Evening star., 1944-06-09
Submits Letter by Grant

40 tne Goitof Oh 1ne Star.
For the second occasion in the history
of this country presidential election Is
to be held at time when large num-
bers Of citizens are absent from home
in the military service. This was the
situation in 1864, and on September ~
OF that year 1t. Gen. Grant, command
ing the Armies of the United States, adj
dressed letter to the Secretary Of War
on the subject of the soldier vote
The text runs as follows:
"Hon. E. M. Stanton, Secretary of War,
Washington, D. c..
THE exercise of the right of suffrage
by the officers and soldiers of armies ii,
the field is novel thing. It has, i
believe, generally been considered dam
gerous to constitutional liberty and SUBJ
versive of military discipline. But our
circumstances are novel and exceptional.
A very large proportion Of legal voters
OF the United States are now either
under arms in the field, or in hospitals,
or otherwise engaged in the military
service of the United States. Most of
these men are not regular soldiers in
the strict sense of that term, still less
are they mercenaries who give their
services to the Government simply for
its pay, having little understanding of
political questions or feeling little or
no interest in them. On the contrary,
they are American citizens. having still
their homes and social and political ties
binding them to the States and districts
from which they come and to which
they expect to return. They have left
their homes temporarily to sustain the
cause of their country in the hour of its
trial. In performing their sacred duty
they should not be deprived of a most
precious privilege. They have as much
right to demand that their votes shall
be counted in the choice of their rulers
as those citizens who remain at home
Nay, more, for they have sacrificed
more for their country. state these
reasons in full. for the unusual thing of
allowing armies in the field to vote,
that may urge on the other hand that
nothing more than the fullest exercise
OF this right should be allowed, for
anything not absolutely necessary to
this exercise cannot but be dangerous
to the liberties of the country. The
officers and soldiers have every means
OF understanding the questions before
the country. The newspapers are freely
circulated and so, I believe, are the
documents prepared by both parties to
set forth the merits and claims of their
candidates. Beyond this nothing what
ever should be allowed. No political
meetings, no harangues from soldiers
or citizens, and no canvassing of camps
or regiments for votes. I see not why
single individual not belonging to the
armies should be admitted into their
lines to deliver tickets. In my opinion
the tickets should be furnished by the
chief provost marshal of each army,
by them to the provost marshal Cor
some other appointed officer) of each
brigade or regiment, who shall on the
day OF election deliver tickets irrespec-
tive OF party to whoever may call for
them. If, however, it shall be deemed
eXpedlent to admit citizens to deliver
tickets, then it should be most posi-
lively prohibited that such citizens
should electioneer, harangue or canvass
the regiments in any way. Their busi-
ness should be, and only be, to dis
tribute on certain fixed day tickets
to whoever may call for them. In the
case of States whose soldiers vote by
proxy, proper State authorities could be
given to officers belonging to regiments
so voting to receive and forward votes.
AS it is intended that all soldiers en-
titled to vote shall exercise that privi-
lege according to their own convictions
of right, unmolested and unrestricted,
there will be no objection to each party
sending to armies easy of access a
number of respectable gentlemen to
see that these views are fully carried
out. To the army at Atlanta and those
armies on the seacoast from New Berne
to New Orleans not to exceed three
citizens of each party should be ad-
mitted.-U. S. GRANT. Lieutenant
General" JAMES e. CASSIDY.