Rensselaer Standard, Volume 1, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 August 1879 — SOLDIERS AT THE POLLS. [ARTICLE]

SOLDIERS AT THE POLLS.

Admit, for argument's rake, and as a fa?t, that an army in the vicinity of the polls used aa a civil police force when men vote is a menaee and interferes with the natural freedom and independence of the citizen, a proposition that has been and is maintained by George W. McCrary in his admirable work on elections. This makes no issue on which the parties are now divided. President Hayes, who has removed every vestige of militaiy interference with local self governments, himself approved the political rider to the army appropriation bill preventing the use of the army as a police force on election days. This was going as far as the constitution contemplates, and merely places in statatory fbrm what has been the uniform practice of all the republican admkistrations io time of peace. Congress has power by virtue of section 8, of article 1, to enact a law to organise and efjuip an army. Congress shall appropriate money for the support of the army at least every two years. The present congress at their extra session coupled with the proposed appropriation political legislation virtually annulling acts of Congress, but afterward, at the suggestion of the president, modified their tfltimatum so that it received his sanction. The president is the commander in chief of the army. Consti tution,- Art. 2, Sec. 2. It is the president's dqty to execute and enforce the laws of the United States. The United States shall guarantee to every state a republican form of government. Art. 4, * Sec. 4. AU executive officers shall be bound by oath to support the constitution of the United States. Art. 6. No stale shall make or enforce any law which sfraJJ abridge the privileges of a . citizen of the United States, nor - deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. Art. 14. The right of citizens to vote shall not be abridged or denied on account of race, colpr or previous condition of servitude. Art. 15. The law of the United States which is now in foree as to the use of the army on election day, is as follows: No person in the military or naval service of the United States shall appear armed at the place of any general or special election- unless it be necessary to repel Che armed enemies of the United States Or to keep peace at the polls. No offi-cer-of the army or navy shall, by proclamation, order or otherwise in any manner interfere with the freedom of any election, or with the exercise of the free right of suffrage. Revised Statutes of the United States, Sec. Z',002-, title xxvi, p. 353. Under the law as it novF is, tfie army cannot abridge a free and peaceable ballot. The army never has as an army acting under the direction of its commanders in any manner prevented impar tial suffrage. The democratic outcry against the army is a mere Brutum Fulmero. That party seeks by deriding and abusing the army to make votes for their party. It is a studied piece of demagoguery. The soldiers are the true blue guard .of the nation's honon. Every patriot loves their appearing. They' bring with them law, order, peace and protection. On election day no peaceful, law abiding man should be coerced by either citizen or soldier in casting his - ballot. Neither should any man or set of men be allowed to intimidate their fellows. Armed citizens assembled near the ballot box are certainly as dangerous *to liberty as armed soldiers. The republicans offered to so amend Sec. 2,002 making it a crime for any armed men to approach the polls at any election. The democrats all voted against this wholesome restriction because it would apply to all alike. They want anarchy at the polls, and do not want the peace kept. Why would it not be a whole some regulation to prevent all armed interference with elections at, or going to or returning from the polls, under heavy penalties? To absolutely prevent the executive from enforcing the provisions \ and guarantees of the constitution wouldremit in - confusion and be a’ heeose to wickdl violations of law. The democratic party claim that each locality must be supreme, aud set at naught the authority of the nation. Voters should try to inform themselves before they endorse a policy which tends to fraud, violence, and local intimidation, and denounce a policy which guarantees equal rights, I law, order, and protection to every voter in the United States. Like the new jjirj system proposed by the democrats, tifM party wants elections subject to local, partial, and sinister influences.

We will Mt be responsible to any citizen of Fort Wayne for the manner in which the Kknssblaeb Stasdarr spells the name of that city in copying an article from these columns. An ••a’’ instead of an “o” in the first word, refl ecu upon the dignity of that city very seriously.—[Roohester Sentinel. That was indeed a grievous error, one which tinged our cheek with shame when it was discovered too late to remedy. It was not on oar own account that we felt so deeply moved at the. mysterious appearance of that one little “a” for an o. but when the dignity of a city like Fort

Wayne is thus reflected upon it is indeed humiliating. We beg pardon, and hope the injury Inflicted will not be of a serious naturt. As the efrar was purely accidental we ask the forgiveness of the good people of Fort Wayne, and promise to “go sin no more.” A disease similar to. and equally aa fatal as cholera is ravaging Centerpoint, Linn county, lowa. Fully twenty persons have died from its effects within the past two Weeks, and aS many more are prostrated by it. It has also appeared it Walker j a small town situated about seven miles from Centerpoint, and several deaths have occurred there.’ The citizens of Centerpoint are badly scared and arejfleeing from the town. Judge Bland Ballard, of the United States Court, died suddenly at his home in Louisville, Kentucky, on last Tuesday afternoon. Heart disease qr apoplexy is supposed to have been the cause of his death. He was one of the oldest and most influential -citizens of Louisville, and his sudden demise casts a gloom over the entire state. He was in his sixtieth year. *' Gov. Isaac P. Gray, Gep. M. D. Manson, Bayless W. Hanna and William Henderson left Indianapolis, Tuesday, for Cleveland, Ohio, to assist the democrats of that state in laying the wires for the approaching election. '. Look out for an overwhelming republican victory. ‘•Yellow Jack” is still playing sad havoc among the remaining inhabitants of Memphis. From six to fifteen new cases and five to ten deaths are reported daily with no prospect of abatement of the dreadful disease. The Indianapolis Journal remarks that “the general that will route the democracy this year is General Prosperity.” It begins to look that way. 'I Yellow fever has made i)ts appearance in New Orleans. Five cases have been reported to the board of health, but as yet none have died. The first state election :of the series to be held this season, will be that of Kentucky, which occurs next Mondav. J ■ 1 For the week ending July 26th, one hundred and seventeen deaths occurred from yellow fever at'Havana. - ■ The internal revenue receipts for July amounted to $9,500,000, and the customs receipts about 813,000,000.