The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1879-05-07
THE PRESIDENT VETO OF THE
ARMY BILL.

THE following is an abstract Of the
Message Of the President Voting the bill
repeating the sections of the Law au
thorizing the use Of troops at the pods
The president SAYS if the bin contained ne
other provisions than those Tor the support O.
the army ii would receive his prompt apEfrov-
. al, but II includes further legislation and IN
wolves question OF the grayest character. Hs
recites the statutes. and saws
The adoption OF the proposed amendment
may be considered in two aspects:
First-As it affects the right OF government
by the civil authority, TO protect elections nom
/ violence and fraud.
He then quotes and calls attention to fec
F tions 2003, 5529, $3.50, 5531 and 1892 rev FED
F statutes; section -, army appropriation bill
passed June Is, 1873, together with remarks
+ upon the purpose and effect OF the latter, a
stated IN the speeches of senators and repre-
/ sentatives who supported it. From these laws,
+ he says, ii appears there can be no military
+ interference with elections, and that conse-
quently there Is no necessity for the enactment
OF section of this bill.
He then calls attention to the existing laws
( Tor The prevention OF determinations on ac-
count OF race, color or previous condition OF
serVitude and 10 punish fraud, violence and IN
tmidation at federal elections, and says
These laws it is the duty OF the executive de-
partment oil the government to enforce. The
intent and effect OF the sixth section OF this bill
il to prohibit ali civil officers of the United
States, under penalty and imprisonment frosn
employing any adequate civil force for the pur-
pose al the place where their Enforcement Is
emozn necessary, namely, at the places where
congressional elections are held. Ii the pro-
posed legislation should become law, there
will be no power vested in any officer OF the
government to protect from violence the Off
GERS OF the United States engaged in the dis
charge Of their duties
Their rights and duties under the law will
remain, but the national government viii be
powerIess to enforce its own statutes. The
States may employ both the military and civil
power to keep the peace, and to enforce the
laws at State elections. 1t Is now proposed to
deny authority to protect national elections.
No sufficient reasons has been given Tor this
discrimination in favor OF the State and against
the national authority
With regard to the manner in which it is
sought TO repeal the law authorizing the use OF
troops at the polls, he says
" The object aimed at Is altogether foreign to
the purpose OF an army appropriation bill.
The practice OF lacking to appropriation
bills measures not pertinent to such bills did
not prevail until more than forty years after
the adoption of the Constitution. 1t has now
become Il common practice; all parties, when
in power, have adopted it. Many abuses,
and great waste OF public money have in this
way crept into appropriation bills. Public
opinion OF the country Is against II. The States
which have recently adopted constitutions
have generally provided a remedy for the evil
bv enacting that no law shall contain more
than one subject, which shall be plainly ex-
pressed in lis title. The Constitutions of
more than half the States contain substantial
~ this provision
Public welfare viii be promoted in many
ways by Il return to the early practice OF the
government and to the true principles OF leg
isl WI M Tp
shall stand or fall according to Its own merits
He says: This Congress has ample oppOrtunl-
ty and time to pass appropriation bills, and
also to enact any political legislation which
may be determined upon, in separate bills, by
the usual and orderly methods of proceeding
But the majority OF both houses have deemed
it wise to adhere To the principles maintained
in the last Congress by the majority of the
house of representatives, namely. that the
House OF representatives has the sole right to
originate bills for raising revenue, and there
fore has the right to withhold appropria-
tious upon which the existence of the
government may depend, unless the Senate and
the President shall give their assent to any
legislation which t1le House NAV see fit to
attach to appropriation bills. To establish
this principle is to make a radical, dangerous
and unconstitutional change OF the character
of our institutions. That a majority of the
Senate now concurs in the claim OF the House
adds to the gravity of the situation, but does
not alter the question at issue.
The new doctrine il maintained, viii result
in the consolidation of unchecked despotic
power in the House of Representatives.
A bare majority will no longer be what the
trainers of the constitution intended-an equal
and independent branch of the government.
The principle OF this bill places not merely
the Senate and executive, but the judiciary
also, under the corrective dictation of the house
The house alone Will be the Judge OF what con-
stitutes a grievance and also OF the means and
measures of redress.
An act of congress, to protect elections, is
now the grievance complained OF, but the house,
may, on the same principle, determine that
the treaty made by the president, with the adj
vice and consent OF the Senate, nominate or
appoint to office decision opinion OF the
supreme court, is a grievance, and that meas
ures of redress is to withhold the appropria-
tons required for the support of the offending
branch of the government. Believing that
this bill is dangerous violation OF the spirit
and meaning of the Constitution, | am COM
PEELED to return it to the house, in which it or
iginated, without my approval.