Speech #530021267

Yet that Is exactly what this section of this bill dos Section invests the chief with the power. through his subordinates. to revise and supervise the registration of voters. to examine State ballot boxes before elections begin. to keep a poll list. and to number the voters. to receive and count ballots rejected by the State inspectors. to make statemets and reuni s to the chief supervisor in whatever form. ma lser. and to the extent the chief requires. and such returns to be sent up to him by the deputyimarshal. and in a city of 20.000 inhabitants and upward the chief may require any of the supervisors and a deputy marshal to make a housetohouseanvass which may begin live weeks before and be continued on the day of election. inquiring into the eligibility of voters and whether they have ever been legally natralized.whch is simply a provision for domiciliary visits to do the work of ticket peddlers in the interest of the Republican party. Neither of the men assignedto this work is required to belong to the opposing political party. These officers are also authorized to call for and examine naturalization papers of ur adopted American citizens. and to go into the courts and examine records to see whether naturalization papers have been regularly obtained They are authorized to enter any court of any state or of the United States where naturalization proceedings are going on and to take a hand in the business and aid the courts in the discharge of their duties and to prevent fraudulent naturalization. They ar also authorized to inform all voters in which box to deposit their ballots. And if they see any Democrat go with a voter into any booth or room it is made the duty of one of them to enter and see that the voter is not misled or cheated. in other words. it is made their duty to see that no Democrat induces any negro or other Republican voter to vote the Democratic ticket. which is a welldevised scheme to get the heads knocked off of several supervisors for impudently projecting their noses into the private business of gentlemen. What right have they to participate in the proceedings of any court. much less a State court? The sixth subdivision of section 8 authorizes the supervisors in towns of 5.000 inhabitants or upward "by proper inquiry and examination at the respective places assigned by or to those registered as their residences. all such names placed or found upon the registration books. rolls. or lists as the chief suprvisor of elections shall require to be so verified. and to make full report thereof to such chief supervisor." And the fourteenth subdivision authorizes the chief supervisor. when he shall have reason to believe "that fraud or perjury has been. or is being. committed about the matter of naturalization in any place." to send his supervisors to prevent it. and when thus sent they are to be clothed with "all the power and authority conferred upon supervisors in cities of 20.000 inhabitants and upward." That is to say. whatever in the chiefs own opinion gives him "reason to believe" is a matter for his own conscience. if he has any. and in cases where the exigencies of the party to which he belongs require it. his conscience will usually be found to be sufficiently elastic for the purpose. or altogether wanting. In the language of James Russell Lowell"Some philosophers think a facultys granted The moment its proved to be thoroughly wanted. As for instance. that rubber trees first began bearing When political consciences came into wearing." Whenever the chief supervisors conscience makes a case where he could send his subordinates they would be clothed with all the powers which they have in cities of 20.000 inhabitants. and then they would proceed to make a housetohouse canvass as ticket peddlers for the Republican party. and no doubt impressing the negroes and Ignorant foreigners that if they fail to attend the election and vote the tickets distributed. it may go hard with them. The twelfth subdivision of section S beats knownothingism in its palmiest days. It requires the supervisors. when instructed by their chief. to make a complete Lst of all foreignborn persons who have been naturalized. with the date thereof. their place of nativity. and present residence. and the name and residence of the witnesses used to obtain naturalization papers. and they are to examine and note the original affidavits and application presented to the court. all of which shall be filed In the office of the chief supervisor and there preserved. It estaolishes political espionage over all of our naturalized American citizens with a view to controlling their votes for the Republican party. Section 9 annuls the State laws and prescribes a new method of counting. canvassing. and certifying the votes cast at a Congressional election. it provides for counting by tens instead of fives. alternating between State inspectors and United States supervisors. and is so complicated- as to create confusion. and will not be understood by onethird of the State inspectors. nor by the supervisors until drilled. taught. and instructed by their chief. and with section 8 completely destroys the secrecy of the ballot. Section 10 relates to the same subject.