The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1892-10-22
What the Force Bill Is.

A Federal circuit Judge, whose tenure oil
Office is for life, is given the power TO appoint
in each judicial district of his circuit officer
known as the supervisor of election, which
office he may hold for life.
Into the hands Of this single officer is
placed the entire election machinery created
by this bill, covering territory in the State
OF West Virginia limited only by its bounda-
ries; he controls the appointment of supervi-
sors at ever precinct in the State, who are
to pass upon the qualifications of the voters;
he is given the extraordinary power of select
ing one-third of the Deputy United States
Marshals, even against the protest of the
Marshal, although he is responsible for their
conduct. He even has the power conferred
upon him of converting the Circuit Courts
when, in his Judgment, he deems il proper.
That frauds upon the ballot may more fear
lessly be perpetrated, he is authorized to
transfer the supervisors living in one end of
a Congressional district TO any other portion
of the district to pass upon the right and
qualification OF citizen to deposit his ballot
This is one of the most ingenious devices
provided in the bill for the preparation of
frauds upon the ballot. Unknown men are
brought from distant portion of the dis
trici on the morning of the election, known
not to Il single voter in the precinct, and
who knows no one in the locality, TO deter
mine finally and without appeal upon the
rights Of the citizen to vote.
They may reject ballots even after they are
deposited in the ballot-box, during the count,
and, after perpetrating any conceivable fraud
upon the ballot without fear of detection,
they may leave as they came, before sun up
the next morning. He can order house
to house canvass, where the life and history
of the citizen must be laid bare for the in
specton of his agents, under the heaviest
penalties for refusal; he is given authority to
remove at will any supervisor or deputy mar
shall who attempts to prevent OF expose any
fraud that he desired or conniyed at, the his
tory and life Ofevery naturalized citizen, the
time and place of naturalization, and the
witnesses on whose evidence he was admit
ed TO citizenship, with their residence, must
be given to him, the certificate of the court
not being regarded as sufficient or even prima
facie evidence Of his rights; he is authorized
to have his agents as spies upon both Federal
and State Courts, to interfere with their duties
as provided by law in the naturalization of
aliens, and to order such reports from super
visor and marshals, as to the proceedings on
the day of election, which ex-parte reports
are laid before board of canvassers, appoint
ed by a circuit Judge who hold his office for
life, and on whom is conferred the power,
upon these ex-parte statements of the mere
tools of partisan power, to exercise Judicial
functions in the canvassing of returns
turns on which the certificate of the member
of Congress is given, which certificate is to
supersede the certificate of the Governor of
the State, and shall control the Clerk of the
House of Representatives in placing the name
of the person on its roll. An appeal, from
the decision of the canvassing board to the
Circuit Court, is rendered nugatory, as the
Judge is limited in examination of the case
to the face of the returns and the eX parte
statements of the supervisors and deputy
marshals.
Such power has never been conferred upon
any set of officers by any one of the Al States
of thisUnion. Its machinery starts with the
supervision of registration. attempts TO infu-
ence the mind of the registrar by the severest
penalties if his acts are not in accord with
the views of this Federal Spy. ltinvades the
sanctity of TIE home by any brutal agent APP
pointed to make house to house; it makes
the ex-parte statements of paid political
agents, evidence upon which to throw out
returns of precincts; it clothes the canvasslng
board with absolute protection in the perpe-
| tration of its frauds, by comforting upon II
judicial functions; and by making all these
officers of the U. S. it relieves them from all
penalties under the State laws for crimes OF
every description perpetrated by them aglnst
the person, the property, or the suffrage OF
the people, under the decision rendered by
the Supreme Court in the noted case of
"Nagle, who as Deputy Marshal killed Ter
nv, when he assaulted Justice Field, i'll
California; and should the act charged against
the supervisor or deputy marshal be the
killing of man or the debauchmept of a
woman, | know of no law under this decis-
ion which would justify his arrest, Indictment,
trial or conviction.
of the "A States in this Union, | know OF
no one of them which tolerates the appoint
ment or election of an officer for life. Yet
this statue clothes all of its chief instruments
with that tenure; first, the Circuit judge; sec
Ond, the chief supervisor; third, the canvass
ing board of the returns.
No provision found within the folds Of that
measure would lead to more corruption than
that which authorizes the chief supervisor to
have as many special deputy marshals as he
may ''certify to be, in his opinion, necessary.
This clause would enable him to draw from
the common treasury Of the people the sum
necessary to pay any number OF the opposite
party that could be purchased to vote the Re-
publican ticket at $40 head, which amount
is the only limit upon his power.
| The action of even Federal court Is not
permitted to intervene to pass upon the pro
| thority; the Judgment or extent Of corruption
of the chief supervisor is the only limit TO its
exercise Not satisfied with this unlimited
power, John |. Davenport, in framing the
bill, lost sight Of the instincts and traditions
| of the Anglo Saxon race when he inserted a
clause that, if presented by British ministry
to a British Parliament would have aroused
such a spirit of indignation, even in country
ruled by the principles of a limited monarchy,
| as would have caused change of government
within "a hours.
| Yet the method of its incorporation into
the bill clearly indicated that even that des-
perate trickster and INSCRIPTIONS manipula-
tor in the interests of partisan power felt that
he was treadipg on dangerous ground, and
| instead of having it presented so it could be
read with the bill, he incorporated it by refer
ence to the number of the section found in
the revised code of the United States. 1t
provides that sit shall be lawful for the Presi-
dent of the United States, or such person as
he may empower for that purpose, to employ
such part of the land or naval forces, or OF
the militia, as may be necessary to prevent
a violation and enforce due execution OF
the provisions of this title.
1t will be noticed that this provision does
not confne the right to use the army or the
militia to the President. He may empower
any person" in any section of the country,
and if he deems it proper, every chief super
| visor appointed in the United States, to exer-
else this power, thus Sinking the respon ST.
bility by imposing it upon mere tools, APP
pointed for the purpose of carrying, by fraud
intimidation and force, a partisan result 1t
is not limited to the suppression OF riots at
the polls, but the bayonet may be called into
service to surround the offices of the registrar,
to guard the brazen bully who enters the
sanctity of mans home in his house to
house canvass, or in performance of any
other duty imposed upon these Federal
officers By any "of the provisions of this
title
ireland has suffered much, and the walls
of her noble people have penetrated the
hearts Of the Americans in the unequal fight
with the lords and aristocraey of England.
She has had our deepest sympathy, and, to a
large extent, our substantial aid, but where
in the history of that contest has British ar
rogance dared to place around the polling
places of her people the British bayonet?
1t has been reserved for free America,
where citizens boast of and proudly proclaim
their individual freedom, for a Republican
House of Representatives, dominated by the
Gear who recognized neither personal rights
nor constitutional guarantees, 10 introduce
and pass bill that gives the lie to every re
cognized instinct and inspiration of the
American people.
II seems that il is true that whom the