans may be opposed
TO this tyrannical and dangerous scheme, but
under the lash of the party whip they will
smother their convictions and vote for the
bill. If it becomes law it can not fail to
lead to scenes of disorder and violence, If not
bloodshed and this seems to be what the Re-
publicans desire. They hope that resistance
to this unjust law will arouse the old war
spirit through the North, and again solidify
it for the Republican party.
Attention has lately been drawn to the de-
NAL of equal political rights in the New Eng
land States, which has prevailed for half a
century. The accomplished Washington
correspondent of the Baltimore Sun gives
some interesting facts bearing upon this sub
ject He says:
At the last congressional elections in No
vember, 1888, the Republicans polled an ag-
gregate of 449000 votes and the opposition
polled 378, ATT, or very much more than two
fifths. Yet the Republicans have all OF the
twelve Senators from New England, and
twenty-three out of twenty-six Representa-.
tives.
In Connecticut the Republicans were in
minority of more than three thousand, yet
they have the two Senators and three of the
four representatives. In New Hampshire
the Republicans polled 1921 votes and the
oppositiont4 AS .450, yet the Republicans hold
on to both Senators and both Representa-
tives. In Rhode Island the Republicans have
held on to power not only by unfair appor-
tionments, but by the most wholesale dis
reimbursement of citizens. That State is
bound to slip from them now, and if it is
ever possible to receive reasonably fair ap-
portionment Connecticut and New Hamp-
shire would soon follow suit
The correspondent shows that nearly all
the chairmanships of the important commit
tees in Congress have been given to New
England congressman, and adds:
1t need not be supposed that these New
England Republicans, who have walked into
Congress over the slaughtered political rights
of nearly one-half the population of their
section, are satisfied with monopolizing the
chairmanships of the principal committees.
They will be found slowed away in top places
of all other desirable committees, so that
their influence permeates every species of leg
islation for every section. Efrontery has
long been the characteristic of the New Eng
land Republican Congressman, hut it is diff
cult to conceive how they, the henefcaries of
the almost complete practical denial of polit-
ical rights to hundreds of thousands of white
voters, can assume to discourse so much
upon alleged and imaginary similar instances
as to black voters.
Louisville Courier Journal says:
An enterprising newspaper correspondent
who has been collecting information in
Speaker Reeds district gives some interest
ing particulars of the bribery there prevalent
At an election the clerk of the town meet
ing" usually represents one of the parties, and
another person, holding no official position,
sits on the other side ofthe presiding officer
for the purpose of representing the other
party When f1oater hands up his ballot,
if it is not already open, he is required to
open it, and it is submitted to the inspection
of the two party representatives. If he has
voted according to contract, the fact is certi-
fled to by the representative of the party for
which he voted, and he is thereupon paid. A
case is mentioned where q. fioater was sold at
auction in the town hall, and brought $26
The other floalers were aware of the fact, and
tried to sell their votes for the same price,
but the voters refused to treat this as test
case and forced the others down TO $21 each
Negotiations were carried on with little pre-
tense of concealment, and several instances
are given where whole families were bought
in lump, the father selling himself and
grown up sons in block of three or five as
the case might be. Parties engaged in the
traffic, without distinction of party, agreed
that about twenty per cent. of the voting pop
ulation are regularly purchased in this way.
The Democrats desire to change the method
of voting, and in their platform demand
secret ballot. Ehe Republicans have the
most money, derive the greatest benefit from
corrupt practices, andl having control of the
State government, refuse to favor reform
which might relegate some of their leaders to
private life. With the Australian ballot sys-
tenn in operation even Speaker Reed might
be unable to count majority for himself so
he prefers to conduct his reform campaigns
ut distance from home.