The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-10-31

A
BIKES brown Havana At piices given another e,lumu
Conse vas quiet and steady Ffeghts we're 10 fair
qces, and with moderate engagements were quite
| aseac7.
| The Preiidenfs Veto Powsr-Hscesaify for It's
| Extension.
| The Immense amount Of logrolling and corrup.
ton that s prectiaed at the close of each session
of Congress has at length made itself felt to such
an extent as to suggest the necessity of retrench-
ment and economy on the part Of the Secretary
of the Treasury. 1t is now apparent that if all
the various new works OF internal improvement
for which appropriations have been made, in the
shape OF building Custom Houses where no re.
venues are ever collected, and establishing Navy
Yards at points inaccessible to a moderate sized
schooner, were to be actually put in operation,
the treasury would very coon be depleted; and
therefore it was intimated some days since though
not with perfect correctness, thai Mr.. Cobb had
come to the conclusion not to permit any new
works to be undertaken unless he is satisfied of
their zeal utility or absolute necessity. The Sc
cretsry of the Treasury however, has no discre-
ton in reference to Notifications Navy Yards or
such works as come under the control Of the Sc
cretaries OF War or Of the Navy; and where con.
tracts are absolutely made their conditions must
be complied with by the government. But Mr.
Cobb will, probably, in his annual report call at
ten:ion to the extravagancies of Congress, aud
may possibly effect an improvement in that
quarter
The necessity Tor this movement of his sug.
eests the need Of standing remedy against
the loerollirg system Of legislation under
which many millions Of dollars are an
nually distracted from the treasury. The
most natural and efsctual remedy for the evil
is the extension Of the Presidents veto power.
The clause of the constitution comforting the
veto power on the President would seem to limit
its exercise to bin as an entirety. That is, he
must either approves bill as q whole, or iisap-
prove OF It as a whole. He canrot endorse
bill as approved, with the exception of such aud
such sections" leaving Congress to override or
not, az the case may be, his veto 70 the sisap.
proved sections. such, al least is the in.erpre-
ton practically given to. the veto clause of the
constitution; and the consequence is- that many
corrupt and profigsse piece Of Legislation is
tolerated when connected with another measure
to which 10 objection hes, because The President
capno. veto the bad without also vetoing the
coed.
At the time Of the passage Of thu constitution,
aud, fdesd until within recent period, the lite
raj construction of the clause comforting the veto
| power answered the purpose designed A bill
used TO be eonfred to single specific object.
No matter Of general Legislation was allowed
in an appropriation bill, nor were appropri-
Al. a. -. l. - L.
authorized by an existing Law. Therefore
theIe was 10 difficulty about approving or
Disappearing q measure. But OF late years,
since logrolling and corruption have come IN
vogue in Congress, the habit has grown up Of
dovetailing a lot Of entirely distinct measures
into tie one bill, Of introducing general legisla.
ton into tie appropriation bills, and OF making
appropriations for works not authorized by any
existing law. Thus for instance, 1t was attempt.
Cd last Congress to hitch oa the great swiudling
Pacific Railroad bill TO bin making some small
donations OF land for railroad purposes to another
State; and If that bill had ever been finally pase
cd, the President would have had either TO veto
the original measure, TO which there was no OBJ
lection whatever, or else to let the grand Pacif,
monstrosity escepe. Then, again, the army ap-
preparation bill came within an ace of being lost
through the faetious black republican majority
In the House insisting on inserting in IL proyiso
TO the effect that 10 part Of the army should
be employed In enforcing the laws in
KansaA Several other general appropriation
bills were also endangered by The
attempts to epgraft upon them provisions de
clarng the Territorial laws Of Kansas null ani
void. And finally, the several appropriation bill
last session were laden down to the amount, pro
badly, Of fifteen or twenty millions Of dollars
with items for the expenditure Of which Their
was no law and no necessity.
Now as the veto power Is at present inter
rreted, there is no way Of guarding against I'M
wise, corrupt or fraudulent legislation. The Pre-
sident must approve the bill, no matter how in
famous some Of lite distinct provisions may be- o
be must veto II, no matter hoF absolutely neces
cary Others may be- Thus, with the approprla
ton bills containing the provisions with referenc
10 Kansas, he would have bad either to alloi
r these provisions to become Law or permit tn
wheels Of government to be stopped for want Q
appropriations And, 10 fac, we have seen th
county put 70 the expense Of an extra session Q
/ CongrCss Ia 1853, though this very difficulty
r and bcause toe right Of the President TO strik
. On Inn roptr ptoyiso out Of tho army act was no
recognised or praciised
I Now, the only fair, eaectual and legitimate wa
. to guard against these abuses Of legislation, |