The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1890-08-27
Deputy NIarshals at the PolIs.

Deputy NIarshals az the Polls.
New York World.
1t is asserted by the Republican
politicians that the pending Elec-
tion Bill is To secure free and fair
kelections. The assertion is monu-
mentally impudent, coming as it
does from party which carefully
selects knaves with a gift of silence
as managers of its campaigns.
Moreover, the record of the party
is opposed 10 the declaration.
The Act of 1871 is the mild basis
for the Infamous measure now be-
fore Congress. 1t gave to the Re-
publican marshals the power TO
appoint an army OF special deputies
to be be present at the polls. They
were 70 assist the supervisors, who
had not, as they would have this
bill to pass, the power to assume
entire control of the machinery of
elections. The special deputies
were all of one party aud were used
to intimidate voters
In testimony taken by a Congress
sional Committee it was shown that
IN Congressional election in st.
Louis IN 1879 the special deputies
carried the district for the Republi-
cans ID. w ID. Barnard admitted
on the witness stand that he select
ed the deputies, and that he excer-
cised his power solely for partisan
purposes. He said that he aided
the effort ''of the party which /
acted with TO gain control of the
House of Representatives" Among
the special deputies who were APP
pointed in 1876 in New York were
thieves, keepers of houses of pros
tItution, mail robbers and burglars.
The same is true of Philadelphia;
and for the maintenance of this
gang of criminals and ex-convicts
the people have been taxed hun
dreds of thousands of dollars.
So notorious were the crimes COM
mitted by these gangs of ruffians
while in the employment of United
States marshals that Mr.. Garfield
himself, in 1880, moved an amend
ment to the law providing that the
special deputies be appointed from
the two parties. His own party bit
terly opposed him, but in support
ing his amendment Mr.. Garfield
said:
"There was one charge made by
the other side, and in so far as Il il
true l consider it just objection to
the law. 1t was that the law had
been used, or was capable of beng
used, to fill election precincts with
men of one PARTY whose time might
be employed at the public expense
tof party electioneering purposes
Under party pressure Gen. Gar
mel L voted against his own amend
ment, but here was IA distinct admis-
sion of fact which had already
been demonstrated by sworn testi-
mony. So great were the scandals
arising from the outrages perpe-
trated in 1876 and 1873 that the
Republican leaders have never dared
repeat them.
The present law does not give
them the opportunities for inionity
which they desire. They can merely
surround the polls with a gang of
roughs who may create disturbances
but the registration, counting and
certlfication of votes being in the
hands OF State officers the result
may be disastrous and the discovery
of the crime swift. If the Lodge
Bill should go through the friends
OF the deputy marshals would do
the counting, and experience shows
that Quay's supervisors would be
Obliged to count and certify, in
many places, only the votes which
eeuays deputies permitted to be
counted.