The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1879-03-26
The army and the Law.

w any VVtliI1ulitl uiSti NV VI SVutS.
The Army and the Law.
A good result of the resolve of the
late Houseis seen in the plain plac-
ing Of several plain questions before
the country. One of those questions
is the right of the men elected by the
people TO attach conditions to the
spending q money which they vote
for public purposes. This right is
denied BY The Republicans and claim
ed by the Democrats. 1t is a right
which has laid ut the foundation of
free government in England for
many hundred years. The commons
have the POWER to stop or forbid a
war by refusing to vote supplies for
the army and no supplies are voted
for over year at any time. During
all the wais with Napoleon, lasting
nearly twenty years, the supplies
were voted every year, ard the cabi
net had ID come in every twelve
months and ask for the grant Of mon
ey which you'd alone continue the
army in the field. 1t is thus az i'm.
possible lor a war to be waged or
kept up, dr for the army to be put to
uses, contrary to the will Of the PEG.
pie Of England, as it is for the army
to subSi,t without money. In this
country Ee vote supplies by the
Year. and the constitution says that
Ill money bills must originate in the
House, thus recognizing the same
control Of the popular branch of Con-
gress over the purse, and thereby
over the whole government, us Oh,
tains in England. Moreover, in
England the house of lords cannot
add toortake from the sums or con.
ditions in the commons money bills,
but must adop, them or reject them
as a whole, just as sent in, the pow
er Of rejection being constructive
only, and an exercise Of it being un-
heard of in modern times. In short,
the control of the commons over the
purse is absolute, Il veto BY the SOW
ereign having been unknown for
hundreds of years. We do not claim
such absolute power for the House
here. The Senate can amend money
bills, though it cannot originate
them The Executive can veto bills
of all kinds. But the rub comes in
right here: the Democratic Congress
will put upon money bills necessary
tn the government such condltlonsas
they think public SAFETY and opln
ion call for. The right to put these
conditions is disputed, and to dis
pute it implies that Congress mus,
be purely passive in money bills and
have no right to make these bills ex-
press the opinion of the people or
protect their interests. The state.
ment of this case ough! to dispose Of
it. There is nothing abonta money
bill different from any o.her bill
The army exists by the law of Con
gress, is supported by the law Of Con
gress, and can be voted much or lit.
tie or nothing or disbanded by the
law of Congress, and that body can
attach to its laws for the army any
conditions not against the constitu-
ton. The condition the Democrats
will attach to the army bill is one
saying that it shall not be brought
into service by federal marshals, IN
der the claim of keeping the peace
at the polls, except on the reques, Of
the State authorities, made to the
President, which request must be nc
companied by proof. that tile State
forces cannot be got in hand for such
Il purpose, or not enough for the
purpose. The Democrats mean to
leave the army without cent until
and unless this condition is compli-
ed with. They take the ground be.
cause it is right, because the misuse
of the army in past elections has re-
verSed the will of the people and be.
cause the army itself, instead Of be-
ing the servant of the law and of the
people, has been made the master Of
both and the right wing of corrupt
political party, whose last crime, by
its aid, was the theft of the federal
government. In England, since
1858, the mere presence of troops
within two miles of any polling
place has vitiated any election held
at such polling place, no matter it
there was only one set of candidates
running, and if there was no opposi-
zion whatever to them. Albany ar
gus.
The Democratic City Committe of
nh;o,rn h,s on1oreod Tho Ernnnhnnk