New-York tribune., 1879-04-03
THE PErTlFOGGNG POLITICIANS.


There is no use in pcttfogging or quibbling
IN the business which Congress has now III
hand. The people of the North. and espe-
cially the large number of voters who cannot
be classed as partisans, whose judgments
both parties to this controversy are trying TO
convince, are too old and too well schooled IN
the lessons of politics to be caught by
the chaff of technicalities and special
pleading which Democratic leaders in Con-
gress and in newspapers are spreading
for them. Whether these gentlemen know 1t
or not, the votes they must get on the issue
they have raised are the votes of intelligent
men. Not of the thick and-thin partisans
who accept without question the assertions of
Democratic leaders and chuckle over the
tricks and shifts by which Democratic shysters
undertake to dodge the real issue, but OF the
sort of men who think for themselves and
act upon their convictions the men who have
been voting the Democratic ticket for the
past three or four years, not because they IKE
the association or are enamOred OF the name,
but because they have been dissatisfied with
some of the acts of the Republicans and have
taken Democratic professions upon trust. lheSe
are the men to whom practically the argument
now proceeding is addressed. PettlfOgging VIII
not misead nor childish technicalitles con-
fuse them. 1t is mistake for Democrats IN
Congress to address this large and intelligent
class-for they are the actual and final jury
as though they were talking to men whose
minds were already made up, and who only
wanted points" with which to fortify their
ready-made judgment.
These people know something already about
the Constitution and the form of Government,
and the relations of the Executive to the
Legislative Department They know that the
constitutional provision which gives the EX-
ecutive the veto power and requires q two
thirds majority to override it, means some
thing and that that meaning is not involved
or obscure. They know that an effort by
bare majority to compel the Executive
to abrogate his constitutional powers, as
they do by threatening to withhold appro-
pnatiOns unless he consents 10 The enactment
of laws which neither his judgment nor his
conscience approves, is subyerslve OF the
Constitution itself. 1t is not possible to con-
vince them that such a course Is not reY0lu-
tionary. 1t is idle to talk of precedents or
indulge III rccTiminatiOns IN such a matter.
The provision regarding the veto power Is
plain. Its scope, purpose and limitations are
distinctly defined. TO undertake to compel
the President by force or threats to surrender
his own Judgment, and succumb against his
convictions to the will of "A bare majority III
Congress, is simply an attempt to nulllty one
of the plainest provisions OF the Constitution.
Revolution Is a hard word Some of the gen
tlemen who have tried 1t heretofore and
failed, kick at it. But if 1t isn't revolution,
pray what is itR Indeed, these gentlemen
know it to be so, and all their efforts to
prove it otherwise or to lay the burden. of 1t
upon the Presidents shoulders, are dis
ingenious and dishonest They lose ground
and weaken their position by these false pre-
tences for intelligent men can only feel in
suited 10y such fim5y attempts to impose
upon ignorance and practise upon credulity.
1t would bo much more honest, and more
creditable to their sagacIty to come out
frankly and avow the fact that their course IS
revolutionary, and appeal for their justiiica-
ton to the country, upon the ground that the
laws which they seek to repeal are so lniqui-
tOus and unjust as to give sufficient warrant
for it. There would be something courageous
and honorable IN that They pretend
that this is the fact. Why not stop
this miserable dod2lng and quibblIng, and in
an Outspoken, manly way say: ..'Ycs this Is
revolutionary, but it is so just and right
"and necessary that we mean to do it even at
"that cost aud appeal to the people to vindI-
"cate and justify u.s." As the case now stands,
they are trying to annul the constitutional
provision regarding the veto power upon
what they pretend to be sufficient justification
for such revolutionary procedure, and not
having the courage to meet the issue sQuarely,
are pretending that it is not revolutionary.
They are neither honest nor manly.