Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1879-05-08

Synopsis Of the Veto Message Of
President Hayes.

i WAsHINaroN, April 29.--The army appro-
poiatlon bill was returned to the Houee to-day
without the Presidential signature. accom-.
panied by message stating at longth the
reasons for the veto. Tho President Gays 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 reoites the statute
now in force embodied in section 2002 aud
6528 of the revised statutes and says the
adoption of the proposed amendment may be
considered in two aspects: First, as it affects
the right Of the United States government to
use the military force to keep the peace at
sleotions; escond, as it Affects the right of
the government by civil authority to protect
elections from violence and fraud. He then
quotes and calls attention to sections 20O3,
5520, $500, 553l and 5532 of the revised
statutes, and section Is Of the army appropri>
alton bill, passed June 18th. 1873. together
with rcmarks upon the purpose and effect Of
the latter rs stated in the speeches of Sena-
tors and Representatives who supported it.
From these laws he says it appears that there
can be no military interference with elections,
and that, consequently, there is no necessity
for the enactment of section 6 of this bill.
the prevention and discrimination on account
Of race, color or previous condition OF servi-
tude, and to punish fraud, violence and intim
idation as Federal elections, and says: These
laws it is tho duty Of the Executive Departs
ment Of the government to epforce. The
intont nnd effect of the sixth section of this
bill is to prohibit NIL civil officers Of tho
United States, under penalty of fine and i'm
prisonment. from employing any adequate
civil force for this purpose Mt the place where
their enforcement is most necessary, namely,
at tho places whore the Congressional cleo
tions arc held. If tho proposed Legislation
should become law, there will be no power
vested in any officer of the government to
protect from violence officers Of tho United
States engaged in the discharge of their
duties. Their rights and duties under the
law will remain, but tie national government
will be powerless 10 enforce its own statutes.
Tho States may employ both military and
civil power to keep peace and to enforce laws
at State elections. 1t is now proposed to
deny to the United Suites even the necessa rv
civil authority to protect national elections
No sufficient reason has been given for this
discrimination in favor Of State and against
national authority" With regard to the
manner in which it is sought to repeal the
law authorizing the use of tro, ps ut the polls,
he says: "The Object aimed ut it is altogether
foreign to tho purpose of an army appropri.
ution bill. The prnctico Of tacking to nppro-
priaton bills measures not pertinent to such
bills did not prevail until moro than forty
years after tho adoption Of the constitution.
1t has become practices; al parties
when in power have adopted it. Many
abuses and great waste of public money
have in this way crept into appropric
alton bills Public opinion Of the
country is against it. Tho States which have
recently adopted constitutions have generally
provided remedy for the evil by enacting
that no law shall contain more than one sub
ject,. which shall be plainly expressed in it's
title. Tho constitutions Of more than half OF
the States contain substantially this provision
Tho public welfare will be promoted n many
ways by return to the early practice of the
government and to The true principle of leg
islation. which requires that every measure
shall stand Or fall according to it's ow n merits"
lie says: "rhis Congress has ample apportu.
nifty and time to pass tho nppropri, tion bills
and also to enact ony political measures
which mny be determined upon ip separate
bills by the usual and orderly methods Of
procedure. But majority of both honscs
have deemed it wise to adhere to the prnc-
Piles maintained in the last Congress by
majority of the House Of Representatives,
namely that the House of Representatives has
the solo right to originate bills for raising
revenue, and, therefore, has the right to
withhold tho appropriations upon which the
existence of the government may depend
unless tho Senate and President shall give
their assent to any legislation which the
House may see fit to attach to the appropria.
ton bills. To establish this principle is to
make radical, dangerous and unconstitu-
/ tional change in the character of our institu.
tions. That majority Of tho Senate now
concnrs in the claim Of tho House adds to the
question at issue. Tho new doctrine, if
maintained, will result in the consolidation Of
unchecked and dcspotic power in the House
Of Representatives. A bare majority Of the
House will become the government The
Executive will no longer be what tho trainers
of the constitution intendcd-an equal and
independent branch Of the government. The
principle of this bill places not merely the
Senate and the Executive, but tho judiciary
Iolo nd 4 -.