Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1892-11-03
ARcnlY TO Mr.. Reid.


4 Reply to Mr.. Reid.
The Hon. Whitelaw Reid grows bold
er in his discussion of the Force bill is
sue the further away he gets from the
New York merchants who enjoya large
and profitable trade with the South.
On Monday night Mr.. Reid was at Itha-
ca in company with Dr. Chauncey NJ.
Depew. After DR.. Depew had iollied
the audience, Mr.. Reid tackled the
He was in the middle of the tariff when
some intelligent Ithacan sang out ::
Force bill" Werecord with pleasure
the fact that the republican candidate
for N'ice-P President did not dodge. Here
is what he said
There is no such thing, and there
never has been. There has been bill
to provide for the Federal control of the
election of Federal officers. Have you
any objection to that? You have State
control of State officers. Why should
not the Federal government control the
election Of Federal officers? p
1t is delightful to find so conspicuous
a republican standing by his guns: bay
oncts included Mr.. Reds question
goes to the heart Of the Force bill issue.
why should not the Federal govern
ment control the election Of Federal of
iicers ~
Because, Mr.. Reid, the terrible and
costly experience of the South has
shown what Federal interference with
elections signifies and involves. IT sig
niiies the alliance of rascality and igno-
rance for the plumber Of the States. 1t
signifies disaster beyond computation
to the interests of a great and now pros
porous section of the republic: and dis
aster, likewise to all of those northern
interests which are concerned in the
prosperity which the South has enjoy
ed since it was once before rescued from
Federal bayonets and negro DONNA
ton. No repetition of that chapter of
American history, if you please, Mr..
Reid
Because, Mr.. Reid, the control of the
election of President and Congressman
in the districts by federal supervisors to
bully and harass the voter, Federal
spies and detectives to invade the
houses of citizens. Federal returning
boards to count the ballots. partisan
life Judges to certify the results and TO
decide beyond appeal the contests that
arise when the vote is close. signifies
the overthrow of free suffrage. Ii sig
nifies republican Presidents in the
White House and republican Con-
crosses in the Capitol for m indefinite
term of years. 1t signifies such further
enterprises of fcentralization and usurpa-
ton as the party in power may choose
to undertake. You may not see that
very clear now Mr.. Reid, but your
newspaper. the Tribune. frankly admit
ted the partisan value of the scheme
when it urged the republicans in Con-
gress not to abandon their effort to put
through q measure which carried
within itself the assurance of future
tariff bills by the hundreds" The fed
cral government should not control the
elections, because republican control of
the elections signifies 4 continuous re-
publican government of force and
fraud until such time as the outraged
voters shall break their shacklcs and
arm themselves for revolution.
Because, Mr.. Reid, the federal con-
troll OF federal elections involves also
the federal control of State elections,
county elections, and municipal cleo
tions. Davenport has shown on a
small scale how the thing works in prac-
tice. The citizen who is seized and
Gagged in order to prevent him from
voting the democratic ticket for Presi-
dent or Congressman, is likewise pre-
vented from voting for governor,
mayor, or sheriff He has no astral body
which he can send forth from the fcde-
raj iron cage to exercise in State and
local matters those rights ofsufIrage
which even the republican force bill
advocates do not assume TO regulate by
federal law. Locked up as federal
voter, he is locked up and disfran-
.chised as a citizen of his State, and as a
voter in the city or town in which he
lives.
Does this answer Mr. Reid 5 question
satisfactorily If fnot, we shall be hap
py to give him further information, as
extended and as specific as he may
I desire N y Sim