Omaha daily bee., 1874-06-11
Presidential Stopping Over.

The Constitution provides that
the President of the United States
''shall from time to time, give to
Congress information of the state OF
the Union, and recommend to their
consideration such measures as he
shall judge necessary and expedi-
emit" There is thus a distinctly
specified manner i'm which the
President is TO communicate to the
nation his views on subjects of
national importance. He is to
embody his views i'm a message to the
Congress as a whole. 1t was not con-
templated by the trainers of the
Constitution that he should an
nounce them to individual Senators
or Representatives and make these
the authorized channels through
which Congress and the Nation are
to learn the position of the chief
executive. His duty is to keep
strictly within constitutional limits
and avoid "slopping over"
1t was therefore questionable
taste, if nothing more Objectionable,
that sanctioned Senator Jones' plac.
ing before the country a formal ex-
position of the financial policy of
the President, prefaced with the
statement that it was done by his
express permission. In this shape
the document assumes the i'm
portance of a message, whilst not
given in the method prescribed by
the Constitution. Congress is i'm
session is discussing the question of
finance, and any information or
suggestion roper to be made by the
President should be made directly
to il i'm the manner expressly pro-
vided. To do otherwise is a posi-
tive dis courtesy to Congress. 1t is
not improper for the Congressional
Committee having the matter i'm
charge TO confer with the President
and endeayor to come to an under
standing with him, so that minor
differences may be harmonized,
and n bill reported that has a
probability of escaping a veto,
and to such authorized committee
the President may, if he chooses,
explain lis position fully. But that
conversation must from its very ma
ture be strictly confidential. The
that waited on him
Thursday evidently so regarded the
matter and the most enterprising
reporter failed to obtain material
for more than the merest guess at
the nature of the interview. Their
backs could have been no sooner
turned than Senator Jones-a new
man in Congress and holding no
autho, lied relation to the FL
nance Bill before that body
was handed a written statement
Of the Presidents views on the
whole subject of national finance,
and the Senator, having received
the Presidents permission, tele
graphed it all over the country.
Such an act-to use the mildest
term possible under the circumstan-
,es-is n gross discourtesy to Con-
yress. If not a literal violation of
the c institution, il is a disregard of
is spirit. No matter what are the
contained i'm this extraOrdi-
nary presidential message, there
be but one expression of
as to the manner i'm which
i reached the people.
The result is what might have
been expected. ALI hope of an
agreement by Congress on a plan of
nance has been abandoned, for the
has distinctly, though I'M
'hcially. proclaimed his purpose to
'eto any financial bill that does not
square with his plan, and that plan
s not endorsed by any party or con-
siderable section Of q party i'm
Either branch of Congress. The
of his extra-official message
s as Objectionable to the great ma
of Congress as the manner
must be distasteful to the entire
,ody. In whatever aspect the doc
lment is viewed, 1t is a serious
,lunder, and cannot but have un-
ortunate consequences.-Qerelon
Herald.