New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-02-23
VIGOROUS VETO PROBABLE.

WASHINGTON Feb. 23.-The Silver Bill cannot
reach the President until Monday afternoon. Inc
concurrence of the House in the Senate amendments
must be officially announced while the Senate Is IN
session and the enrolled bill must be signed by the
vice President and Speaker in the presence OF their
respective Houses. 1t will then be land before the
Cabinet at its regular meeting on Tuesday and
there is excellent reason for believing that after
that the President will act very promptly upon 1t.
The greatest anxiety is felt in Washington in re-
gard 10 the course which the President will pursue
with this measure, in spite of the fact that every
one who has conversed with Mr.. Hayes on the sub
iect feels confident that he will certainly veto 1t.
He told Western member of Congress this after
noon lone who favors the Silver Bl that il has IN
it an element of dishonesty. Unless he is willing to
become party to that dishonesty he cannot pos
sbly sign the bill.
Never since il began to be apparent what form
the Silver Bill would finally assume has the PreSl-
dent said one word TO those who have talked with
him on the subject, and which has been reported,
that could be construed an approval of this
measure even in its present modified form. On the
other hand he has repeatedly explained to visitors
what he considered absolutely necessary amend
ments IN order TO make the bill at all acceptable to
him. Two of these would be to provide that the
interest ON United States bonds and the duties on
imports should be made payable in gold. These
things, he thinks, are necessary for the malnteI-
ance of our public credit and the preservation OF
faith with the holders of our National securities.
The collection of duties in gold would he necessary
in order to insure TO the Government the requisite
Gold revenues to meet the interest on the bonds.
Another condition that the President has sug-
eestod us indispensable TO any silver legislation IS
that the silver dollar shall be made legal-tendcr
in future transactions only and not ii the execution
Of contracts made before its passage. Neither OF
these conditions has been attached to the BILL and
therefore the President cannot consistently sign It,
NOTHING ~ TIE WAY or VETO.
The ONLY thing, there is good reason to believe,
tina, has ever made the President hesitate in regard
10 his duty about vetong the Silver Bill is his be-
lief that the veto power ought always TO be eXer-
cised with the greatest care, and never when the
question involved is simply of policy. Mr..
HAYES, as a young man, was an ardent Wing, and
has always chung TO his old Wing notions a0out the
proper use of the veto power But he does not
look upon the question involved in the passage OF
the Silver Bill o. policy, and his ideas about
the proper use of the veto viii not stand IN the way
in this case
Even If the President were disposed to WAIVER in
his opinion of the silver Bill majority Of his Cab
met, by whose advice lie will almost certainly be
guided. are fully committed against it. Secretary
sherman gives II out that lie shall execute
the law in good faith If it is enacted, but
be does not on that account yield In The
least degree his opposition to the measure AT
least three other members of the Cabinet hold
equally pronounced views and unless the Presl-
dent is ready to act against their advice in this
matter as we'll as to go back on the record he has
made in his annual message and upon the opinions
he has expressed in many private connections,
there is only one policy that he can pursue.
The impression which some of the supporters of
al bav nj President
may possibly allow the bill TO become law without
his signature has been created by the failure of the
President to tell any one positively that he should
veto the BILL although he has taken no pains to con-
ccal his opinion Of the mischievOus character of the
measure. Such an announcement would be highly
improper and if made before the final passage OF
the BILL might justly be resented by Congress as an
unwarrapted Executive interference with its pre-
negatives The President has a right to make his
estimate of any proposed measure public in any way
he may choose but it is not proper for him to an
nounce in advance that he will certainly sign or
veto any particular bill He must act upon bills
that are sent to him, when they reach him, and not
before.
Another cause Of some uncertainty Of the fate Of
the Silver Bill after it reaches the President is the
opinion said to be expressed by Senator Stanley
Matthews that the measure would not be vetoed 1t
Is not asserted that Mr. Matthews has spoken by au-
thorty this point that the President has taken
him into his confidence on this matter. Mr.. Mat
thews has before been mistaken in regard to the
Presidents position the silver question. During
the extra session Mr.. Matthews was even more
positively quoted than now on this same subject;
and vet the President III his annual message,
ontspOkcn on the silver question as any one could
desire and the ground he took was even more de-
c6ed than those who knew his sentiments expected.
SO now there is every reason to believe that the
President will not only veto the BILL it has passed
both Houses but that he will send the bill back to
tho House of Representatives with ringing mes
sage, setting forth. in addition to his objection TO
the BILL what kind of silver legslatiOnn any, ought.
in his opinion TO be had In this respect the Presi-
dent is likely TO step aside from the beaten track Of
precedent.
Will. THE VETO BE SUSTAINED
The question is daily asked in letters and dis
patches from people at distance from Washing ton,
ii it will not be possible to sustain the Presidents
veto in the Senate by securing the votes of one
thrd of that body. No one here can discover the
fantost trace Of hope of doing so. There are two
three Senators who do not believe i'll legislation of
this character, but who voted for the bill III the
hope that its passage would end the agitation and
give the business Of the country that rest which IL
so much needs Those Senators are by no means
likely to change their minds or their votes.
1t is reported that Senator COukling will make
speech sustaining the Presidents veto when the
question comes up in the Senate. Mr.. Conkings
influence in that body is very great second to that
of no Senator on either side of the chamber and If
he should take the lead of the anti-Silver party on
this question, certain Republican Senators did in
1874 and 1875, it is yet possible that the Silver
Bill might be beaten and the Senator from New