The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-08-16
The Bill Of Particulars.


The Bill Of Particulars.
We print below u communication from n
gentleman who asks The Sun to specify the
manner III which tho enactment OF II Force
bill would work wrong to any citizen. or
deprive any voter of his honest vote. The
tenor of our correspondents letter. and the
shape in which he has framed his questions.
lead lis 10 suppose that he is a Republican.
less anxious for information. perhaps. than
to defend and contend for the sort of lcgis-
,ation to which Gen. BENJAMIN HARRISON
and the Republican party are irrcvocably
committed. Here is the letter:
TO IHn ErIoR OF rmE SuS-Sh: am a daily reader
OF Trt srS. and. as 20 its treatment OF msny subjects.
NJ" ably among them the recen! Homestead difficulty.
J ain ia hearty accord with il.
None of lis readers can be ignorant of its position
on the 400 allied tnrcc bin. To have an opinion Of my
"wu upon that subject, I sent to Washington and pro-
cured the Government: PRINT III. Il. ii ,oI5 LIST Ssss.
bis. Cong OF the original House bill, entitled An act
10 amend and supplement the election laws OF the
Initei States. ana to provide for the more efficient
enforcement Of such laws. anil for Other purposes TO.
he her with the substitute therefor reported by the
.sela:e on Privileges and Elections, entitled
An act to yrtvcn: fraud in. and to insure lawful! aud
leuceful conduct Of elections
Nov, ! have read the original and tho proposed sub.
stiInte. aud ] cenfefs that. though ! have known some.
thing at the law generally FOR many years. and have sup.
posed | could understand tn. commands of a statute in
the English language ut least. I have utterly failed 70
discover any evidence OF Force in either.
The title OF tho proposed substitute is. An act to
yr,rent fraud in elections To my mind its provisions
send to secure that result.
"THh SuS " ou!d be offended. I fancy, il its ability. its
canlor. or its sincerity were Questioned in its treat.
ment Of thus or any other subject, 1t cannot be that
Tar srs ia dogmati,irg hbJu. a proposed statute which
1t has not rcat. viii It. therefore. be kind enough to
s~niiehten tho writer and many others by answers to
the follow nc questions:
-. What section or provision of the proposed law pro.
vides tor fore. or fraud in the conduct of elections:
-. What section or provision Of that proposed Law
applies to any southern state that does not apply with
equal force 20 New York. Ohio. or Massachusetts!
80. What section or provision Of that proposed law
would interfere with the editor Of The suN. or any
other man. IN casting his honest vote wherever he
might he entitled 10 cast II. and to have Il, honestly
and fairly counted. recorded. and reported?
-. n elections were conducted under and in nc.
cordance with statutory provisions such as the pro-
posed substitute. would not such elections necessarily
be fair. honest. truthful. ami Faithfully and fairly
recorded expressions If the popular will, II The SuN
thinssthey would not be so fair. honest. ana truthful,
will Il he kind enough to state why and whsreforei
- Will rHk SN he kind enough 10 point ont any
trick or device OF force or fraud IN the conduct OF cleo
tions for which this bill has not provided a remedy and
. penalty:
Of this proposed law containing any terror tending to
deter or i%n,,nida:e any man III his honest attempt to
sNerc!s, his right Of suffrage
TIN Srx SAYS this alleged Force bill Is the great Issue
ofthis camnaign. In many quarters its judgment and
advice arc eagerly sought ana highly priz-d, tits giving
great deal Of time and spscs to the discussion OF its
chosen issue; but. So far. the writer has seen nothing
approaching the Ri. ~ Particulars for which he hereby
Iumbly petitions. Ito therefore ventures to suggest a
line NJ treatment that will undoubtedly prove instruc.
tive to the great body OF its readers.
NEW YoKk, Aug. -. y. X. IlErnsRL'
]. We reply that no section or clause OF
the Force bill that passed tho Republican
House Of the Fifty-first Congress and failed
IN the Senate provides in terms for force or
traui in :hc conduct of elections. Opprcs-
sire. partisan. and wicked laws are not Ia
bellcd that way.
9. n, section on provision applies to any
Southern STATE which might not apply with
equal force and equal danger to New York
or any other Democratic Northern State:
but from tho conditions OF thcc case the hand
OF Federal Interference would fall heaviest
upon the South.
8. Every section or provision CT the com
plicated machine interferes with the rights
Of the citizen and affects hoy value OF his
honest vote In Just so Car rs that provision
or section contributes to the general result
aimed at by the partisuns who framed the
measured; and what that general result is
We shnll presently show.
4. II elections were conducted under the
proposed Republican law. such elections
would not necessarily be fair. honest. and
truthfully recorded expressions of tho pop
,ular will: and We shall be kind enough to
state why and wherefore.
3, Such tricks OF devices of force or fraud
as depend for success upon tho partisan
ship OF Republicans holding for life judicial
Office; such devices ns cheated the Democ.
racy out OF its rightiully elected President
In 1876. are not only not made impossible
by the proposed law. but they are pro.
NOTED and rendered feasible for tho Der.
petuation OF Il Republican Congress. Fol
the whole system devised by DAVENPORT
adopted BY tho Republican party, ant
warmly approved by the present Re
publican candidate for President, turn.
upon this appointment OF election OF
ficers and canvassing boards by Re
publican Judges. holding Federal III,
Offices and therefore not responsible to til,
people Of the State. To specify: The pro
posed law requires that the Clerk OF tn,
House shall place upon the rolls the name
of persons certified as elected by the can
wasting boards appointed by Judge
who. except in two instances. are Re
publicans, and W their own life Office
to the Republican party. II a partisan
,canvassing board thus appointed shal