The Forrest City times., 1892-10-28
IMPORTANT! ]!
To Arkansas Voters and Elec-
 ton Officers.
The Federal Supervisors and Marshals. What They Can and What They
 Cannot Do Law fully.

Cannot Do Lawfully.
 To the Voters of Arkansas;
 Since the publication of the instrnc- tions to the federal supervisors by Judge Mcclure, chief supervisor, have received quite number of letters asking my opinion as to the duties of the supervisors appointed by the fed eral court, and the election officers ap- pointed pursuant to the statutes of the state, and rather than answer each one separately shall answer them through the public press and thereby call the attention of all election officers to their duties in conducting the cleo ton to be held in November next.
 Our people are a law-abiding people, and they do not want to violate the law, whether it be a state or federal statute, and neither one should be ig- nored when it can be avoided. No good citizen will iguore the law, and no good citizen will urge other people to ignore it. think there is really no conflict between the state and federal statutes when they are construed to- gether as they should be. Congress has the right to impose certain regu- lations and restrictions upon the cleo tion officers in the conduct of an cleo ton for representatives in congress and to the extent congress has acted in this matter it Is the paramount law of the land. There is no controversy about that. The question: as been too often settled by the supreme court of the United States.
 WHAT CONGRESS HAS DONE
 Congress has not assumed to take charge of the conduct of the entire election machinery in elections for representatives in congress. It has adopted the election laws of the sev- eral states as far as they go, and in addition to that it has provided for the appointment of supervisors of elections with certain duties plainly marked out and defined. From the fact that con- gress has. adopted the state Statutes for the election of representatives in congress. the violation of such statutes in many instances can be punished by the federal as we'll as the state authori- ties. Sections 20l7, 20lS, 20l9 and 2029 of the revised statutes of the Uni ted States prescribe the duties of the supervisors. They are as follows:
 SECTION 20i7. The supervisors of elections are authorized and required to attend at all times and places for holding elections of rep resentatives or delegates in congress. and for counting the votes cast at such elections; to challenge any vote offered by any person whose legal qualifications the supervisors, or either or them, may doubt; to be and remain W here the ballot boxes are kept, at all times after the polls are open until every vote cast at such time and place has been counted, the canvass of all votes wholly completed and the proper and requisite certificates or returns made. whether the certificates or returns be required under any law of the United States, or any state. territorial or municipal law. and to personally inspect and scrutinze. from time to time. and at ail times. on the day of election the manner in which the voting is done and the way and method in which the poll books registry lists and talies or check books whether the same are required by any law of the United States. or any state territorial or municipal law. are kept
 SEC. 20is To the end that each candidate for the office of representative or delegate in con. gress may obtain the benefit of every vote for him cast, the supervisors of elections are. and each of them Is. required to personally scru- tinize. count and canvass each ballot in their election district or voting precinct cast, what ever may be the endorsement on the ballot or in whatever box it may have been placed or be found; to make and forward to the officer who. in accordance with the provisions Of sec- ton 2025. has been designated as the chief supervisor of the judicial district in which the city or town in which they may serve, acts such certificates and returns of all such ballots as such officer may direct and require, and 10 attach to the registry list. and any and all
  ment or return, whether the same or any part or portion thereof be required by any law of the United States, or of any state, territorial or municipal law, any statement touching the truth or accuracy of the registry or the truth or fairness of the election and canvass. which the supervisors of the election, or either of them. may desire to make or attach, or which should properly and honestly be made or at tached, in order that the facts may become known.
 SEC 2oI9. The better to enable the super fn l ha haf lttfa fhax, arc authorized and directed, in their respective districts and voting precincts, on the day of registration. on the day when registered voters may be marked to be challenged. and on the day of election. to take. occupy and remain In such position, from time to time. whether before or behind the ballot-hoxes as will. in tAeir judgment, best enable them to see each person offering himself for registration or of. fering to vote, and will best conduoe to their scratinixing the manner in which the registration or voting is being conducted; and al the closing of the polls for the reception oi votes, they are required to place themselves Tn such position. in relation to the hallot-boxes for the purpose or engaging in the work oi canvassing the ballots, as will enable them tC fully perform the duties in respect to such canvass provided herein, and shall there re main until every duty in respect to such can vass, certificates. returns and statements has been wholly completed.
 SEC. 20a9. The supervisors of election ap pointed for any county or parish in any con rressional district. st the instance of ten cit fzens. as provided in section 2ull, shall havt no authority to make arrests. or to perform other duties than to be in the immediate pres ence of officers holding the election, and tC witness all their proceedings. including the counting of the votes and the making of a re turn thereof
 From the sections above quoted theiI duties may be summed up as follows They have right to challenge any vote offered by any person whose lega qualifications may be doubted. They have the right to be and remain where the ballot-box is kept at all times after the polls are opened until the election IS closed, and the canvass or count oi the vote is made by the officers aud the certificates made. They have a righl to scrutinize the manner in which tht