The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-05-30
ANOTHER VETO.
The President Again Exercises His
Constitutional Right, and Buries
the Legislative Bill
The Democrats are Now at Liberty to Crawl
Out Of That Hole and Do Something.

I
Out Of That Hole and Do Something.
WASHINGTON, May 29.-The iollowin
message of the President was delivered :
the House Of Representatives to-day:
To ht House Of Representatives:
After mature consideration Of the bill
entitled "An act making appropriation
for the legislative, executive and judiCia
expenses OF the Government for the fsca
year ending June 80, 1880, and for othe
purposes" l herewith return 1t to tn
House Of Representatives, in which |
originated, with the following
OBJECTIONS TO ITS APPRovAL:
One main purpose Of the bill Is To up
propriate money required TO support dur
ing the next fiscal year the several civi
departments Of the Government. ThI
amount appropriated exceeds in aggregate
SlS,000,000. This money Is needed Il
keep in operation the essential functions
OF all tho great departments Of the Gov
ernment-the legislative, executive and
judicial. II the bill contained no othel
provisions no objection to its approva
would be made.
1t embraces, however, a number o.
clauses relating 10 subjects OF great gener-
al interest, which are wholly unconneCted
with the appropriation which it provides
for. The objections to the practice ol
lacking general legislation to the appropri
alton bills, especially when the object Ia
to deprive an ordinate branch OF the gov
ernment OF its right to the free exercise oil
its own discretion and Judgment touching
such general legislation, were set forth in
the special message in relation TO House
Bill No. l, which was returned to the
House Of Representatives on the Goth Of
last month. ! regret that the objections,
which were then expressed to this method
Of legislation, have not seemed to Congress
Of sufficient weight to dissuade them from
this renewed incorporation Of general en-.
actments in the appropriation bill, and
that my constitutional duty in respect to
general legislation thus placed before me
cannot be discharged without seeming 10
delay, however briefly, the necessary
by Congress for the support
OF the government.
Without repeating those objections re-
spectiully refer to that message for state
ment OF my views on the principles main
tanned in debate by the advocates Of this
bill, viz: that to withhold the appropria-
tions is q constitutional means for the re-
dress Of what majority OF the House OF
Representatives may regardas a grievance.
The bill contains the following clauses viz /:
And provided further, that the following
sections OF the revised statutes OF tho Uni
ted States namely, sections 20l6, 20lS and
2020, and all Of the succeeding section 202l
and also section 5272, be and the same are
hereby repealed, &c. and TINT all the 9TH
or sections Of the revised statutes and all
laws and parts OF laws authorizing the ap-
pointment Of chief supervisors OF elections,
special deputy marshals Of elections or
general deputy marshals having any du-
ties to perform in respect to any election,
and prescribing their duties and powers
and allowing them compensation, be and
the same are hereby repealed. Italso con-
tatns the clauses amending sections 20l7,
20lD, POPS and 203l OF the revised statutes
The section Of the revised statutes which
the bill, if approved, would repeal or
amend one part OF an act approved May
80. 1870, and amended January 2S, 1871,
entitled an act to enforce the rights OF Citi-
zens' OF the United States to vote in the
several States Of this Union and for other
purposes.
AL the provisions Of the above named
acts which it is proposed in this bill to re.
peal or modify relate to Congressional
elections. The remaining portion OF the
law, which will continue in force after the
Of this measure, is that which
provides for appointment by Judge Of
the Circuit Court OF the United States OF
two supervisors Of elections in each elec.
ton district at any Congressional election
on due application Of citizens who desire
in the language OF the law to have such
election guarded and scrutinized. The
duties OF the supervisors will be to attend
at the polls OF all Congressional elections,
and to remain after the polls are open un-
til alter the last vote has been cast; but
will have no authority to make arrests or
perform other duties than to be IN the i'm.
mediate presence OF the officers holding
the election, and to witness all their pro-
Ceedings, including the counting Of the
votes and making a return thereof.
HOW TIE APPROVAL oP TIE DILL WOULD RE.
suit.
The law which will be repealed by the
approval Of this billincludesthose sections
which gives authority to tho Super
visors OF Elections, to personally scrutinize
the count and canvass each ballot, and
all the sections which confer authority
upon United States Marshals and Deputy
Alarshals in connection with Congression-
al elections. Tho enactment of this bill
will also repeal section 1922 Of the Grim
Inal statutes Of the Unified States, which
was enacted for tho protection Of the
United States officers engaged in the dis
charge Of their duties at Congressional
elections, This section protects Super
visors and Marshals in the performance
Of their duties, by making obstruction or
Of these officers, or any inter-
ference with them by bribery or solicita-
ton or otherwise, crimes against the
United States. The true meaning and Of
feet OF the proposed legislation are plain
10 the Supervisors, with authority 10 OBJ
serve and witness the proceedings at the
elections which they will
bS lcltI uut tllSlo Mllt uS uV power W pro-
tect them or to prevent interference with
their duties, or to punish any violation OF
the law from which their powers are de.
rived.
II this bill is approved only the shadow
Of the authority Of the United States at
the national elections will remain; the
substance will be gone. The supervision
OF elections will be reduced 10 mere in.
spection, without authority on the part OF
the Supervisors to do any act whatever to
make the election a fair one. All that will
be left tho Supervisors Is the permission
to have such oversight over elections as
political parties are In the habit OF exer.
Cislng without any authority OF law, In
order to prevent their opponents from OBJ.
tanning unfair advantages. The object
OF the bill Is to destroy any control what.
ever by the United States over Congress
sional elections.
The passage OF this bill has been urged
upon the ground thatthe election Of mem.
bers fCongress is q matter which concerns
tho States alone, that these elections should
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