The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1879-05-06

laws OF the country, which ~ In no wa
connected with the army. IL prohibit
under heavy penalties any person en-
gagged in the civil service Of the Unite
States from having any force at th
place OF election, prepared 10 preserv
order, 10 mako arrests, 10 keep th
peace, or in any manner 10 enforc
the laws. This is altogether foreign h
the purpose Of an army appropriation
bill. The practice of tacking TO appro
priation bills measures not pertaining
10 such bills did not prevail until NOR
than 40 years after the adoption OF tn
constitution. IL has become common
practice. All parties when in powe
have adopted it. Many abuses an'
great waste OF public money have il
this way crept into appropriation bills
The public opinion of the country il
against IL. The States which have no
Gently adopted constitutions have gen
orally provided remedy for the evi
! by enacting that no law shall contain
more than one subject, which shall b,
plainly expressed in its title. The con
stitutions of more than half the Statei
contain substantially this proyis
ion. The public welfare will b'
promoted Ia many ways by 70
turn TO the early practice Of the Gov
ernment. and 10 the true principle oi
legislation. which requires that every
measure shall stand or fall according
To its own merits. IL il wero under.
stood that TO attach 10 an appropria
tion bill a measure irrelevant to thG
general object Of the bill would inper.
IL and probably prevent the final pass
age or approval, a valuable reform in
the parliamentary practice OF Congress
would be accomplished. The best JUS
tificatiou that has boen offered for at.
taohing irrelevant riders to appropria.
ton bills is that 10 is done for conyen-
ienoe sake, TO facilitate the passage OF
measures which are deemed expedienl
by all branches Of the Government
which participate in the legislation. -
Ii cannot be claimed there is any such
reason for attaching this amendment
OF the election laws 10 the army appro.
priation bill. The history Of the meas.
ure contradicts the assumption. The
majority of the house OF representa-.
tives OF the last congress was in favor
of section OF this bill. IL Was known
that majority OF the senate was op.
posed TO IL, and that as a separate
measure Ii could not be adopted. II
was attached 10 the army appropria-
ton bill TO compel the senate TO assent
TO il. II was plainly announced 10 the
senate that the army appropria.
tion would not be allowed 10
pass unless tho proposed amend.
ments Of the election laws were adopt
ed with IL The senate refused assent
10 the bill on account OF this irrelevant
section. Congress thereupon adjourn.
ed without passing the appropriation
bill for the army. and the present extra
session OF the 10th congress became
necessary 10 furnish means 10 carry on
the government. The ground upon
which the action OF the house OF repre-
sentative is defended had been dis
tinctly stated 10y many Of its advocates
tho week before the close OF the last
session of congress. The doctrine in
question was stated by one OF its ab.
sent defenders as follows: alt is ouT
duty 90 repeal these laws. IL is no,
worth while 20 attempt 10 repeal.except
upon an appropriation bill. The Re.
publican senate would not agree % nor
the republican president sign bill for
such repeal Whatever objection "a
legislation upon appropriation bills
may be made in ordinary cases does
not apply where free elections and the
liberty Of citizens are concerned. We
have power TO vote money; let US an
mex conditions 10 10 aud insist upon
tho redress Of grievances
BY another distinguished member OF
the House il was said:
The right OF the Representatives Of
the people to withhold supplies l. 81
old as English liberty History re.
cords numerous instances where the
Commons. feeling that the people were
oppressed Dy the Law, that the Lords
would not consent TO repeal by Ordin
airy methods Of legislation, obtained
redress at last by refusing RppropTia-
tions nnless accompanied by relief
measures. That this, "A question OF
the gravest magnitude, and new in this
country. was raised by their conrse OF
proceedings, was fully recognized also
by its defenders in the Senate. Ii was
said 10y a distinguished Senator. per
haps no greater question, in the form
We are brought 20 consider IL, was ever
considered by the American Congress,
ia time OF peace, for it involves not
merely the merits and dement's OF the
laws which the HOuss bill proposes 10
repeal. but involves the rights. the
privileges, the powers, the duties Of
the two branches Of Congress and OF
the President Of the United States. -
It il question whose importance can
scarcely be estimated. II Is q question
that never yet has been brought 20
sharply before the American Congress
and the American people as IL may be
now. IL is a question which, sooner
or later, must be decided, aud the de-
cision must determine what are the
powers of the House Of Representa-
tives under the Constitution, and what
is the duty Of that House in the view
Of the trainers OF that Constitution &C.
cording To its letter aud spirit. Mr..
President, / should approach this
question, IL ] we're in the best possi-
ble condition 90 speak and argue 10 il,
with very grave difildence, and certain.
ly with the utmost anxiety, for no one
can think over Il as long aud carefully
as have thought Of il. without seeing
that we are at the beginning, perhaps,
Of a struggle that may last as long in
this country as q similar struggle last
eel in what We are accustomed 10 call
the Mother land. The struggle lasted
for two centuries before II was ulti-
mately decided. 1t is not likely 10
last 80 long here. hut IL may last until
every man IN this chamber is in his
grave. IL is question whether or no
the House 81 Representatives has the
right 30 say: We will grant supplies
only upon condition that grievances
are redressed. We are the representa-
tives Of the taxpayers Of the republic.
We, the House OF Representatives,
alone have the right 10 originate mon.
ey bills. We, the House OF Represen-
tahves. have alone the right 10 origin.
ate bills which grant the money OF the
people. The Senate represents States.
We represent the tax payers OF the re-
public. We, therefore, by the very
terms oi the Constitution are charged
with tho. duty of originating bills
which graRt the money Of the people.
We claim the night which the Honse OF
Commons an England established, 81.
ter two centuries Of contest, % say that
We will not grant the money Of the
people unless there is redress Of griev.
ances.
Upon the reassembling % THE Con.
gress, In pursuance Of the call for an
extra session which Was ua1e necesaa.