Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1890-12-01

TIE provisions Of this familiar title of the revised
statutes have been put into exercise by oo'h tne
ereat political parties, snd in the North rs well
as in the South, by the filing W tn the toart oil
tie petitions required BY the law. =,
1t is not, therefore, question whes or we email
have federal election law, for we now have one,
and hsye bad for nearly twenty years, but
whether We shall have elective law. The
resent law stops just short OF effectiveness, for IL
surrendeIs 10 the local authorities al control
over the ceItticlt ion which establishes TIE prIma
acic right TO u seat IN the House OF representa-
lives. This defect should be cured. Fquslity OF
representation aud the parity OF electors must be
maintained, OF every thing thst is valuable IN our
.ys:en of governments lost. The quaiific itions
Of an oiec.or must be sought IN thesw, not In the
opiuions preiudices, fears OF any class, how
ever powerful Tho path of the elector TO the
ballot box must be free from the ambush OF fear
and the cnticements OF fraud; the count so true
and open that none Shall gairsay it. Such law
should be absolutely nOn-partisan and impartial.
IL should give the ;dvantsge to honesty and the
control 20 majorities Surely there is nothing
5 ctional about this creed, and il it shall happen
That tho penalties of laws intended to enforce
these rights 1 horc aid not there, it is not be-
cause ths law is sectional, bat Because happily,
crime is local and net universal. Nor sh uIi IT
be forgotten that every law whether relating to
ii scrious or 10 any other subj whether enacted
by the State by the nation, has force behind It,
The courts the marshal or constable, the posse
comifaluS, the prison., are all and always benlnd
the law.
enc can not be Justly charged with unfriendli-
ness to any section or class who seeks only to re.
strain violations OF law and Of personal right No
community will find lawlcssness profitable. No
community can afford to have 1t known that The
officers who are charged with the presery ton
the pubi1 peace and the restrs int OF the criminal
classes are themselves the p oduct of fraud or VIC
lcnce. 7 e magistrate is then without respect
and the law witH0us sanction. The floods Of law
ness car not be leveed snd made to run ID
enc channel The billing of a United States
marshal carrying writ of arrest for an election
otlense is fall CT prompting and suggestion to
men who pursued by city marshal Tor
crime against lie or property.
Bus it is sSd that this legislation Will revive
ace amin o3tios, and scmo have even suggested
that when the Pc .cefu methods OF frand are
made imposs bic they may be supplanted ty in
5njidation and vic ence. If the proposed law
lives to any qualified cc.or, by hairs weight
moro thAn mis- ECU ii influence, or detracss by 60
much f,om sny other qualified eector, 1t IS IA
tally in pcsch,d. But if the lSw is equal and the
anim o3itos il is to evoko grow out OF the fact
that some electors have been accustomed to eXer-
else The alchisc Tor others well IS for them
sc ves, then the.o auimositics ought not to be
confessed without shame, and not be given
shy weight in the discussion without dishopor.
No chOic is LETT to me bat to euforce with vlgOr
all laws intend to secure to the citizen his con.
1.itCti, ;, rights, and to recommend that the in
| sdequecei OF such lsws be promptly remcdied. II
] 20 promote with z.al aid ready interest every
project for Tbs development of its material inter
ess its rivers, harbors mines, and factories, snd
| the Intelligence, peace, and security under the
aw o. It's communities and its homes, is not &C.
ccptod IS sufficient evidence of friendliness to any
state section, can not add connivance at cleo
ION practices that not only disturb local results
bu. rob HE electors of other States and sections
OF their INT S, pricoicss poilica! rights