, 1879-04-30


Those who predicted tint tho Presidents
veto Of tho Army bill would rest mainly upon
tho fact Tint tho obnoxious legislation was
attached to m appropriation bill must DO
sorely disappointed in tho message which
sots forth The reasous for tho Presidents tlis-
approval. In this prediction, tho wish was
father to tho thought. It was argued tint,
il tho only serious objection 1lrgcd by tho
President should bo aH to tho manner It,
which tho legislation WIS passed, 1t would be
MI casy matter to separate the political lcgs-
tion from the appropriation bill, pass 1t rs
separate measure, mud THUS place TIC prcsi.
dent in Il posision where ho would bo coin
pollcd 10 sign 1t i'll order to be consistent.
but tho President has not girun tho Demo-
Gratis this advantage. His message goes t1i-
roctly to tho merits of tho political 1egia]a-
ton, and bis disapprovnl is based on reason-
ing wiich would appIy with oq,,nl force If
tho political amendments were presented in
M independent bill.
It is true TINT, incidentally, the President
takes occasion to deprecAto tho practice Of
nttaohing extraaoo,ls legislation to appropri-
alton bif!H Tho practice was particularly
offensive in this cnso, because tho circ,m-
stances wero such on to indicate purpose of
threatening thu President If no should uso
his constitutional veto powor. As tho mes
sage points out, tho passago Of needed lcgis-
lation in the closing hours Of session,
when both Houses Of Congress and tho E1-
ecutiyo nEo practically ngreed upon its ex-
rcdionoy, mny he facilitated by milking such
legislation a 'rart Of MI appropriation bill
without seriously offending tho propricties,
though IL is dangerous precedent. hut
the present case was vary different. Con-
groas hal entered upon now session. There
'xas no A1,r1y ana no oxigoncy. Tho first
duty waa to pass the appropriation bills
which had failed in tho preceding Congress.
There was amp1o timo rs we'll as abundant
opportunity for tho separate. consldsra-
ton Of political legislation. Under these
circumstances, and in tho light of
lnenacing utsorancas abont starving
t1ao Executive into submission, the
President was fully warranted iu regarding
tho project as a blow aimed at his constitu-
tional prerogatiye, aud such conviction
alono would hare demanded his Resistance Mt
lilo very first step. hut, while Congress dc.
serves tho rebuko tic President y;sits unon
it in this regard, tho tl1Bapproyol of the M
ltical SECTIONS of tho bill is fully, intell;,
gently, and couvincing1y explained IN tho
message, without regard to tho manner III
which they wero passed.
Notwithstanding tho long md exhaustive
debate over this measure IN Congress- ,yo
think tho Presidents ,,csyaro will MD monv
persons to clear understanding Of the n,or.
it's Of tho issue. Tho Sootions Of tho Armv
bill which lavo called out tllo Presidents
1isapproyal aro tl,oso which IN strika mt
tle authority of nil civil as we'll nd military
a,stl naval officers tn invoke tho aitl of troona
Mt any aonoral or snoojal election tn kan t',o
peaco Mt tho polly. md {s> provido n scroro
nenally of flno md imnrjsonmcnt unon ,ny
civil officer who shall undertake. TO cmnloy
tho troons to TINT en1 Tho proai1cnt cor,
sidors tho propoacd restriction Of tlo civil
officers Of tho Government in two boor,noe
viz. n, tsH wonld ofroc. tba ~ioht ~ q,
United Statca Government to uso TIM nil;
tary forcos to ksop tho noaca At Oongrca,
sioual elections md u, M II wonli, otTact NE
mower of the goycrnn,ent tn nrotoct ,1,.l
Congressional olootlons from frn,u1 md v,o
lenc.. In tbeso hoor,,,ps ~ lin nrorovo,
restriction the President hns heen AHA r.
consider tho wtolo question of Nat,oro
protaetion for Nn,inno, olectfona oa val, a. !;
tho Legislative bill (which reneal. Tim Win
rarta OF tho National Election law> wor,
actually before him,
Tho pres!lout ,,omouatrotos nv citat,on q
! exlstinr statutes thnt NJ, o,oo,;ons ,,a,,o.o
md spOoial. nro fuuv nroto,tua rom ,ni,i
tary .ntorforeuoo hv tIe wager, s,otrs =
tho law. Her. . mi, r :A1 r"o ra1 49,, -
= r.n $50, -, i"o'' "'''''"'''