Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-05-29

lowing message OF the President was
delivered to the house of representa-
tives to-day:
~ MESSAGE.
SIRs-After mature consideration of
the bill entitled An act making appro-
prlatlons for legislative, executive and
judicial expenses of the government for
the fiscal year ending June 30, 1880 and
for other purposes" / herewith return it
TO the house Of representatives., in which
il originated, with the following obiec-
tlons to its approval; The main purpose
OF the, bill Is to appropriate money re-
quired to support, during the next fiscal
year, the several civil departments Of the.
government. The amount appropriated
exceeds in the aggregate SlS,000,000. This
money Is needed to keep in operation the
essential functions of all the great depart
ments OF government-legislative, execu-
tive and judicial.
If the bill contained no other provis-
ions no objection to its approval would be
made. 1t embraces, however, number
of clauses relating to subjects of great and
general interest, which are wholly uncon-
nected with the appropriation which it
provides for. The objections to practice
OF taeking general legislation to appro-
prlation bills, especially when the object
Is to deprive coordinate branch of the
government of its right to a free exercise
of Its own discretion and judgment touch-
ing such general legislation, were set forth
in the special message in relation to house
bill No. /, which was returned to the house
Of representatives on the 29th of last
month. uU
| regret that the objections which were
then expressed to this method of legisla-
ton have not seemed to congress of sutfi-
clent weight to dissuade it from this re-
newed incorporation Of general enactments
in al appropriation bill and that my con-
stitutional duty in respect to. general
legislation thus placed before me cannot
be discharged without seeming delay
however briefly the necessary appropria-
tion by congress for the support Of the
government.
Without repeating those objections /
respectfully refer to that message for a
statement of my views on the principle
maintained in the debate by the advocates
Of this BILL namely, that to withhold
appropriations is a constitutional means
for the redress of what majority of the
house of representatives may regard as a
grievance
The bill contains the following clause,
viz "And provided further, that the fol-
lowing sections of the revised statutes of
the United States, namely, sections 20l6.
20l8 and 2020 and all of the succeeding
sections Of said statutes, down 10 and in
Guiding section 2027 and also section 5522,
be and the same are hereby repealed,
and that all the other sections of the re-
yised statutes and all laws and parts OF
laws authorizing the appointment Of chief
supervisors of elections, special deputy
marshHls Of elections or general deputy
marshals having any duties 10 perform in
resi- eel. to any election, and prescribing
their duties and powers and allowing
them compensation, be and the same are
hereby repealed"
ltalso contains clauses amending sections
20l7 2019, 2028 and 203l of the revised
statutes, which bill, if approved, would
repeal or RmGpd one part pf an act an
proved May 80. 1870 and amended Feb
ruary %, 1871, entitled "an act to enforce
the rights of citizens of the United States
to vote in the several States Of this Union,
and for other purposes All of the pro
visions of the ab0Vesnamad acts, which il
is proposed in this bill to repeal or madi-
fy, relate to congressional elections. The
remaining portion of the law, which will
continue in force after the enactment I'll
this measure, provides for the appoint
melt by q Judge Of the Circuit Court Of
the United Stetel5 9f two supervisors OF
elections IN each electiqG district, 81 any
congressional election, on dge application
of citizens who desire, IN the language of
the law, "to have such electiQD guarded
and scrutinized. The duties of th6 saper-
yisors 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 will have
no authority to make arrests, or to per-
form other duties than to be in the imme-
diate hfesoBe9 qf Lhe officers holding the
election, and to EltAess AIE thgie BE9ceed-
ings, including The coHDting Of the votes
and making q return thereby
The part Of the election law which will
be repealed by the approval of this bill
includes those sections which give author
ity to supervisors of elections "to person
ally scrUtinize, count aud canvass each
ballot, and all the sections which confer
authority upon United States marshals
and dGpitF marshals Ia GQnneGtiQH With
congregational elections. The RtaGtGient
of this bill will also repeal s0etiGn 5a22 Of
the criminal statutes OF the United States, |
which was enacted for the protection of |
United States officers engaged in the dis
chArga nf thair A"iiAs-- - 6t,,,.ro, =,
aloctfons Tk;s ooat,, 80, ,S3, fN,,..l -
vlsors and marshals in the performance
OF their duties by making obstruction or !
aSsalllng Of theSe officers or any ipterfer- |
ence with them by bribery or solicitations
or otherwise, crimes against the United
The true meaning and effect Of the pro-
posed legislation are plain. The super |
visors, with authority to observe and |
witness the proceedings ut congressional |
elections, will be left, but there will be no
power to protect them, or to prevent any |
Interference YIth tbeip dHti9s, or TO pun
ish any Violation Of the law from which |
their powers are derived. Ifthis bill Is apl
proved only a shadow OF the authority
Of the United States at national elections |
will remain, the substance will |
DO goHQ. TGe sHperylsi9n Of elections
WI "a redHesd N msFe inspections, With |
authority on the part Of tho supervisors
TO do any act Whatever TO make the cleo
tion u fair one. All that will be left to
the supervisors is permission to have
such oversight of elections us political
parties are in tho habit of exercising
without any authority of law 10 prevent
their opponents from obtaining unfair ad-
yentaees. The object Of the bill is to de-
stfoy any eogtlql ghateyer by the
United States over 6ongresslonAl elections.
The passage OF this bAI has been urged
upon the ground that the Election of
members of congress Is Il matter which
concerns States alone; that these elections