The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1856-09-04
The Army nil.

the meeting. Turn out turn out
The Army nil.
As We announced yesterday, the army bill,
with the House proviso stricken ont, has
been passed. We publish this morning the
proceedings of Congress on the day Of its
passage. And we call attention TO the facts
pertaining to it, for we desire TO make up
clean record for the people. In it there
was but q single issue, and that was clear
and plain.
The House Of Representatives is the purse
holder of the nation. The cause of this
provision, was the Importance which was at
trbntcd, by the men who framed our consti-
tuition, to the custody Of the Treasury in
conducting the affairs Of the government.
Asa check upon arbitrary power, they gave
TO the House, which was composed OF the
immediate representatives OF the people, the
sole power to originate ''revenue biils,' etc.
The Secretary Of the Treasury is substan-
TALLY their officer. He reports TO the House,
and not 10 the President. like the other Sec
retares. The importancc Of all this is evil
dent from the history OF almost every ma
ton, and especially from the history of Eng
land, which the trainers of our constitution
had more particularly in their minds. Agree
ably to this spirit, the origination of oil
general appropriation bills has also been
left to the House, though, technically so long
rs the House provides revenue, bill for it's
appropriation may originate in the Senate.
Upon this particular topic, We quote Mr..
Madison, rs follows:
"The House of Representatives can not
only refuse, but they alone can propose the
supplies requisite for the support Of the
Government. They, in a word, hold the
parse; that powerful instrument by which
We behold in the history of the British Con
s,itution an infant and humble representa-.
ton of the people gradually charging the
sphere OF its activity and importance and
finally reducing, AS far AS it seems 10 have
wished, all the overgrown prerogatives Of
the other branches Of the Government. This
power over the purse may, in fact, be re-
garded as the most complete and edectual
weapon with which any Constitution can arm
the immediate representatives Of the people
for obtaining redress Of every grievance,
salutary measure
And th,s was q case eminently in point
In all the range Of tina, history TO which oui
fathers appealed TO viniicate the wisdom Of
this provision in our Great Charter. there il
not a case where the exercise OF this pre-
rogaiive OF the peoples representatives wa
more just Or more necessary. Never in th,
history OF the world was there n more stu
pendous tyranny than that established b,
the Kansas code, the President, the Senate
scnting TO it and being joint partners in tn
odious conspiracy. Well and truly does IN
National Iateiiiyeacer say Of those statutes
.'Whe,her enacted by competent or incom
peient authorities, they are disgrace to tn
country and us free institutions. They Al,
greater invasion Of public liberty tina
were the acts which brought the head {
Charles ]. 10 the block
Senators Toombs, Benjamin. Gever, Cha,
ton, and others, Of the South, Senators We
Ter, Cass, and others from the North
majority, even, OF the Senate, declared tn
those laws erected an odous and hatcg
tyranny, that they were,''s disgrace to ii
age, ""ouirageous" aud s'airocious.n An
aereehAly to the iras, reposed in them, agre
ably TO the spirit and principle which MAJ
thela the cnsipdtans Of the nations treasur
70 put an end to tyraany not only gigant
and startling ia its proportions, confessed
VIGOROUSLY, proved aud demonstrated
such, bas unconstitutional AMI without col,
Of legal sanction. the House added TO Il
btll making appropriations for the support
tne army, proyiso At different times var
~ phFaseoiogy, bat ~ tae last lnsrau
reading as follows.
provided, That no part Of the miits
force Of the United States the support (
witch appropriations arc made by this a.
shall he employed IN aid Of the enforcemc
OF any enactment heretofore passed in I
bodies claiming n he the Legislature
Kansas
And that was all. On condition tina, /
military force and power Of the nation "
not to be eraployed 10 enforce the laws viii
nonresident usurpers imposed upon the pc
pie Of Kansas, the House stood ready
grant al needed appropriations. Bu,to ii
proyiso the Republican party adhered firm
and TO the last. Who will say that they 1
wrongs What man in this free land has
face brazen enough TO get up before'he peoy
aud censnre them for III What genui
friend Of free institutions, what honest al
candid man, will not thank and applA,