Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-04-11
1ailp N'ennebet Journal.
Augusta, Friday Morn'g, April IL, 1872
The Question at Issue.


O. Bv the way. Mr. Hendricks, was it not
customary in the Senate when the republicans
controlled it during your career there to put
all sorts of enactments into appropriation
bills?
A. WHY. of course ii was. During the
six wears of NV services in the Senate and
the subsequent period of General Grants Adj
ministration think that there was more gen
eral legislation attached to appropriation bills
than perhaps during any other period of the
Government before that time. and especially
was that true during the period of the con
test between President johnson and Congress
The republican party was not restrained by
any consideration of the rights of the EXecu-
tive or the principles of proper legislation
and in that respect the party was governed,
as it appeared solely by considerations OF its
own interest.-Ffom iHferrietc ruth NJ.
Hendricks
Mr. Hendricks ought to be above throw
ing dust into the eyes of the public as he
attempts to do in the above. The real is
sue in Congress is not whether general leg
islation has been or may be attached to ap-
preparation bills. That is not the pith of
the matter by any means, and to harp up
on that is only done to conceal the point
actually in dispute.
The real issue is the one declared in the
democratic caucus of Congressman. that
is, to force the Executive to give his sane
ton to the repeal of the election laws or
defeat any appropriation whatever and
stop the wheels of government.
The veto power is given to the Presi-
dent by the constitution. 1t is as much
his right and duty to exercise it in legis-
lation as for the House and Senate to eXer-
else their powers in making laws. But
the democrats having "A Majority in Con
gress attach the repeal of the election laws
to the appropriation bills, and then
threaten the President that il he vetoes
the bills they will vote no money to keep
the wheels of government moving. and so,
as Gen. Garfield says, would starve the
government to death. 1t NAV not be rev.
dictionary to put general Legislation upon
appropriation bills, though it is a pernic-
ious practice but if the democrats carry
out their threats to vote no supplies in
case the President exercises his veto pow
er. that will be revolutionary as clearly
as to undertake to shoot the government to
death, as the rebels attempted in 1861.
And that is what the democratic caucus
has threatened
There is constitutional way to set aside
the vote of the Executive, viz by two
thirds vote of both branches of Congress.
But as the democrats have not the consti
tutional two-thirds. they threaten the un
constitutional and revolutionary method of
checking the veto by stopping the supplies.
Some of the democratic organs also, the
Maine Standard for one, dodge the real
issue by trying to make it appear that the
question in dispute is in relation to the
constitutionaly of placing general legisla-
ton upon the appropriation bills. As we
have said before this is not the question
The real question is one of vital import
ance to the nation, and before the great
debate in Congress is'over and the issue
decided the whole country will see and
understand what it is, if indeed it is not
now well understood. The casting of dust
in the eyes of the public will not prevent
them seeing the facts rs they are.