Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1891-02-06

10 make more clear and pointed what
we have attempted to say in the article
above we copy from the New York Tribune
this effective presentation Of what the
elections bill is and what it is not:
THIS Is WHAT IT DOES.
1t enacts the Australian system Of voting
for any congressional district where the
people in a formal petition, charge that
elections are not being properly conducted.
1t provides for full registration Of all
persons entitled to vote in that particular
district.
1t provides for the appointment by the
Federal courts Of supervisors charged with
the duty Of experimenting this registra-
ton aud Of watching the election when 1t
occurs These officers and all others ap
pointed under the act must be y different
! political parties
1t makes several provisions as to the
manner of taking the vote. all designed to
insure the freedom of the voter from all
kinds of interference the absolute secrecy
of his ballot and the complete publicity OF
his act as, for instance, that the ballot box
shall be placed in full view of the voter and
Of all the election officers, national and
| local, so that he and they can both see that
offered it in, the box.
1t makes false registration a crime.
1t makes intimidation and bribery
/ crimes
| 1t makes the falsifcation Of poll-l re
turns and certificates crime
1t makes it a crime wilfully and know
ingly TO reject legal votes or accept illegal
ones
1t makes the fraudulent substitution of
ballots not cast for ballots cast crime.
Ii makes the unlawful removal of ballots
/ from a ballot-box a crime
1t makes false swearing perjury and bal
! lot box theft felony.
And it provides for the arrest, trial, &C
| quittal and release or conviction and pun
ishment Of persons accused of any of these
offences in a Federal court.
This is the bill and the whole of it.
THIS Is WHAT IT DOES NOT DO.
1t does not call out the troops, d" or EN-
ploy any other force than that ordinarily
employed by the Federal courts in the en-
| forcement of the laws
1t does not displace the state election of
| ticers or the state electoral machinery, or
interfere in any way with state officials in
the performance Of their lawful duties.
Ii does not apply to any particular state
or section 1t does not refer to the South
or the North, or to any other region of
country. Its terms are general and its ap-
! plication is coextensive with the Federal
/ jurisdiction.
1t does not give the control of the ballots
or of the boxes or of any other election
machinery to the Republican party or to
any party, but leaves them in the control
| of the states, as they are now.
/ 1t is not a force bill' except as every
/ other law is a force bill
/ 1t is not sectional except so far as the
/ crimes it aims TO prevent or punish are
| sectional
! 1t does not give the negro any right other
than those possessed by and insured to every
other citizen,
1t does not interfere with industrial pro
| gress and commercial prosperity unless bal
| lot box crimes and electoral outrages are
necessary to the welfare of business
1t does not restrict anvbody's liberty or
| give Federal officials more authority than
state laws already confer on state officials
1t does not refer to or interfere with loca
or state elections.
| Or, in other words, it merely provides q
way by which the United States courts can
ascertain whether congressional elections
are fairly, freely and honestly conducted,
and by which they can punish those who
engage in electoral crimes