Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-10-13

every American citizen who desires 10 see
siestions lawfully and regularly conducted.
and 10 zee that the members who come to
this House by means of those elections shall
have behind them the bona Sde votes of the
citizens of the United States who are en-
titled TO be represented
Under these circumstances We can have
10 other eonviction than that the motive for
sbolishing these statutes is not that which
has teen put forth in toe arguments pre-
sented TO sustain this bill. And this view
10 certainly condrmel TO certain extent BY
an examination of the other provisions of
the statutes to which, without attempting to
read them, shall briefly direc. the astsn-
ton Of the House. Those are the provi-
sions securing to the citizens Of the United
States the right TO vote and the right TO have
their votes counted. This portion Of the
law was enacted Dany years ago. some
" here about the year 1866. Ii received the
approval of President Lineois. and has been
on the statute book ever since. All that
these provisions declare is that every duly
qualified citizen shall be entitled to vote for
member of Congress or for delegate in Con-
sress, and shall be eptitled when that vote
is plseed in the ballot hex to have il
counted
MIR. Tucker. To what sections does the
gentleman refer
Mr.. Daniels. refer to the early sections
of the act down to o. ction 20l0.
All that these sections OF the statute have
attempted TO accomplish is to secure the
right of every citizen to vs,e and to have
his vote counted, without obstruction Re
-isisnee, or inserferenee by any person.
l. there anything wrong abnut this: On
the contrary, 10 il not the right OF every
citizen of this country who votes at an cleo
Ion for members of Congress to have the
vote which he preseuts 10 the inspectors of
elections placed in the ballot box and
counted. and to have proper effect given
to III
There i. certainly no hardship.
no severity, no injustice Whatever
in the langusg. of these sections
Of the s'a.u'e. Yet these sections,
with one particular exception, are all pro-
posed TO he struck out; and in reference to
the section which this bill permits to renal q,
II is propose 10 strike cut that part Of the
law which makes il a punishable offense to
violate the provisions of the s.ciions secur-
ilg this right and privilege TO citizens Of
the United States. Now. what is the OBJ
ject OF this if il is not that persons w.,o are
disposed to violate the law by my impro-
per registration or improper voiing,or both,
may be invited 10 do this regardless of the
restraints Of law and without fear of pro-
secution-mav be permitted to 20 before
the officers of registration or of the election
and register or vote without regard 10 legal
right AMI without regard TO the number of
times they may east their votes.
One of the very sections " hicb tina hill
proposes to repeal p-onounces II violation
of these provisions of law a crime, a subject
If punishment. and declsres what the pun
i,hment shall be. But these penalties are
Invoked only upon those persons who i'm
properly register or improperly vote or i'm
properly interfere with another person who
i, entitled TO vote. Nov, is il not true that
persons who msy be disposed reckless'y
and without reference to legal light, to vote
upon fictitious names, or upon names of
dead meD, may say in view of the leeisls
ion here produced. I'VE are under 90 risk
whatever Of prosecution; therefore We cio
vote as we please; we will vote "a msny
times US we see fits" The dangers which
are thus Incurred and countenanced
BY the proposed repeal OF these mild ,beDe f.
cent eectlon laws are greater than have
ever presr nted themselves in civil form for
the sanction of any legislative body in this
country.
Ana If We are to maintain our institutions
iatact and as We hope they will be main
| 'ained, We certainly can not venture to re-
move the restraints embodied in these mild i,
these Just, these benehcent laws for the
purpose of maintaining the right of the citi-
zen TO vote, and the exclusion of every citi-
zen from the exercise of this right If not
entitled TO vote, thus promoting and per-
Ietua,ing the permsnency of our institu-
lions,
| This is an important period that we have
| reached in the discussion of these matters.
| And IL these res'rsirts are to be removed.
If We are to remit these tbiags TO the state
laws and to the state authorities that ofien
| are implicated and complicated in the viola
| ton of these laws, We can not expect that
the members Of this House who will be re-
| urne' in tbe future will be as they have
been in the past, the fair representatives
md opponents of the wishes and convictions
of their constituents.
There is nothing in this country that 40
much requires maintenance by law rs that
every member of the house shall have be-
hind him a fair, intelligent, anil honest con-
stituency, that he shall be here as the rep
resentative of the convictions expressed by
the votes of thst constituency. with the
proud consciousness that he has not been
soiled by the violation of Law either in the
registration preliminary to the election, or
in the votes that have been given Tor the
purpose Of sustaining bis canvass. APP
plsuse on the Republican side.
Mr.. Chairman, before taking my seat I
desire consent to print With my remarks a
synopsis Of the provisions of the statutes to
| which have referred.
There was no objection.
Mr.. Sayers. | move that the House ad-
journ.