Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-07-03
DEMOCRATS PROTEST.

A Protest By Northern Democrats Against
the Lodge Election Bnl-A Partisan
Measure to Control Federal Elections By
the Republicans.
WASHINGTON, June 2s.-The Northern
Democratic members of the House of
Representatives have prepared the fol-
lowing formal protest against the Ma
tlonal Election bill, now under discus
sion in the House.
The undersigned, representing in the Con-
gress of the United States constituencies in
| the 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
measures now proposed by the leaders of
the party in power for passage in the House
of Representatives.
Under doubtful construction of the Con-
take from the States and local authorities
control OF all elections at which m embers of
Congress are balloted for and hand the same
over to United States judges appointed to
tions.
If the power claimed resides in the Con-
stitution, which we deny, the Republic has
gone through the difficulties Of the form
alive period, made heroic struggle against
dissolution. triumphed and successfully re-
adjusted itself to changed conditions with
out the exercise of SUI h power by the Fed
eral Government for 100 years and over MT
would have considered such a propos ltion
as this as dangerous an open attempt at
Capitalization.
This bill is a purely partisan measure, in =
tended primarily to control the elections
for Congress and Presidential Electors in
all the States, and to intimidate, hound. OBJ
struct and harass by political prosecutions
N unfriendIy hands the adverse majorfties
in the cities of the North. To this end it
gives to the control of the chief supervisor
of elections body of Federal police spies
who are authorized to make domiciliary
visits, superintend the naturalization of
foreign born citizens, place the citizens I'M
der strict scrutiny of these trusty and un.
principled Federal detectives for days pre-
ceding and following an election and in
every way subject them to the power and
control of said party mercenaries of the
Government in a way at utter variance with
republican institutions and the great prin-
ciple of American freedom-home rule.
To carry on this scheme of imperial gov
eminent millions of dollars will be taxed
from our people and the judiciary of the
United States prostituted to the basest par
tisanship in the management of elections.
And these fnvasions of the liberties of our
people will be left for safety to partisan
juries in the Federal courts, composed en-
tirely of the men of the parry in power.
The. constitutional objections to the
bill are set forth at length and the pro-
estconcludes as follows:
In view OF the great danger to the rights
and liberties of the people and to the prin-
ciple of local self government involved in
this bill, we respectfully appeal to Amer
lean freemen without gard to party to en-
ter timely protest by way of public meeting
otherwise against this consolida-
tion of government, the destruction
of popular rights and the very
foundation of American liberty, for
we indulge no mere rhetorical flourish
when we solemnly affirm on our loyalty as
citizens and on our honor as Representa-
tves that this vicious and unpatriotic meas
ure is most serious menace to the very life
of the Republic The issue is, shall pOlit-
ical party elect itself and keep in power by
paid agents who are to control the political
elections in all the States?