Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1892-08-31
The Odi0us Force Bill.

The inquiry, says the NOrIolK L0fIU-
mark, is made now by many who have
forgotten the details of the outrageous
measure devised by John l. Davenport
for the Federal control of elections in
the South, "What does the Force bill
provide for, and what are its terms and
it's language?'
KThis is an interesting question, and
it is one which every:citizen of the Uni
ted States, and especially every Demo
cratic citizen, should be able to answer
for himself and for all inquirers. The
bill itself, which was passed by the
House of Representatives of the Fifty
first Congress in its first session, was
House bill No. II, O45, and was introduce
ed July 18th, 1890, by the Hon. II. c..
Lodge, of Massachusetts.
It's title is, IAN Act to Amend and
Supplement the Election Laws of the
United States, and to Provide for the
More Efficient Enforcement OF Such
Laws, and for Other Purposes" 1t
was for other purposes, chiefly, how
ever, that this measure was introduced,
as everybody now knows, and those
other purposes were such as had been
conceived by the Republican party
managers for throttling the Southern
States in Federal elections, to the end
that only Republican representatives,
or great majority of Republican rep
resentatives might be returned to Con
gress, and to secure a perpetual Repub-
lican administration at Washington.
The bill is long one there are sew
enty-s six pages of it, printed in the or
binary type and manner employed In
Congress in preparing measures which
are introduced by members of that
body.
Here is a synopsis or summary of the
measure made by Judge Crisp, the
Speaker of the House of Representa-
tlves, in letter written by him to his
constituents in Georgia but short time
ago. Let every citizen of Virginia read
it, and then resolve to cast vote
against the party which would inflict
such law upon liberty-loving people
for the sake of political domination.
sit gives to the Judge of the United
States Circuit Court the power of ap-
pointing election officers in the States.
1t gives to the election officers SO ap-
pointed the power to designate an I'M
limited number of deputy marshals,
who may be employed a number of
days prior to each election at So per
day. A thousand or more might be
appointed in each Congressional dis
trict in Georgia.
''It authorizes the use of the armies
of the United States to preserve the
peace at the polls.
"It gives to the judges of the United
States courts the power of appointing
a canvassing or returning board for
each State, who shall certify whom the
people have elected to Congress.
at requires the Clerk of the House
of Representatives to place on the roll
OF members elect the names of the per-
sons holding such certificates, SO that
they may participate as members in
the organization of the House.
sit authorizes officers of the United
States to supervise and control the
registration of voters.
at authorizes such officers to make
house to house canvass, to ascertain
the legality of any registered voter.
at provides for the payment of all of
these officers out of the Federal Treas
ury, and authorizes the employment of
many of them for as much as eight days
before an election.
And finally it makes permanent ap-
preparations of your money for the ex-
ecution of the law.
This enumeration of the provisions
of the bill, meagre though it is. must
make it plain to all men that if it were
enacted into law the people would lose
all voice in the selection or control of
the officers who manage and certify the
result of their election"
This is briefly what is proposed by
the Lodge bill, and the Republican par
ty is lrrevocably committed to the
work of thus manacling the political
hands of Southern white men. That
party must be defeated.