River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-06-05
Another Veto Message from Presi-
dent HAYES.

SIRs After mature consideration OF
the bill entitled SAN act maxine. ..ppio-
priations for the Legislative, executive and
judicial expenses Vi the government for
the fiscal year ending June 20, 1880, and
for other purposes | herewith return it
to the House of Representatives, in which
it originated, with the following obiec-
tons to its approval; The main purpose
of the bin is to appropriate the money
required to support during the next fiscal
year the several civil departments of the
government. The amount appropriated
exceeds in the aggregate
EIGHTEEN MILLIONS OF DOLLARS
This money is needed to keep in opera
ton the essential functions of all the
great departments of government, legs-
lative, executive and judicial. If the bill
contained no other provisions, no obiec-
tons to its approval would be made. 1t
embraces, however, number of clauses
relating to subjects of great general in
terest, which are wholly unconnected with
the appropriations which it provides for.
The objections to the practice of lacking
general legislation to appropriation bills,
especially when the object is to deprive. "a
coordinate branch of the government of
its right to the free exercise of its own
discretion and Judgment touching such
general legislation, were set forth in the
special message in relation to House bill
No /, which was returned to the House
of epresentatiyesthc Goth of last month,
| regret that that the objections which
We're then expressed to tins
METHOD OF LEGISLATION
have not seemed to Congress of sufficient
weight to dissuade from this renewed in
cooperation of general enactments in an
appropriation bill, and that my constitu-
tonal duty in respect to the general legis-
lation that is placed before me cannot be
| discharged without seeming TO delay,
however briefly, the necessary appropria-
ton by Congress for the support of the
government. Without repeating these
objections | respectfully refer to that
message for statement of my views on
the principle maintained in debate by the
advocates of this bill, viz that to with
hold appropriations is constitutional
means for the redress of what the MAORI
ty of the House of Representatives may
regard as "a grievance, The bill contains
the following clauses, viz:
And provided further, that the follow
| ing sections of the revised statute OF the
United States, namely sections 2,016,2,O 1o
and 2,020, and all the succeeding sections
of said statutes, down to an including sec
ton 2,027, and also section $500, be and
the same are hereby repealed,
| and that all the other sec
| tions Of the revised statutes and all laws
and parts Of laws authorizing the appoint
ment of chief supervisors of elections, OF
general deputy marshals having any duty
| to perform in respect to any election, and
prescribing their duties and powers, and
allowing them compensation, be and the
same are hereby repealed
REPEAL PROPOSED.
| 1t also contains clauses amending sec
lions 2,0t7, 2,019, 2,02S and 1901 Of the
revised statutes. The sections Of the re-
vised statutes which the bill, if approved,
would repeal or amend, were part of an
act approved May both, 1870, and
amended February 2Sth, 1871, entitled
San act to enforce the rights of citizens
of the United States TO vote in the sever
al States of this Union, and for other pur-
poses All the provisions of the above
named act which is proposed in this bill
to repeal or modify, relates to Congress
sional elections. The remaining portion
of the law, which would continue in
| force after the enactment of this measure,
| in that which provides for the appoint
ment by judge of the circuit court OF
| the United States of two supervisors OF
election in each election district, at any
| Congressional election on due applica-
| ton of citizens who desire, in the lam
guage of the law, "to have such election
guarded and scrutinized.n The duties OF
| the supervisors will be to attend at the
polls at all Congressional elections and
to remain after the polls are closed until
every vote cast has been counted, but
they will have no authority to make ar
rests or to perform other duties than to
be in the immediate presence of the Of
| ficcrs holding the election and to wit
ness their proceedings, including the
counting of votes and making returns
thereof. The part of the election law
which would be repealed by the approval
of this bill includes those sections which
give authority to supervisors of election
to personally scrutinize, count and can
vass each ballot, and all the sections
which confer authority upon United
State marshals and deputy marshals in
connection with Congressional elections.
The enactments of this bill will also re-
peal section 5,522 of the criminal statutes
of the United States officials engaged in
| discharge of their duties at Compression
al elections. This section protects super
visors and marshals in the performance
of their duties by making the obstruct-
ing or assaulting of these officers or any
interference with them by bribery or so
licitation, or otherwise, crimes against
| the United States.
EFFECT OF THE REPEAL.
The true meaning and effect Of the pro
posed legislation are PLAIN. Supervisors
with authority to observe and witness the
proceedings at Congressional elections
will be left, but there Will be no power
to protect them or to prevent interference
with their duties and to punish any viola
ton of the law from which their powers
are derived. If this bill is approved
only the shadow of the United States at
national elections will remain. The sub
stance will be gone. Supervision of cleo
ITEMS will be reduced to mere inspec-
ten without authority on the part of
supervisors to do any act whatever to
make the election fair one. All that
will be left to the supervisors is permits
sion to have such oversight of the cleo
tions as political parties are in the habit
of, without any authority oflaw, in order
to prevent their opponents from taking
unfair advantage. The object of the bill
is to destroy any control whatever of the
United States over Congressional cleo
lions
CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS.
The passage Of this bill has been urged
upon the ground that the election of
members of Congress is a matter which
concerns States alone; that these elections
should be controlled exclusively by the
States; that there are and can be no such
elections as national elections; and that
the existing law of the United States reg
ulating Congressional elections is with
out warrant in the constitution. 1t is
evident, however, that the trainers of the
constitution regarded the election of
members of Congress in every State and
in every district, as matter of political
interest and concern to the whole country
The original proposition of the constitu-
ton on this subject is as follows:
Section 4, article /. The time, places
and manner of holding elections for Sen
ators and Representatives shall be pre-
scribed in each State by the legislature
thereof, but Congress may at any time
by law make or altar such regulations ex-
cept as to the place of choosing Senators.