Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-08-02
The President Speaks His Mind
on an Appropriation Bill.

The following message was sent to the House
by the President Monday giving his objection tt
the sandry civil appropriation bill:
To the House of Representatives. The act max
ing appropriations for the sundry civil expenses O.
the government for the fiscal year ending june
Both, 1877, is so defective in what it what it aims
to provide for, that cannot announce its approva
without at the same time pointing out what seems
to me to be its defects. 1t makes but inadequate
provision for the service at best, and in some in
stances fails to make any provision whatever.
Notably among the first class is the ordina-
~ annual appropriations for the revenue cutter
service, to the prejudice of the customs revenue
The same may be said of the signal service, as
also the failure to provide for the increased ex.
penses devolved upon the minis and assay officers
by recent legislation and thus tending to defeat
the objects of that legislation.
OF this class, also, public buildings, for the
protection, preservation and completion of which
there is no adequate appropriation, while the sum
of 100000 only is appropriated for the repairs o.
different navy yards and stations and the preser-
walton of the same, the ordinary and customary
appropriations for which are not less than 81 ooo
A similar reduction is made in the expenses fol
armories and arsenals
The provision for ordinary judicial expenses is
much less than the estimated amount for that i'm
portant service and the actual expenditures of the
last fiscal year, and the certain demands of the
current year. The provision for the expenses OF
the survey for public lands is less than ne-half Of
the usual appropriation for that service, and what
arc understood to be its actual demands. The re-
ductio1 in expenditures for lighthouses and fog
stations is also made in similar proportion.
OF the class for which no appropriation is made,
among the most noticeable perhaps is that portion
of the general expenses of the District Of Column
bia in behalf of the United States appropriated
in former years and judgments of the Court of
Claims The failure to make reasonable contri-
button to the expenses of the Nations capital is
an apparent dereliction on the part of the United
States and rank injustice to the people here who
bear the burdens; while to refuse or neglect to
provide for the payment of solemn judgments Of
its own courts is apparently to repudate.
OF different character, but as prejudicial to
the Treasury is the omission to make provision to
enable the Secretary of the Treasury to have the
rebel archives and records of the captured and
abandoned property examined and information
furnished therefrom for the use Of the govern
ment.
Finally, without further specification of detail
it may be said that the act which in its title pur
ports to make provision for diverse and greatly
extended civil service, unhappily appropriates an
amount not more than 65 per cent. of its ordinary
demands. The legislative department establishes
and defines the service and devolves upon the
Executive departments the obligation Of submit
ting annually the needful estimates Of expenses Of
such service. Congress properly exacts implicit
obedience TO the requirements of the law in the
administration of the public service and rigid
accountability in the expenditure thereof. 1t is
submitted that corresponding responsibility and
obligation rest upon it to make adequate appro
priatons to render possible such administration
and tolerate such action. Anything short Of an
ample provision for specified service is necessa-
rily frought with disaster TO the public interest.
and is possible injustice to those charged with
its execution. To appropriate and to execute arc
corresponding obligations and duties, and the ade
quscy of the former is the necessary measure Of
the efficiency of the execution.
In this eighth month Of the present session Of
Congress, nearly one month of the fiscal year te
which this ap appropriation applies having passed,
do not feel warranted in vetoing an absolutely
necessary appropriation bill, but in signing it !
deem it duty to show where the responsibility
belongs for whatever embarrassments may arise
in the execution of the trust confded to mo.
(Signed,) u. 5. Grant.