Daily globe., 1879-05-31
HAYES THIRD VETO.

weak production as Mr.. Hayes last veto.
It is utterly lacking in all that constitutes
craftsmanship, is characterized by the mar
rowest partisan bias, and as an argument
lacks both logic and force. The veto was
expected. Indeed, it was announced as
already prepared several days before the
passage of the bill-the legislative, execu-
tive and judicial by the Senate. No one
save Mr.. Hayes has attempted to. convince
the public that it was dictated by other than
partisan necessity; no one save Mr.. Hayes
has had the temerity to state that the repeal
measures embodied in the bill we're not just
and necessary, besides being demanded by
the people at large.
Mr.. Hayes affects to believe that the law
authorizing supervisors and deputy mar
shals to take charge of elections, and invest
ing them with arbitrary powers of arrest, as
| sists in preserving peace at the polls, and is
further designed to carry out the provisions
of the fifteenth amendment to the constitu-
ton, and yet he admits that the law is en-
forced principally in the larger cities of the
Northern States. In these citiss there has
never been any opposition to persons of ne
gro birth, and therefore the pretense that
such law is required to protect them in
their rights in sheer nonsense. Only in ex-
ceptional instances is the law applied to
districts where opposition to negro voters
would be likely to create disturbance. As
for its utility in preserving the peace, no
person. can honestly claim that before its en-
actment there was greater disturbance than
since. Tho local authorities are even more
interested in maintaining order at the polls
than the federal government. Whatever
casualties arise through riot or other causes,
!: have to be cared for by localities, not by the
J general government. The disgrace that fol
! lows all such affairs falls upor
the cities, hot upon the nation
1t is preposterous, therefore, to asser
! that tho municipalities are unmindful O
their duty as far as it concerns the conduc
of elections They are vitally interested il
, preserving the peace at all times. more es
pecially at elections, and are competent K
I maintain it by the proper use of the polio,
authority given them by the States. The al
legation that federal interference is neces
sary is an insult to the administration o
every city of considerable size in tn
country.
Mr.. Hayes says that "the constitutions
, authority to regulate Congressional elections
which belongs to the government of th
f United States, and which it is necessary t
i. exert to secure the right to vote to ever
i citizen possessing the requisite qualifications
Q ought to be enforced by appropriate legisla
s tion." It is not necessary to exert an
. constitutional authority which belongs to tn
9 government to secure the right to vote t
| every citizen. That right is possessed an
: exercised by every citizen all over the coun
t try except in few of the Republican Ne,
d England States, and if deprived of tbs
right recourse would be had to the local AT
thorities, not to the general government, fc
redress. Mr.. Hayes knows that no such mt
Il chinery as is maintained by the electio
: laws is necessary to secure every person
: his rights, and he further knows, if he po
Il sesses the intelligence of ordinary mortal
g that the only use that these laws have ev,
g been put to has been to restrict the exercii
> of the franchise by duly qualified voter
., He knows, too, that a still further abuse I
a the power granted by these laws is conten
ts plated in the future, and that is the reaso
g why his party has brought so strong pre-
n sure upon him to veto the measures of r
10 peal. The facts of the past were suficiel
ee grounds for the repeal of the laws; the po
le sibilities of the future afford still great
Mt reasons why they should no longer rema
/ on the statute books. Mr.. Hayes veto is
3 part with those that have preceded it
ts an outrage upon the intelligence of the pc
r pie and menace to the liberties of t
G nation.