The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1879-05-14
THE veto OF The ARMY BILL
the Presidents Reasons Set Forth In y
Message 90 shs House Of
Representative.


wAsHINoTos, April 2e.-The following
Is the message Of the President Of the
United States, returning to the House OF
Representatives o bill entitled, Gan act
making an appropriation for the support
Of the army for The ascal year ending June
30, 1880, and for other purposes"
10 the Hosse Of Representatives! 81.
have maturely considered the import
ant questions presented In the bill entitled,
IAN act making appropriations for the sup
port Of the army for the fiscal year ending
juno 30, 1850. and for other purposes, and
I now return 1t to the House Of Represen-
tstives, In which It originated, with my OBJ
jections to Its approval.
The bill provides In the usual form for
appropriations required for the support OF
the army during the next fiscal year.
II 1t contained no other provisions II
would receive my prompt approval 1t
includes, however, further legislation,
which, attached as 1t is to appropriations
which are requisite for the efficient per-
Torrance of some Of the most necessary
duties Of the government, involves ques-
tons Of the gavest character.
The sixth section Of the bill Is amends
tory of a statute now In force in regard to
the authority of persons In the civil, mill.
tary, and naval service Of the United States
at the place where any general or special
election Ia held in any State.
This statute was adopted February 20,
1895, after protracted debate In the Sen
ate, and almost without opposition in the
House Of Representatives, by the concur
rent votes of both Of the leading political
parties Of the country, and became law
by the approval Of President Lincoln. 1t
was re-enacted In 1874 In the Revised
Statutes of the United States, sections
1909 and 5,52s, which are as follows:
SECTION 2,oo2. No military or naval Of
acer, or other person engaged in civil, mill
tary or naval service of the United States,
shall order, bring, keep or have under his
authority or control, any troops or armed
men at place where any general or
special election Is held, in any State, unless
1t be necessary to repel armed enemies OF
the United States or TO keep peace at the
polls.
"SEc. 6,52s. Every officer Of the army or
navy, or other person in the civil, military
or naval service Of the United States, who
orders, brings, keeps or has under his au-
thority or control any troops or armed men
AT any place where general or special cleo
tion Is held in any State, unless such force
be necessary " repel the armed enemies Of
the United States, or to keep the peace at
the polls, shall be fined not more than
$1,000, and suffer imprisonment at hard
labor not less than three months nor more
than fys years
The amendment proposed in this statute
In the bill before me omits from both of the
foregoing sections the words "or to keep the
peace at the polls"
The effect Of the adoption of this amend.
ment may be considered:
Firt-Upon the right OF the United
States government TO use military force to
keep the peace at elections for members OF
Congress, and,
Second-Upon the right Of the govern
ment, by the civil authority, to protect these
elections from violence and fraud
In addition TO the sections Of statutes
above quoted, the following provisions Of
law relating to the use of the military h.
elections are now in force:
"SEo. 2,O03. No officer of the army or
navy of the United States shall prescribe
or tx, or attempt to prescribe or fix, by
proclamation, order, or otherwise, the quail
hcations Of voters in any State. or in any
manner interfere with the freedom Of any
election in any State, or with the exercise
Of the free rights Of suffrage in any State
1SEc. $500. Every officer or other per-
son in military or naval service, who by
force, threat, intimidation, or otherwise,
prevents or attempts to prevent any quail
hed voter Of any State from freely exercis-
Ing the right Of suffrage at any general or
special election in such State, shall be fined
not more than $4,000 and imprisoned at
hard labor not more than five years.
"SEc $3.50. Every officer Of the army
or navy who prescribes or fixes, or at
lempts TO prescribe or fix, whether by
order or otherwise, the quail
hcations of voters at any election In any
State, shall be punished rs provided in the
preceding section.
"SEC. 6,53l. Every officer or other
who, by force, threats, intimidation or
a. a,,,,ala -, ,.l
any officer holding an election In any State
10 receive a vote from any person not To-
gslly qualified to vote, or who imposes or
to impose any regulations for
any general OF special election
in any State, different from those pre-
scribed by law, or who interferes in any
manner with any officer Of an election in
The discharge of his duty, shall be punished
ma prescribed In section b,229.
SEC. $3.50, Every person convicted Of
any Of the offences specified In the five pre-
,edlng sections shall, in addition the pun
ailments therein seyerally prescribed. be
unqualified from holding any office Of hon
,r, profit or trust under the United States;
but nothing in those sections shall be con-
trued TO prevent any officer, soldier, sailor,
Jr marine from exercising the right of suf-
rage In any election district To which he
nay belong, If otherwise qualified accord
ng TO the laws OF the State in which he
,tfers to vote"
The foregoing enactments would seem to
Nc sufficient to prevent military interfer-
nee with elections; but the last Congress,
o remove all apprebensions of such inter
erence, added to this body Of law section
IS of an act, entitled An act making an
'pprc priation for the support Of the army
or the hscal year ending June 30, 1879,
md for other purposes" approved June,
.B7B which ia ms fOlloWa.