Year: 1879

gentleman who had it in charge ir
similar terms. He said: 'But these
are all minor points, and insignificant
points compared with the great prin.
ciple which was incorporated by the
house in the bill in reference to the use
of armed men in peace"


| The senate had. already included
what they called and what we might
accept as the principle, but as to inter.
ference with elections, no case of such
interference has in fact, occurred since
the passage of the act last referred to.
No officer of the United States has ap-
peared under orders at any place of
election In any state. No complaint
even of the presence of United States
troops has been made in any quarter.
1t may therefore be confidently stated
there is no necessity for the enactment
of section six of the bill before me to
prevent interference at elections.


The laws already in force are all that
is required for that end. But that part
of section six of this bill which is sig
nificant and vitality important as a
clause which, IL adopted, will deprive
the civil authorities of the United
States of all POWER to keep the peace at
congressional elections. Congressional
elections in every district in very
important sense are Justly a matter of
political interest and concern through
out the whole country. In each state,
every political party is entitled TO a
share of the power which is conferred
by legal and constitutional suffrages.
1t is the right of every citizen possessing
| the qualifications prescribed by law to
have one unintimidated ballot, and to
have his ballot honestly counted. So
long as the exercise of this power, and
the enjoyment of this right are COM
mon and equal, practically as well as
formally, submission to suffrage will be
accorded loyalty; to provide safeguards
for free and honest elections is neces-
sary, as experience has shown, not only





franchised race at the south, but also
to prevent fraudulent voting in the
large cities Of the north. Congress has
therefore exercised the power conferred
by the constitution, and has enacted
certain laws to prevent discrimination
on account of race, color or previous
condition Of servitude, and to punish
fraud, violence and intimidation at
federal elections.


Attention is called to the following
sections of the. revised statutes of the
United States, viz: "Section 1904,
which guarantees all citizens the right
to vote without distinction on account
Of race, color or previous condi-
tion of servitude. Sections zoos
and 2,006, which guarantees to all
citizens equal opportunity, without
distinction, to perform all the acts
required by law, as prerequisite, name
ly: at places where congressional cleo
tions are held. Among the most val
liable enactments to which 1 have re-
ferred, are those which protect super
visors of federal elections in the dis
charge of their duties at the polls. If
the pending legislation should become
law, there is no power vested in any
officer of the government to protect
from violence the officers of the United
States engaged in the discharge of their
rights and duties.


Under the power of the national
government to protect federal elections
by civil authorities, am forced to the
conclusion that it ought not to receive
my approval. That section, however,
is presented to me as separate and in
dependent measure, but is, as has been
stated, attached to the bill, making the
usual annual. appropriations for the
support of the army. 1t makes vital
change in the election laws of the
country, which is in no way connected
with the use of the army. 1t prohib-
its under heavy penalties any person
engaged in the civil service of the
United States from having any force
at the place of any election, prepared
to preserve order, to make arrests, to
keep the peace, or in any manner to
enforce the laws. This is altogether
foreign to the purpose of an army ap-
preparation bill. The practice of tack
ing to army appropriation bills meas
ures not pertinent to such bills, did not
prevail until more than forty years
after the adoption of the constitution.
1t has become common practice. All
parties when in power have adopted it.
Many abuses and great waste of public
money have in this way crept into the
appropriation bills. The public opinion
of the country is against 1t. The
states which have recently adopted con-
stitutions have generally provided a
remedy for the evil by enacting that no
law shall contain more than one subject,
which shall be plainly expressed in Its
title. The constitutions Of more than
half of the states contain substantially
this provision. The public welfare will
be promoted in many ways by a return
to the early practice of the government
and to the true principle of legislation,
which requires that every measure must
stand or fall according to its owr
merits. If it were understood that tc
attach to an appropriation a measure