Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-05-02
THE ARMY BILL.
President Hayes's Veto Message.
Wow Of the " hoIe AmhIccf.

An Able Document and a Careful ne.
view Of the whole subject.
The following is the message Of the Prosi
dent of the United States, returning to the
House of Representatives the bill entitled,
"An act making appropriations for the sup.
port of the army for the fiscal year ending
June 30, 1850, and for other purposes ;"
Message.
To Tie Honse Of Representatives..
| | have maturely considered the important
| question presented by the bill entitled. IAN
act making appropriations for the support of
| the army for the fiscal year ending June 30.
| 1850, and for other purposes and now re-
turn it to the House Of Representatives. in
which it originated, with my objections to its
| approval. The bill provides in the usual way
for the appropriation required for the sup
port Of the army during the next fiscal year
If it contained no other provisions it would
receive my prompt approval. 1t includes
however, further legislation which. attached
as it is to appropriations which are requisite
for the efficient performance of some Of the
most necessary duties OF the government. in
wolves questions of the gravcst character
| The sixth section Of the bill is amendatory of
the statute now in force in regard to the au-
thority OF persons in the civil. military and
naval service of the United States 'at the
place where any general or special election is
held in any State This statute was adopted
Feb. -. 1850, after a protracted debate in
the Senate, and almost without opposition in
the House of Representatives, by the con
current votes Of both of the leading political
parties of the country and became a law by
the approval of President Lincoln II was
e-enacted in 1874 in the Revised Statutes of
the United States secs POOP and 1928, which
are as follows
Section 20O2 No military or naval officer or other
person engaged in the civil military or naval service
Of the United States shall order bring keen or Lave
under his authority or control any troops or armed
at the place whore any general or special election
is held in any state, unless It be Necessary to repel
at the polls
Section 552s. Every oficer Of the army or navy or
other person in the civil, military naval service Of
the United states, who ORDERS brings keeps or con-
trols any troops armed men at any place whore A
general or special election IL held any state unless
such force be necessary to repe armed enemies Of the
United States, or to keep the peace az the polls sha be
hned not more than $1,000 and suffer Imprisonment al
hard labor not less than three months nor more than
five years
The amendment proposed in this statute in
the bill before me omits from both of the
foregoing sections the words ''or to keen the
peace at the polls" The effect of the adop.
ton of this amendment may be considered
First, upon the right of the United States
government to use military force TO keen the
peace at the election of members of Congress
Second, upon the right of the government,
by civil authority, to protect these elections
from violence and fraud. In addition to the
sections of the statute above quoted. the fol-
lowing provisions of law relating to the use
of the military power at elections are now in
force
Section zoos. Nc officer Of the army or navy Of the
United States shall prescribe or attempt to re-
scribe or III by Proclamation, order otherwise the
qualifications Of voters in any state, in any manner
interfere with the freedom Of any in any state
or with the exercise Of the free right Of suffrage in
any state.
Section $500. Any officer or other person in the
military naval service who by force or threat or
der, intimidation or advice, otherwise prevents or
attempts TO prevent any qualified voter Of any state
from freely exercising the right Of suffrage at any gen
eral or special election in tuch state shall be fined not
more than $1,000 and imprisoned st hard labor not
more than 1--WE years.
Section $3.50. Any officer of the army or navy who
prescribes or fixes, attempts to prescribe or h1
whether by Proclamation, order or otherwise, the
qualification Of the voters at any election in any state
shall be punished provided in the preceding section
Section 1881 Every officer other person in the
military naval service who by force threat jptim
dation or otherwise, attempts to compel any officer
holding an election in any state to receive vote from
person not legally qualified to vote who mpsirs
or attempts to impose any regulations for conducting
any general or special election state different from
those prescribed by law OF who interferes in Any man
with any officer Of election in the discharge OF
his duty shall be punished provided in section
o0Zs.
Section 5532 Every person convicted Of auy Of the
offences specified in the five preceding sections shall
in addition to the punishment therein seyer1y pre-
scribed be disqualified from holding any once Of hon
profit or trust under the United States but moth
ing in these sections shall be to prevent any
officer, soldier, sailor marine from exercising The
right Of suffrage In any election district to which he
may belong, II otherwise qualifitd according to the
laws Of the state in which he offers TO vote
The foregoing enactnents would seem TO
be sufficient to prevent military interference
ruraNh ...1.. l..N q l.
remove all apprehension of such interference.
added to this body of law sec. Is Of an act
entitled an Act making appropriations for
the support of the army for the fiscal year
ending June 30, 1879, and for other purpos-
es, approved June Is, 1879, which is as fol
lows:
Section IS. Prom and after the passage Of this act
it shall not be lawful to employ any part II the army
OF the United States as pose cCmltEtus, OF other
wise for the purpose of executing the laws except in
such cases, and under such circumstances as such en-
puy Of said force may be expressly authorized Nv
the coustutIon or by act Of congress and money
appropriated by this shall be to pay any of thu
expenses incurred in the employment Of any troops in
violation Of this section and any person wifuy yio-
atiug the provisions OF this section shall be deemed
guilty OF msdemeanor, and, on conviction thereof
shall be punished by fine not exceeding $40 OOO or
Imprisonment not exceeding two years, or by both
such hne aud imprisonment
THE LAWS CONSIDERED
This act passed the Senate, after full con-
sideration, without single vote recorded
against it on its final passage, and, by ma
jority of more than two-thirds, it was con-
Cured i'll by the House of Representatives.
The purpose of the section quoted was stated
in the Senate by one of its supporters as fol-
lows Therefore, hope, without getting
into any controversy about the past, but act
ing wisely for the future, that We shall take
away the idea that the army can be used by
: ! 4
marshal, mer ly for election purposes, as u !
posse, ordering them about the polls, or or |
dering them anywhere else, when there is no |
election going on, to prevent disorders, or to |
suppress disturbances that should be sup |
pressed by the peace officers of the State, or,
if they must bring others to their aid, they |
should summon the unorganized citizens and |
not summon the officers and men of the army |
as 4 posse oOmitdtllS to quell disorders, and |
thus get up feeling which will be disastrous
to peace among the people of the country"
In the House of Representatives the object