The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-11-04
A FAIR ELECTION.
The Authorities will Protect Citi-
zens in Their Rights.
The DUTIES OF u S. MARSHALS
Deflned by the Department of jus.
tice.-No Good Citizsn will Make a
Partisan Issue of the SIattcr--Thcy
Arc Strictly Enioined to Not Inter
fere With the Rights of Any Citizen.

wAsnxerox, D. c., Nov. 3.-Acting
Attorney General Aldrich to-day made
an important statement with reference
to the authority OF United States dep
uty marshals to supervise elections, in
which he announces that all persons
who attempt to interfere with those
officers bring themselves within the
scope OF the criminal statutes OF the
United States regardless OF whether or
not they act under any state or municl.
pal statute. He says that in view OF
these statutes it is not thought that any
person or combination OF persons VIII
seek in any way with the marshals in
the discharge Of their duties, but that
any such lnterferences will bc rigorous
ly prosecuted.
The statement begins by saying that
the attention OF department OF justice
has been called to certain alleged in
structions to the police and state Of
ficers in Alabama, Arkansas and New
York with reference to their conduct
towards deputy United States marshals
Mt the polls. 1t declares that the mar
| shals are there us peace officers and
that their instructions are not TO allow
discrimination for or against any party,
| but to secure IAN honest ballot and a
fair count" it denies the doctrines OF
the supremacy OF states over the United
States in this matter OF elections and
says that the impression that federal
government is foreign power should
be obliterated.
1t says that the statement that sec
ton 2O2l is the only section authoriz-
ing the appointment OF deputy mar
shals, and therefore that such appoint
ments can be made only in cities OF 2O,-
900 inhabitants or upwards is not the
view entertained by the attorney-gener-
al, nor has such view been held by
any preceding attorney-generai.
The statement OF Acting Attorney
General Aldrich is as follows:
The attention OF tho department OF
instice has been called to certain al
legged constructions to the police and
state officers in Alabama, Arkansas and
New York with reference TO their con-
duct towards such deputy United States
marshals as may be in attendance at
the polling places.
Such instructions bring their authors
and all persons attempting to carry
them into effect within the provisions
of sections 55lS and 5522 of the criminal
statutes of the United States, which
are as follows:
Section 55lS-If two or more, persons
| in any state or territory conspire TO pre-
vent by force, intimidation, or threat
any person from accepting or holding
any Office, trust, or place OF confidence
underthe United States or from discharg-
lug any duties thereof; or to induce by
like means any officers OF tho United
States. to leave any state, district, or
place where his duties rs an officer are
required to be performed, or to injure
| him in his person or property on ac-
count of his lawful discharge OF the
duties OF his office, or while engaged in
the law. discharge thereof, or TO injure,
his property so as to molest, interrupt,
hinder, or impede him in the discharge
of his official duties; each OF such per-
sons shall be punished by fine OF not
less than five hundred nor moro than
five thousand dollars, or by imprison-
ment with or without hard labor not
less than six months, nor more than
six years, or by both such fine and in
| prisonment.
Section $500. Every person, which,
whether, with or without any author;
ity, power or process, or pretended
authority, power or process, or pre-.
tended authority, power or process oil
any state, territory or municipality,
who obstructs, hinders, assaults. or by
bribery, solicitation, or otherwise in
terferes with or prevents the supervis-
ors of election, or either oil them, or the
marshal or his general or special
deputies, or either OF them, in the per-
formance OF any duty required OF them,
or either OF them, or which he, or they,
or either OF them, may be authorized to
perform by any law OF theUnited States,
! in the execution OF process or other
wise, or who be any OF the
means before mentioned, hinders
or prevents the free attendance
and presence at such places
of registration or at such polls Of cleo
tion or full and free access and egress
10 and from any such place OF registra-
ton or poll OF election, or in going to
and from any such place OF registration
or poll OF election or to and from any
room, where any such registration, or
election or canvass of votes, or of max
ing any returns or certificates thereof,
NAV be had, or who molests, interieres
with, removes, or elects from any such
place of registration or poll OF election,
or Of canvassing votes cast thereat, orot
making returns or certificates thereof,
any supervisor OF election, the
marshal or his general or special depu-
tics, or either Of them; or who threat
ems or attempts, or offers so to do, or
refuses or neglects to aid and assist any
supervisor Of election, ,or the marshal
or his general or special deputies or
either OF them in the performance Of
his or their duties, when required by
him or them, or either OF them, to give
such aid and assistance, shall be liable
TO instant arrest, without process, and
shall be punished by imprisonment
not more than two years, or by fine OF
not more than three thousand dollars,
or by both such fine and imprisonment
and shall pay the cost OF the prosecu-
ton.
In view OF these provisions, 1t is not
thought that any person, or combina-
ton OF persons will seek in any way to
interfere with the marshals in the dis
charge OF their duties. Any such inter
ference will be vigorously prosecuted.
The marshals and their deputies are at
such polling places as peace officers and
not partisans, and their instructions
allow no discrimination for or against
any party.
/ will add that this is not a partisan