The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1879-05-01
The Veto Message.

A synopsis of the message OF the Presi-
dent, returning to Congress the Army Bill,
with his objections thereto, will be found
elsewhere. 1t will be seen that the reasons
for the veto are based upon high constitu-
tional ground, and proper respect for the
dignity and perogatives of coordinate
branch Of the government. The aggressive
and reckless partizan spirit which has con-
trolled in the discussion of this bill, on the
part Of the majority in Congress, and
disregard for the constitutional obligations
resting upon the Executive, are in keeping
with the manner OF presenting the act to
the President 1t would have been COM
promise of the high office OF the Presidency
for him to have submitted to the arbitrary
and despotic assumption by the legislative
branch Of the government, and tamely
yielded to a practical surrender of the du-
ties imposed by the Constitution, for the
President to have done otherwise than he
did.
Referring to the manner of the presenta-
ton of the bill to the President, and the in
decent haste manifested in placing it in his
hands, the correspondent of the New York
Times gives the following facts. After
reading them, we do not think there is an
impartial American citizen who cares for
the institutions OF his country and respects
the dignity Of the Presidency, who will
not condemn the spirit and the pur-
pose of the majority in Congress as man.
Tested in the action ofits authorized agent,
proceeding, no doubt, under the direction
of caucus dictation. The correspondent
says, under date Of the 2Sth:
Friends of the President report that he
was very much displeased with the extraor-
| binary haste exhibited by the Democratic
managers in placing the bill before him.
The bill was not passed by the Senate until
late on Friday evening, and was not signed
| by the presiding officers of both houses I'M
| til about O'Clock ON that evening. 1t was
| then delivered to Mr.. Kenna, Of West Vir-
ginia, Chairman of the House Committee
on Enrolled Bills, whose duty it is to see
| that all bills originating in the House which
| are passed by the two houses are duly en-
rolled and submitted to the Executive. Mr..
Kenna took charge Of the Army Bill him
self and instead OF waiting until the follow
ing day rushed directly to the White House,
| where he arrived about Z O'Clock. The
President had not returned from his usual
| afternoon drive when Mr.. Kenna called, but
that gentleman regarded his mission as so
urgent and important that he waited about
| three-quarters of an hour before making
| in his possession. This haste was not only
unnecessary. but unusual and indecent.
! There is no law which prescribes the hours
for the delivery OF bills to the President,
but common decency suggests that pub
lic measure like the Army Bill should not
be hurled at the Executive in the night, as
| if he was contemplating flight to avoid re-
ceiying it, particularly when no limitation
was placed on the duration OF the session
of Congress, and when no possible incon-
venience or danger could result from a
postponement of the delivery of the bill
until the regular office hours on the follow
ing day. This indecent haste was in keep.
ing with the general spirit which has char
acterized the conduct of the majority
! throughout the controversy over the bill.
| Mr.. Kenna delivered it to the President
with an air which plainly implied, ''We
told you we would pass this bill here it
is; disapprove it if you dare" The friends
of the President say that he was considera-
bly, annoyed by this unusual exhibition OF
haste, and was disposed to meet the ma
jority in Congress in their own spirit and
return the bill on Saturday with his dis
| approval. Had he known that the House
would not have been in session to-day, it
is believed that he would certainly have
| returned the bill on Saturday.