Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1879-05-12
The Veto oil tho BzlIitnry sufericf
cuce Bill,
lSpaciai 10 the Alexandra e zsue.l

Special to the Alexandra Z zsiic.!
WASHINGTON, May l2.-Tha Prctlic1t, 'c-
day, sent to the House CT Representatives The
following message:
10 the House Of Representatives.: -. 49,,
Alter careful consideration ct The oil 'ni;;eu
IAN act to prohibit military iotciiirs + al
clec,ions" returD i: to the ttous7 c' Efp!i
scntativeH, 10 which il cigns'ed' with TIC io'
Loving oteclic2s 10 It's approval:
10 the communication snnt to the Hou:c OIL
Representatives on The ooh Of Last menth, re
turning to the House without lDy approval the
bill entitled "Au act making appropriations i!r
Tho SUPPORT of the army for the fscil year eco:
inr Juno 80, 1850. aud ior other purposes, l
endesyorsd to show by quotations from Inc
Statutes Of Tic United States COW 10 force, and
by brief statement OF facts 10 regard to re:aHt
elections in the sevcra! States, that 20 adtIii2n
al legislation was necessary to prevent lnterteT-
encc with tho elections b. the military or n-'al
forces CT tho UGitcd Ssat!s. The tact was pEt'
sentcd il that communication that at the time
Of the passage OF the oct OF Juao IS, 1878, 10
relation 10 tho cmpoyllaut ol The army es
pcsso oamitatus or otherwise. Il VAS maintaloco
by lis friends that it would establish vital
and Fundamental principle which would secure
to tic pcoplo protection against standing
nrnv. Tbs l.ct was a'so ri ried 10 that. si1cc
the passage Ct this Gct, Congressional. State,
and municipal claolicC5 ssVe been held through
out the UGiou, end that 10 20 instance hss con
pIsirt been mado of the pris,Ece CT unittd
States soldiers ct the polls.
Holding az do tbe opinion that any military
Interference whatever at the polls Is contrary
to the spirit OF cur Institutions, and would tend
to dcstroy the freedom oil elections Gni sa.
c,re, dc sirGg to ocrcur With Congress 10 oil OF
its measures, il is with very great regret that
an forced to The conclusion that the bill b.1ofo
me is lot orig unnecessary, to prevent suoh
interference, bat is g dangerous departure from
locg settled uud important cors;iiuIona! prlc-
ples. ..
The tru, rule as to the employment o. nil
ta.y force ct tho eiec'ious il oct doubtful. No
in,iniia;ion or c,erci IL thouid b. allowed 10
control OF iJGlencc c;::z;rS 10 tho iXslc.5, oil
their lisht to vote, whether it appears 10 the
share CT combinations Of evil disposed persons,
Or t armed bodies OF the militia OF State, or
Of the military iorco Of the United States. -,
The elections should DO free from all
fcreibo Interference, end as far as rao'
ticab!c, ir3m al! appcahcnslous OF such
iptcrtcrcrc, Ne so!&i;rs. either OF the UnioL
or OF the STATE militia, should be pres"at ct The
pals 10 take lie place oT tc perloM thc duties
Ct the ordinary civil p9!ioc icrc,. There has
bAca aat. will be no violation OF this rule uoder
crders irlm nc during this administration.
I;a. lhcr1 Should Do no den!a! q the right OF
the National Govlrnucnt to employ lis military
force on any day and ct GIy plsc! 10 case such
c!1,,io,.aclt is accessarv to eutoice the Corsi.
lulicn and laws Of the United States.
The I'll; before me il IS follows:
- g., That II Oh all ut H., Ia 20
rui 20 b:rs 70, or employ ut any place where a
general Of sp:c:al election il bcuG held 10 a
State any patt ol the a!uy or uavy OIL the United
States, uiicss such force ia necessary 10 rcrtl
III, armed crcm:cs ci tho Unitcd States. or to
c1Ecgca aac!J>a 1, article i 0! the Constitution
Of The UGi:cd' States, aId the laws made in pur-
suauoa thereof, On application OF the Legislature
or Executive CT the State where such force 10
to bo used; cGd 20 much III oil laws as is ineon.
si.teEt herewith is hereby repealed
1t vii! be observed that the bill eXeDps from
The general prohibition against the EN- loyment
OF military ioroa al the polls two specified
casts. These exceptions recognize and con-
ca6e tho s1uldncsS oil t:e principle that military
force may property aGd ojrstitulionllly be used
at tho place Of tlcl;oGs, Rhco such use is 90
c,sstrj 10 tn.o,c, tie Constitution a:a tie
laws. Bu. The X;,p!ed caScs leave tho rrohi
bitisn 70 cg cnsVa aud FIR reachicg that its
a!optinu M!iI seriously impair tho cfiicicuoy oil
tic Exc.u,.v; Dsrir.nlCa! Of the Government.
The frs: &c. expressly authtrZiug the use cl
military pawtr to * .cGt1 tie laws was passed
a!mos; as cary IS .be urgaCiZlti0n OF the Cow
e-unlcat Under tho Constitution, AID was ap.
proved ty Prcsid2nt Washington May p lI92.
1t is as follows:
SEC. 9 Aud he u GniLer enacted. That
whoever the laws Of tho UH!:ed States ahall
be oppcs?d, or tho ecution thereof DISTRACTED
10 uoy State, by combinations too powerful to
be Suppressed by the trliGary course o! judicial
ptoccC6nGS, or By the powers vested 10 the
.u.rs:.s!3 hy Ills ACT, the Same being notified
tn the Pfcsilcut u ;hc U0ilcd States by 40 AZ
s9c;aln jasica OF tho district ldge, Il shall be
hu!ut tGG ih: President oil tho United S!acs
10 ca.l i,>fth the vi Tia OF such State 10 sup
p!tsl such c0lnbiaat!oD5, and to clusa the lava
10 b. dn!y x ,cutcd. And 1t the militia OF &
S:ato where sac. Coiublra!ioIs may happen
shall refuse, or be Insufficient 10 suppresJ the
sane, il SOL! Il. lawful Ter the President, if
the LEGISLATURE Of the United States be njt 10
session, 10 ,aij forth and employ such plumbers
OF the r1iiilig CT any other State or States most
convenient thereto 20 may DO eces5ety; aud
the use @! milii, - to be called forth. may be
thirty days after tie o3mn:uosGlcut Of Tho en-
sGiog session.
In lT95 this p;o0isioa wai substantially re
ers c'cd IL = lac with repealed the oct Of
1872. Il ls0T the iu!i,s!ng net became the
ss hy Tie approval of piesiden! JetTsrSoa:
"Inal 10 all cares Of in:nrfeeiion or obstiua
ioa to thu laws, cisba. OF he United States .!
CT r9y Individual State or Territory, where il il
laSlu for the prs.iicat cr the Uoited Stats
to call forth tho militia for tho purpose Of sup
pressing such itSurrcctiou, or of Cruising tho
laws 20 be dug exccataa, il snail be lawful Tor
Kim to employ, Tor the samo purpcsss. suoa
part q tho aad or naval i0ic, OF tho UoiteI
States as hall be judged necessary, having
first ot,sarsoa ali shr prcr lisitcs oil the l.w
in tbs! Tls2cc'."
- lha act it will bo saen that the scopo OF
the law Of 1875 wGs cx!eaj:l so as to authoriz,
The National GoVtr0H3ns 10 use not only the
militia, but the arpy and navy Of tho United
STATES 10 'caaicg the laws TO b. duly exc
cuIc5."
The impar!ant provision Of the acts Of 1872,
I -,. 10 4 g. r.. 49,