Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-06-06
VETO NUMBER THREE.

BILL WITH THE POLITICAL RIDERS ATTACHED.
The Message of the President returning to
the House the Legislative, Executive, and
Judicial Appropriation bill, was received by
that body last Thursday. The reading OF
some portions of the document evoked ders-
i've laughter on the Democratic side but this
exhibition of feeling was, in each instance,
met by counter demonstration of applause
from the Republican side When the read
ing was completed the House proceeded to
vote on the passage of the bill, notwithstand-
ing the objections Of the President, and, fail
ing to receive the two-thirls majority re-
quired by the Constitution, twas rejected,
the vote standing-yeas III, nays 80. The
following is the message in full:
To the House If Representatives.:
After mature consideration Of the bin en-
titled AN Act making Appropriations for
the Legislative, Executive and Judicial ex-
ponses Of the government for the fiscal year
ending June 30, 1880 and for other pur-
poses, herewith return it to the House of
Representatives, in which it originated, with
the following objections to its approval -
The main purpose of the bill is to appro-
pirate the money required to support during
the next fiscal year the several civil depart
ments of the government. The amount APP
propriated exceeds in the aggregate SIS 600
600. This money is needed to keep in oper-
alton the essential functions of all the great
departments Of the legislative,
executive and judicial. II the bill contained
no other provisions no objection to its ap-
proval would be made. 1t embraces, how
ever, number of clauses relating to subjects
of great general interest which are uncon-
nected with the appropriations which it pro-
Nides for. The objections to the practice Of
lacking general legislation to appropriation
bills, especially when the object is to deprive
a coordinate branch of the government of its
right to the free exercise of its own discre-
ton and judgment touching such general
legislation, were set forth in the special mes
sage in relation to House bill No. l. which
was returned to the House of Representa-
tiyes on the 10Th of last month | regret
that the objections which were then express
ed to this method of legislation have not
seemed TO Congress of sufficient weight to
dissuade from this renewed incorporation of
general cnactments in an appropriation bill,
and that my constitutional duty in respect TO
the general legislation thus placed before me
cannot be discharged without seeming to de
lay, however briefly, the necessary appropri-
atoms hy Congress for the support of the
government. Without repeating those OBJ
jections respectfully refer to that message
for stat, ment of my views on the principle
maintained in debate by the advocates of this
bill. namely, that ito withhold appropria-
tons is a constitutional means for the re-
dress Of what the majority of the House Of
Rerr, s'Itativos may regard as grievance. "
REL EAL OF THE ELECTION LAWS
The bill contains the following clauses,
num,ly &c.
And provided further, that the following
sections uf 'he Revised Statutes of the United
Statty, namely, sections 2.OlG. 2,OlS and ..
O2u, and all Of the succeeding sections of said
statutes down 10 and including section ., O27.
and also section !, go, be and the same are
hereby repealed.
And Hat all the other sections of the Re
yis,d Statutes and all laws and parts of laws
authorizing the appointment of chief super
visors Of elections, special deputy marshals of
elections or general deputy marshals, having
any duties to perform in respect to any cleo
ton, and prescribing their duties and powers
and allowing them compensation, be and the
same me hereby repealed.
1t also contains clauses amending sections
2,Ol7, 2.Ol9, POPS and 2,O31 Of the Revised
Statutes.
The sections of the Revised Statutes which
the bill, if approved, would repeal or amend,
are part Of an act approved May 80, 1870,
and amended February -, 1871, entitled
An act to enforce the rights Of citizens of
the United States TO vote i'll the several States
of this Union and for other purposes"
All of the provisions of the above named
acts which it is proposed in this bill to re-
peal or modify relate to Congressional cleo
tons.
THE OPERATION OF THE BILL.
The remaining portions of the law. which
will continue in force after the enactment of
this measure. is that which provides for the
appointment, by a Judge of the Circuit Court
of the United States, of two supervisors of
elections in each election district at any Con-
gressional election, on due application of cit
liens who desire in the language of the law,
ito have such election guarded and scrutn-
lied. ~ The duties Of the supervisor will be
to attend at the polls at all Congressional
elections and TO remain after the polls are
open until every vote cast has been counted
but they viii have 10 authority to make ar
rests or to perform other duties than to be in
the immediate presence Of the officers hold
ing the election and TO witness all their pro-
ceedings, including the counting of the votes
and the making Of a return thereof" The
part of the Election law which will be r.
pealed by the approval Of this bill includes
those sections which give authority to the su-
pervisors Of elections ito personally scrutiu-
ize, count and canvass each ballot" and all
the sections which confer authority upon the
United States marslals and deputy marshals
in connection with the Congressional cleo
tons The enactment Of this bill will also
repeal section 1922 of the Criminal Statutes
of the United States, which was enacted for
the protection of United States officers en-
gagged in the discharge of their duties at the
Congressional elections This section protects
supervisors and marshuls in the performance
of their duties by making the obstruction or
the assaulting of these officers, or any inter
ference with them 10y bribery or solicitation
or otherwise, crimes against the United
States.
The true meaning and effect Of the pro-
posed legislation are plain. The supervisors,
with the authority 10 observe and witness the
proceedings at the Congressional elections,
will be left, but there will be no power to
protect them or to prevent Interference with
their duties or to punish any violation Of the
law from which their powers are derived. If
this bill is approved only the shadow Of the
authority of the United Ssat,s at the nation
al elections will reman--tle substance will
be gone. The supervision of the elections
will be reduced to a mere inspo elton, without
authority on the part of the supervisors to do
any act whatever to make the election u fair
one. All that will be left to the supervisors
is the permission to have such oversight Of
the elections as political parties are in the
habit of exercising without any authority or
law in order to prevent their opponents from
obtaining unfair advantages. The object of
the bill is to destroy any control whatever by
the United States over the Congressional
elections.
FEDERAL AND STATE AFFAIRS.
The passage Of this bill has been urged up
on the ground that the election of members
of Congress is a matter which concerns the
States alone that these elections should be
controlled exclusively by the States that
there are and can be no such elections as ma
tional elections, and that the existing law of
the United States regulating the Compression
al elections is without warrant in the consti-
tuition. 1t is evident, however, that the
trainers If tba cppgfitr,tip, r.por,1.1 tho alae