Year: 1870




Post Master General Creswell made
speech at the ratification meeting in the
Third District, Baltimore, last week, in
which he assured the audience that every
citizen entitled to vote should enjoy that
right without fear of intimidation or vio-
lence. Mr.. Creswell, on this point, said:


"I have purposely given these details
somewhat at length in order that it might
clearly appear what ample provisions have
been made by law for the protection of all
persons who may desire to be registered
and to vote in the approaching elections
In this respect Congress has done its whole
duty. If these laws shall be faithfully ex-
ecuted there can be no doubt that they will
accomplish their purpose; and that they
WILL BE FAITHFULLY EXECUTED TO THE
LAST JoT OR TITLE, I CAN GIVE YOU THE
MOST AUTHORITATIVE ASSURANCE. ALL
THE POWERS OF THE UNITED STATES WILL
BE WELDED TO EFFECT 4 FAIR ELECTION.
The humblest citizen will be protected
equally with the most influential. Nio-
lence, threats, intimidations and all the
appliances to which desperate men usually
resort to defile the ballot-box will not avail.
The law is sufficient to meet every case,
and there is no reason why single vote
should be lost.


Now what honest man could ask more
than that a fair election shall be held, and
that every man entitled to vote shall do so?
And yet The Democrat gives out the most
fearful howls of rage and pain at the very
prospect of a fair election. Scenes of
violence at the polls and fraud upon the
ballot-box by Democratic roughs, have be-
come such crying evil; together with the
universal threat throughout the recon-
structed States, and at all places where the
Democratic element is largely in tho ascen-
dent, that the colored people should not be
allowed to vote, that Congress passed
very stringent law at the last session to
punish all such offenders. That this law
shall be respected at the approaching cleo
tion in Maryland, as well as other States,
is simply what Mr.. Creswcll asserted at
the Baltimore meeting. That any voter
who is entitled to the exercise of the cleo
tive franchise will be excluded by the rigid
enforcement of this wise and righteous law,
is not feared by those who howl like TIE
Democrat, but that the notorious rutfiian-
ism of that party will be effectually sup
pressed, is what causes the distress. Had
it not been for the presence of United
States marines, in Philadelphia, on the
day of election, the strong Democratic
wards of that city would have presented
scenes of riot and blood shed. AS soon as
the marines backs were turned, that ele-
ment which they kept in check by their
presence, broke out and the door of the
Court room was broken in and the return
Judges attacked by Democratic roughs,
whose purpose was to seize and destroy the
ballot-boxes. And in their murderous
assault upon the Judges, assisted By the
Democratic police, one of the rutfians was
shot and killed.


But week before last, an orderly Repub-
lican meeting, held at Princess Anne,
which had assembled to hear Mr.. Torbert
and other Republican speakers, was at
tackled by a Democratic mob, and serious
riot ensued.


For the overawing and Furnishing such
an element as this, which controls the
Democratic party, and seeks to carry cleo
tions by violence and fraud, the law of
Congress referred to by Mr.. Creswell, was
enacted; and no man so ignorant but
knows that such is the fact; and none but
those whose only hope of success is in such
lawless characters having full license to
stuff ballot boxes an drive peaceable citi
zens from the polls are ever heard to COM
plain that order should not be preserved at
the polls, and every man, of whatever
party, be protected in the enjoyment of his
rights. This Democratic license, the Re-
publican party have determined shall be
suppressed, and hence the howls.


"No thief ever felt the haltar draw,


And had good opinion of the law"