Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1893-10-04
FEDERAL ELECTION LAW.
Its Threatened Repeal Unjustiflable
and iii Advised.

anu Ill AuNiStu.
The repeal of the Federal election
laws, though unanimously urged by
Southern Democrats, is neither South
ern question nor has it anything what
ever to do with the force bill issue,
which did service last year as boo
jun to consolidate the Southern States
for the Democratic party. There is no
reason whatever for the repeal of these
statutes. There is no public demand
for their repeal. The House committee
having the matter in charge has taken
no testimony, and there is no evidence
that the question has even been stud
led by a majority of the committee.
The only two grounds given for repeal
are that the laws are unconstitutional
and inexpedient. Upon these flinsy
pretexts 1t is proposed to wipe from our
statute books laws which were enacted
for the preservation of order and the
protection of electors in their right
freely and peaceably to cast their bal
lots laws which have frequently been
recognized as constitutional by the
highest tribunal in the land, the U nited
States Supreme Court, during the
twenty odd years since they were en-
acted laws which have done much to
purify the ballot and stop almost every
known crime against the elective fran,
chise.
IL seems almost incredible to the
Press that public opinion right here in
New York City should not arouse itself
in an earnest protest against the repeal
of these righteous laws. Have our cit
izens forgotten the tremendous frauds
perpetrated in this city on November 3,
1852 Do they realize that today
gang hardly less corrupt and unprinci
pied control the politics of the great
municipality, and that the repeal of
these laws commits the selection of
President, Vice President and members
of Congress in toto to the tender mercy
of these political desperadoes Have
the citizens of. New York forgotten
that under the old system the admins.
tration of justice was corrupted, the
judiciary degraded, the execution of
laws defeated and the principles of self
government subvertedY Have the cit
izens of New York forgotten the Con-
gressional reports which were made
about 1870 and formed the groundwork
of the Federal election laws enacted
that yearp
If they have, the Press will remind
them that according to official reports
these frauds were shown to be the re-
suit of systematic plan of gigantic
proportions, which could not be carried
out under the present law. By the
most infamous crimes the Democratic
party, then, as now, in absolute control
of the election machinery of New York
City, robbed the people of the State of
their rightful choice of electors for
President and Vice President, of
Governor and other officers disgraced
the most prosperous city of the Union;
encouraged the enemies of republican
government and endangered the peace
of the Republic. Itwas these infamies
against popular government in the
North and not desire to coerce the
South that brought into existence the
Federal election laws. Repeal them
and in precisely the same spots cleo
tions will degenerate, under Democrat
ic management, into a mockery and
sham.
No less Democratic leader than the
late Hon. S. S. Cox, of this city, in a
report, has given his unqualified ap.
proval of the working of the election
laws. Surely name so identified with
good and honest measures will have
weight with Democrats who oppose the
Hills and Murphys and Croakers and
Maynards. 1t must be remembered
that the repeal of these laws relegates
to the State authorities the entire su-
pervision Of the election of President,
Vice President and members Of Con-
gress. 1t removes all wholesome re-
straint. 1t places elections at the mer-
cy of great variety of State laws,
some of which are undoubtedly wise
and just, while Others are SO framed
that the people have no show whatev-
er. In some States persistent line of
legislation has been enacted with the
openly avowed intention of putting
premium upon fraud, working whole
sale Acknowledgement and subverting
the popular will. A study, for exam
pie, of the laws of Southern States re-
lating to elections shows how absolute
" farcical popular elections would be
with tho eentire machinery controlled
by the Democratic cabal which, as a
rule, dominates State politics. Why
laws which have worked we'll and sat
isfactorily for twenty years, which
have been endorsed by some of our
greatest statesmen of both political
parties, and which have broken up
some of the meat fraudulent schemes
against free ballot ever conceived,
should be Internationally repealed at
this time, the Press can not understand.
What possible good can come of In
jecting this partisan proposition into
the present financial and industrial cri.
sisY If changed at all these laws