Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-05-16

trine contained in the later product of the
Democratic caucus. No Democrat has I'M
dertaken to question the position assumed
! by the President in the message vetoing
the army bill, and it is quite safe to say
that this second message on the same sub
ject will be found quite as unanswerable as
the first. Certainly the country will so
regard it.
What the Democrats will now do is q
question which only time can solve. I'm
der the constitution they have been met
and are fairly beaten. We do not believe
that they are vet prepared to precipitate
revolution by attempting to c ersce the
| President, by refusing to vote necessary
| supplies for the maintenance of the Gov
| eminent. Phey went into this business for
| the sole purpose of making capital for the
next campaign, and they have signaly
| failed TO better their prospects, the under
taking. If they are wise they will now
pass the appropriations in the proper form
| and 60 home to make the most of the issues
on which they have been overt thrown by
| the President L they wish TO court de-
| strnction. they viii continue to anger the
| country by foolish and vain attempts to Sc
cure By legislation what they lost in battle
namely the supremacy of the State above
| the Nation.
...- New York Times.
The former veto rested mainly on the
| proposition that for all wholesome pur-
| poses existing enactments afford adequate
| guarantees against an improper exercise Of
Federal authority n at atiOnal electiO Ms
and that so much of the section tackled to
| the Army bill that was not surpiusage
| tended TO the impairment Of the power OF
| the Government to enforce the law relating
| to elections. The present veto proceeds on
the broad ground that the measure passed
| by Congress is destructive Of one of the
| fundamental laws of the Government, and
| at variance with an elementary constitu-
| tiOnal principle; with the further objection
that the bill virtually discriminates in
favor OF the State as against the national
authority.
! A better commentary there could not
| be either on the bungling STRAIT
| egg of the Democrats, whose half a dozen
caucuses were supposed 10 have left the
| President no chance of escape, or on the
| timidity of epublicans who imagined
that the bill might be accepted as at least
| harm less.
As though to silence misrepresentation,
and to stife the cry which the Democrats
have been preparing to raise in the event
of continued opposition to their plans he
now returns to this aspect of the subject
| in g manner that leaves nothing to be de-
| sired. Whether intimidation or coercion at
elections be of military character, or
| whether it appears in the shape of com
| binatiOns of evil disposed persons" he is
| equally explicit IN MS COHGenlndGlOU ca IL.
| He would have elections free from all
| forcible interference or the fear of it, and
with this view, would not allow soldiers,
either Federul or local, to be present at
the polls 'or to perform the duties of the
ordinary police force"
Cincinnati Gazette.
President Hayes message, giving his
reasons tor non-approval of the Confeder-
ate bill to forbid the United States to en-
force the laws for the protection of United
States elections, Is printed IN our telegraph
columns. The reason for this will be
found equally impregnable. This bill left
to the President no way to avoid a veto.
1t is proposed to change the Constitution
by taking from the National Government
the power 10 execute its laws, while not
only leaving to each State the power to ems
force its laws, but also the power to call on
the United States to bring in its army and
the entire militia to help the State in this
enforcement The bill might properly be
entitled bill to revive the lost cause, and
to work b. legislation that dissolution Of
the Union which the Confederate rebellion
failed to bring about by war. 1t is a bill
thoroughly infused with the poison of the
Independent sovereignty of each State
and tee subordination of the nation. The
veto will have the united support of all
publicans, and will place the Conteder-
ate conspirators in q position which they
can not defend before the American people |
laclnnal Commercial
Unless, therefore, there be some ulterior |
puIpose hidden in the present BILL il is |
needless and superfuous, and certainly is |
so far as military interference with cleo |
tions is concerned. This point is well ia
ken. x
The President ,tates the true rule as to |
the employment of military force at elcc,
tons. No intimidation or coercion should |
be allowed TO influence citizens, whether
in the shape of combinations of evil dis
posed persons, armed State militia, or mil
itary forces of the United States.
For these reasons the President with !
holds assent to the bill and we believe the |
people who have expended so much life |
and treasure to sustain the supremacy of |
the National Government and prevent the |
triumph of the principle of secession,
which lies crouched behind the doctrine of
State sovereignty, ready to spring forth
and throttle the Union, will sustain the
President in his action He has given to
the bill larger Interpretation than its au-
thors have done: but they have a motive
in eoncealing its real scope and tendency,
for they are like sappers and miners under
mining fortress, and do not care to ex-
till ready for the explo,ion. If the bill
meant only what it conveyed in its title,
the President would have signed it; but he
shows it to be other than the harmless
thing it appears on the surface, and brands
it with a disapproval that will stick to it
and the party that makes it an issue before
the people.
WORMS are a miserable atfliction,
found in most families. and not un-