The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1879-06-12
THE LEGISLATIVE BILL VETOED,

THE LEGISLATIVE BILL VETOED.
81
President Hayes Refuses to sign
tho Lexlslative Approprfation Bill
Passed BY Congress-His Objections
to the Blll. ys
WASHINGTON, May 20. ..
The following message of the Presi-
dent was delivered to the House of Rep
resentatives to-day:
To the House Of Representatives:
SIRsIAter mature consideration Of the bill en-
aI.,a An act making appropriations for the Leg
G0yernment for the fiscal year ending June 80,
1850, and for other purposes" herewith return
It to the Houee Of Representative, in which It
or,gnatsea' win the following objections to its
The main purpose Of the bill is to appropriate
money required to support during the fiscal
agersgate. slsoSooSt Fhis money is needed I" se
70 keep IN operation the essential functions of all
lative, Executive and Judicial.
P II the bill contained no other provisions no OBJ
Rp9Ss .es 81 clauses be @'s ss.ns s%
subjects Of great general interest. which are
Wholly gnconnected with the approximation which
TO to oe IF
pecially when the object lie to deprive q co-ordi
nate branch Of the Government Of its right to the
touching such general legislation, were set forth
House bill No. 1, which was returned to the
month. regret that the objections which were
expressed to this method of legislation have not
seemed to Congress of sufficient weight to dis
enactments In an Appropriation bill, and that my
Constitutional duty In respect to general legisa-
tion thus placed before me cannot be discharged
necessary appropriation by Congress for the sup
port Of the Government.
Without repeating those objections, I respect
views on the principle maintained in the debate
by the advocates Of this bill, VIZ: That to
withhold appropriations is Constitutional means
for the redress" Of what majority Of the House
The bin contains tie following clauses, viz:
that the
the succeeding sections Of said statutes down to
and including Sec 2O27 and also Sec. 5522, be,
-. s.. and that ali u the other
sections Of the Revised Statutes and all laws and
n me- spesa
Marshsls Of Elections or General Deputy Mar
shals, having any duties to perform in respect to
powers, and allowing them compensation, be, and
the same are hereby repealed." =
It also contains clauses amending Secs. 2O17,
RsSses statutes wses s
IN iso snd ass
rights Of citizens Of the United States to vote in
TIE several States Of this Union and for other pur.
XII of the nroyisions If the .hovan.med .cts
which it is proposed in this bin to repea or modify
relate to Congressional electlons. The remaininS
portion of the law, which will continue in force
provides for the apDOintment nv a Judoe of the
Circuit Court of the United States Of two Snnervs
ors of Elections in each election district at any
Citizens who desre n The ~ ~ s "
to nave such election Quarded ana ecrutinized.
the polls at an Consressionai elections and to re- e.
main after the polls are open until every vote cast
has been counted: but thew will have no Authority Ia
make arrests or to nerfOrm other dnties than t IA
in the Immediate presence of the officers holding
the election, and to witness ali their nroceednos.
including the counting Of the votes and making
return fkcrenfn ~ ''-N
The part Of the Election law which will be re-
pealed by the approval of this bfii includes those
sections which give authority e the saperyisors
and canvass each ballot" and ali the sections
which confer AUTHORITY mnon Tinted States MAY
shsls and Deputy Malshals IL connec,ion with
stan, sso ;Ss sss Of the
enacted 81 rs Of United sss
Congressional elections. This section projects
Supervisors and Msrshals IN the nerfnrmanee n
ri NV thp nhatrr,
2, ON Of any with incm
AGAINST tho limited States " ' "-1o' OA''''
hH ne meaning and sss Of the
thority to observe and witness the proceedings at
the Congressional elections viii be left, but there
will be no power to protect them or to prevent in.
Of WSe
rived. If this bill is approved. only the shadow
Of authority Of the United States at Na,ional cleo
The supervision of elections will be reduced to
the Supervisors to do any act whatever to make the
election fair one. All that will be LEFT to the
Superyisors is the permission to have such an
law in order to prevent their opponents from OBJ
tanning unfair advantages The object Of the bill
States over Congressional elections.
The passage 81 this bill has been urged upon the
ground that the election Of members Of Congress
Is a matter which concerns the State alone; that
| these elections should be controlled exclusively
by the States; that there are, and can be, such
istnr law % Of the United States regulating Con.
gresscnal elections is without warrant in the Con-
situation. 1t is evident, however that the trainers
ofthe Constitution regarded the efcction of menu
trict ss, in very important sense, Justly matter
of political interest and concern to the whole
country The original provision Of the Constitu-
| uO0 on THIS subject IL as lOllOWe.
"SEC5 A A9r:7ls-- The times, places and man
ner Of holding electionefof SeKators and Repre-
sentatives shall be prescribed in each State by the
Legislature thereof; but Congress may at any
time, by law, make or after such regulations, ex-
| cept as to the places of choosing Senator'S"
A further provision has beeny since sadded,
which is embraced in the Fifteenth Amendment.
i 1t il 40 follows: sus ~, -.
/ ~SHEIoN a The right # citi1shs Of tae United
the United States, or by any State; on account Of
/ n condition =
e.SIe.& The Congress shall have power to en-
force this article by appropriate legislation"
Under the general provisions ofthe Constitution
(Sec. 4, Art y Congress, in 1855, passed com.
prehensve law, which prescribed full and detailed
regulations for the election Of Senators by the
tLegielatarss Of the several 'Statss This iaw has
been nj l6tce almost thirteen years. Tnpnfsuance
Of it. oil Of the members of the present Senate Of
the United States hold their seats. Its Const1tu
tionality is not called in question. >"
i e ccnadently believed ,thst No sound srgu
atty of the National regulation Of Senatorial cleo
tons which will not show that the elections o.
also be Constitutionally regulated by National an
thority. .4-s-sg.p..... Ift.r a..F
/ The bill before me itself recognizes the princt