The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1879-05-15
ANOTHER VETO.

The president has again responded to
the demands of the stalwarts and mega
lived legislation at their dictation. Ii
there were any doubts as to the former
yeto's being the product of craftsmanship
they are removed by the peculiar circum-
stances attending this veto. The most
rampant republicans admitted the posi-
bility of his approving the bill directly
after it was prepared, They did not
know to what extent Hayes would go
when he once disregarded those sacred
obligations imposed by mans sense Of
right. Hayes stated unhesitatingly that
he saw nothing Objectionable in the bill.
Many republican congressman were dis
posed to vote in favor of its passage.
There was no organized opposition to 1t
until the republican caucus was held.
Even then there were many republicans
who said that opposition to the bill was
unwise. But the caucus resolved to
oppose the bill. The president yielded
his convictions at the dictation of the
caucus and studied for pretext to veto
the bill. As it is now, the president
wears the collar OF the republican caucus.
The executive is no longer distinct part
of the government. Hayes has declared
his allegiance to the caucus and hereafter
he will be held in the strictest subsection.
He is tool and the caucus during hrs
continuance in Office will use him for
partisan purposes. A weak man invest
ed with power is as dangerous as cow
ard with fire arms.
The bill was intended solely for the pur-
pose OF prompting any party from using
troops for the purpose OF malntalng It's
power in opposition TO the will of the peo
pie. That the army has been used for this
purpose by the party in whose interest
the president uses the power conferred
on him by the constitution, he could
prove by quoting from speeches deliver
ed by congressman during consideration
of the army bill. The president goes on
to state before reciting his objection to
the bill, that interference in election mat
tiers by troops is to be condemned and
that their presence there to perform the
duties of civil police should not be al
lowed. But he vetoes the bill declaring
the very principles which he himself
enunciates. He says that elections are
now sufficiently guarded by legislation
against military interference and at the
same time proffers the assurance that he
will send no troops to the polls. How
could he, if as he says, the laws now in
force protects election polls from such
interference? Or does he mean that his
| assurance of non-interference makes pos
tive legislation on the subject unneces-
sary and thus justifies veto? The bill
vetoed does not seek to abridge the pow
er of the president in the least except to
prevent his stationing troops at the polls
and even then it allows him to use troops
any where to repel invasion or to protect
! the states against domestic violence. He
cites the acts of Washington in suppress
ing the whiskey instruction; of Jeffer-
son in breaking up the Burr conspiracy;
| of Jackson in destroying the notification;
and of Lincoln, calling for troops to put
down rebellion. Bat with the bill veto
al Inv the president in force as n law the
very things enumerated by him could be
Iegallay done. In order to suppress in
surrections and conspiracies is it neces-
sary to send troops to the polls? Did
Jackson when he sent troops to Charles
ton, first ascertain where the polling
places were located and then posted
troops there to awe the Nullifiers into
submission? A pretty message truly,
which wanders from the question at ISSUE
in vain attempt TO sustain disgraceful
veto by argument
The president says the elections should
be free from all interference and appre
hensiou. Because the law may be oppos
edit may be on election day, possibly a
the polls; the civil officers may be pow,
erless; the militia may not be strong
enough to enforce the laws. The statute
books must contain law dangerous tt
the freedom of elections to meet the
remote contingency, troops, which jim
Blaine has shown are nowhere,
must be called in. Rather than that
this remote possibility should be unpro
vided for, the president thinks the less
evil of interference shouid Ice endured.
/ The posse commitatus bill which received
the presidents signature, and which was
| quoted approvingly by him in his last
message, went infinitely farther to curtail
the power of the executive III the use
of troops, than the bill just vetoed. But
he was ''little off, with his party then
and besides there was no caucusto direct
him.
THE WAR HORSE, CHANDLER.