The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-05-09
Facts to Think OF.

Not satisfied with the achievement which
made him n Fraudulent President, Mr..
HAYES seeks to usurp the legislative au-
thorlty, and to carry on the Government
without an appropriation for the army, as
the Constitution and the laws require.
Among the powers of Congress. defined by
the eighth article Of the Constitution, is that
ito raise and support armies" and ito
make rules for the government and rcgula-
ton of the land and naval forces" Special
care was taken, even in respect to "organ-
izng, armng. and disciplining the militia. -"
that Congress should bc supreme over the
military arm. and the Executive nothing
more than the instrument of its will.
Since $50 various acts have been passed
intended to stop the excuses which had
grown up during the civil war and under
the plea of necessity. For example, the Re-
vised Statutes make the following provi-
sions:
SIC se7p No DEPARTMENT or the Government, .hal
~ ~ ~ ~ , a'. "n' s.n IN .N''sso i ~
'Del', N, sor.nrertU my 'rrcibr ne niue Iiynsf y
tor Tue s sSS s S ses ana a " cn. Ss apa
~ We psl mem OF .Nptn-, proYefN incurred dunn.
within that wear ant balances needed Tor such par
In the present case no appropriation Of
any kind was made for the army because
the Senate ob-tinately refused To adopt the
reduction made 10y the House. or to pass the
prov-o forbiddng the use 81 the forces
for political objects How, then. is that ser
vice to Ice carried on until the 18th Of Octo-
Der, or, rather, until Congress shall provide
the means, which may not be until after u
long and minute Investigation?
Ii is said that clause in the army bill OF
1862, intended to meet the exigcncics Of war
alone, allows the department to make con
tracts for subsistence, clothing. munitions
Of war, and the like, without a technical vio-
latiDn Of law. But IL is not to be supposed
that contractors will take the risk OF fur
ni7hing these supplies, and wait four or five
months for their pay, at the same prices as
they would under regular appropriations
with the money on hand TO meet the bills.
ANY idea Of that kind will soon be dispelled
SO that besides violating the whole line
Of recent legislation for protecting the
Treasury against collision and jobbery, the
expenditure for the army must necessarily
be increased 10y time contracts of doubtful
legality, even under the most liberal CON
struction OF the act Of 1862. To tolerate
precedent Of this kind would be TO abdicate
the power of Congress and 10 open the door
to still grosaer usurpations ON the part Of
the Executive.
In consequence Of the misapplication Of
the money voted for pay Of the navy at the
last session there will be another deficiency
on that account. which Mr.. THOMPSON says
must necessarily Ice provided for. Like
wise the Department OF Justice claims to bc
short more than half "A million, caused prob
ably by prodigality of expenditure during
the Presidential campaign.
All these subjects demand immediate con-
sileratlon 10y Congress, and they are now
POSTPONED solely for political reasons and
IN the nope that "a truce may be patched up
between the Republican factions. SO ms To-
It'd" over the elections in ohio and Indiana
Besides the millions that will he squandored
un the army before the House uf Repre-
scniatycs can apply the rotrcnching knit,
to the rxcrescenccs, there will bca large sum
squandered ON the other items .ofcrrod 10,
which Congress will be asked d make good
II may be considered certain that N.
House Of Representatives, wH ncrer roie a
doiiar for he army, or for The d.fciepcics il.
the Mary and Jmirdry, unH proper COM
muiees hare erpLDred ererD item, and required
the Acknowledgement and other members of
the Cabinet, who gave opinions in favor Of
meeting of Congress on the 4th Of June, and
who personally announced that fact, to eX-
plain how they suddenly changed front at
the bidding Of the Fraudulent President.