Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-12-04
The Iittls Force an, Must GO.

ssfN efthst0 ~ WV tstt esAhNt tts
The indictment Of number OF citizens
OF Richmond in the United States Court
Of Norfolk on the charge OF unlawfully
ejccting from the votine-place and impri.
soning IN jail on election. day several Fed
eral supervisors aud deputy marshals will
remind the Democrats in Congress that it
Is their duty 10 make haste 10 repeal the
odious law upon which those indictments
are based. These indictments Will not
intimidate the state-eiection officers nor
cause them 70 fail TO perform their duty
when next the same or new Federal officials
shall undertake 10 defeat the Democrats
by SLOW of the power Of the Federal Gov
eminent. The prosecution of these eases
may cause much ANNOYANCE and no little
loss Of time and money TO the persons in-
dioted. The Democratic party should see
TO il that these faithful State election-ofii-
GERS shall not suherfor their fidelity to their
trust. Thoy ought not to have to suffer IN
purse or otherwise under the circum-
stances which made them the subjects of
these indictments. 1t is enough for them
TO have to lose time in travelling from
Richmond to Norfolk. All their necessary
travelling expenses and all the fees which
their lawyers may charge them with should
DO paid either by tho Democratic State
Central Committee or by the Democratic
City Committee of Richmond.
1t is not q small matter. though the Re
publicans try to make il 80. this attempt 10
punish citizens of this old Commonwealth
for the simple performance OF duties I'm
posed upon them by the laws OF virginia.
1t Is an exemplitication of the probeoie
mode of operation of the new force bill
which the Republicans would like to see
placed upon cur statute-book. 1t tells us
that we have escaped unnumbered evilsoy
electing Democratic House of Represen-
tatives and Democratic President of the
United States. II shows MS the handouts
which the Republicans expected to put
upon our wrists in case they succeeded IN
securing control Of the next Congress and
the next President.
The free institutions bequeathed to us
by the fathers of the republic would not
long continue to exist after the elections
IN the several States bad begun to be con-
Quoted BY Federal officials. The result OF
even lawful interference with the States
IN conducting their elections would
and could be nothing else than the
creation Of a grand central consolidated
despotism OF Washington. The States
would soon become nonentities as bocles
polite They would be reduced TO the
condition of mere satrapies. They would,
as Patrick HENRY predicted they would,
soon come to bear the same relation
to the Federal Government that
the counties now bear to the State gov
eminent. Extravaganza IN the expendi-
ture Of money on elections would
run race with the extravaganza which we
now see supporting a war-penNon list
amounting to nearly 500, 00,0OO annually.
il would he impossible 70 Oyer-rate the
wrongs which the southern people at first,
and the northern people soon afterwards.
would have TO endure under the kind OF
rule from Washington which the adyo-
Gates of o strong National Government
would soon establish If they had the
power. For no other blessing could the
people OF lDe tHlltu Cidtto hi'iN "bbA'-
priately have returned thanks on Thanks
glving-Day than for their escape from the
despotism OF Great Iron Wheel" at
their national capital.
Whatever the court at Norfolk may do,
it will not change the fact that the United
States courts claim the right and have the
right under the little force bill to make
the Norfolk indictments q very serious
matter for the victims or subjects of those
indictments. 1t would not alter the case
at all if it could be stated as a fact that all
the Richmond indictments will be dis
missed at the next session of the United
States Court. Eternal vigilance is the
price Of liberty" The right to enforce the
law TO the utmost extent is claimed by the
Federal officials. Let the little force bill
be repealed without delay.