Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-04-30
FIIe Laughs best who Laughs Last,
In the Language of Mr..
Garfield.
Now Let the Democrats Clog the
Wheels if they think they can
Stand 1t.
WASHINGTON.

WASHINGTON, April 29.-The
Army Appropriation bill was re-
turned to the House to>day without
the Presidents signature, accompa-
MED by a message stating at length
his reasons for his veto. The Pres
ident says: If the bill contained no
other provisions than those for the
support of the army it would receive
his prompt approval, but it includes
further legislation and involves
questions of the gravest character.
He recites the statute now in force
embodied in Sections POOP and 5528
of the Revised Statutes and says
the adoption of the proposed amend
ment may be considered in two as
poets First as it affects the right
of the United States Gov
ernment to use military
force to keep peace at elections !;
and, second, as it affects the light
of the Government by civil authori-
ty to protect elections from violence
and fraud. He then quotes and
calls attention to Sections 2,003,
5,529, $3.50, 5,531 and $3.50,
Revised Statutes, and Section Is of
the Army Appropriation bill passed
June 18th, 1873, together with re
marks upon the purpose and effect
Of the latter, as stated in the
speeches of the Senators and Reps
resentatives who supported it.
From these laws, he says, it ap-
pears that there can be no military
interference with elections, and that,
consequently, there is no necessity
for the enactment to Section 6 of
this bill. He then calls attention
to the existing laws for
the prevention of determinations on
account of race color, or previous
condition of seryitude, and to pun
ish fraud, violence and intimidation
at Federal elections, and says:
" These laws it is the duty of the
Executive. department of the gov~
ernment to enforce. " The intent
and effect of the sixth section of
this bill is to prohibit all civil Off
GERS of the United States, under
penalty of fine and imprisonment,
from employing any adequate civil
force for this purpose at the place
where their enforcement is most
necessary ; namely, at places where
Congressional elections are held.
If the proposed legislation should
become a law there will be no
power vested in any officer
of the government to protect |
from violence of officers of the
United States engaged in the dis
charge of their duties. Their rights
and duties under the law will re-
main, but the national Government |
will be powerless to enforce its own
statutes. The States may employ
both the military and civil power to |
keep the peace and to enforce the |
laws at State elections. 1t is now
proposed to deny to the United |
States even the necessary civil
to protect national elec-
tions. No sufficient reason has been
given for this discrimination in favor
State against national authority.
With regard to the manner in which .
it is sought to repeal the law author
izing the use of troops at the polls |
he said the object aimed at
is altogether foreign to the
purpose of an Army Appro-
priation bill. The practice of
lacking to Appropriation bills mea~
,ures not pertinent to such bills did |
not prevail until for more than forty |
years after the adoption of the
constitution. 1t has become a COM
non practice. All parties when in
power have adopted it. Many
abuses and a great waste of public
ncney have in this way crept into
appropriation bills. Public opinion
# the country is against it. States
which have recently adopted Con-
have generally provided a
remedy for the evil by enacting that
40 law shall contain more than one