Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-05-29
VETO MEssAGEOF THE PRESIDENT
Returning to the House of Representatives the
Legislative, Executive and Judicial
Appropriation Bill.

|
tied "An act making appropriations for the legis
| lative executive, and judicial expenses of th
| government for the fiscal year ending June sc
$780, and for other purposes" )" herewith retur1
! it to the House of Representatives, In which i
originated, with the following objections to 1T
| approval:
The main purpose OF the bill is to appropriate
| the money required to support, during the mex
| fiscal year, the several civil departments of th
| government. The amount appropriated exceed
| In the aggregate s1S,CO0,0o0.
This money Is needed to keep In operation tn
essential functions OF all the great department.
OF the government Legislative, executive ant
judicial. II the bill contained no other pro
| made. 1t embraces however, a number o
clauses relating to subjects of great genera
interest, which are wholly unconnected witt
the appropriations which 1t provides for. The
legislation to appropriation bills, especially
when the object is to deprive a coordinate
branch OF the government Of its right to tht
free exercise of its own discretion and Judgment
touching such general legislation, were SCI
forth In the special message in relation tt
11 House IS b1ll number one, which was returned t:
month. regret that the objections which were
then expressed to this method of legislation
nave not seemed to Congress OF sufficient
ration of general enactments in an approprla-
t1on bill, and that my constitutional duty in
respect OF the general legislation thus placed
before me cannot be discharged without seem
ing to delay, however briefly, the necessary
appropriations by Congress for the support OF
the government Without repeating those OBJ
Jections, respectfully refer to that message for
tanned In debate by the advocates OF this bill,
VIZ, that "tO withhold appropriations is a con-
st1tutlonal means for the redress" of what the
majority OF the House of Representatives NAV
regard as "a grievance
The bill contains the following clauses viz:
lind progided further, That The following
sections OF the Revised Statutes Of the United
states, namely, sections two thousand and six
Teen, two thousand and eighteen, and two
thousand and twenty, and all of the succeeding
sect1ons or said statutes down to and including
also section fifty.fiye hundred and TWENTY-FIVE.
De, and The same are hereby, repealed
land That all the other sections of the Revised
Sst;atutes, and an laws and parts OF laws author
)Zlng the appointment of chief SUPERVISORS of
eiect1ons, special deputy marshals OF elections.
or general deputy marshals having any duties
9Cr 20 PerIorm IN respect to any election and pre-
ScIlDlng thelr duties and powers and allowing
them In compensation, be, and the same are here:
It also contains clauses amending sections
20l1 2O19, POPS and 2031 Of the Revised Statutes.
The sections OF the Revised Statutes which
the DILL II approved, would repeal or amend,
are pard OF a an act approved May 3d. 1870, and
enforce the rights Of citizens of the United
states to vote In the several states of this union
and for other purposes" All OF the provisions
this bill to repeal or modify, relate to the Con
gressiOnal elections. The remaining portion OF
the law, which Will continue In force after the
eDactment OF this measure, Is that which pro-
V1des Tor the appointment, by Judge Of the ctr
cult court OF the United States, of two SUPER
V1sorS OF election in each election district. at
any congressional election, on due application
OF citizens who desire, in the language of the
law ITO have such election guarded and scrutin-
tzed." The duties OF the supervisors Will be to
attend at the polls at all Congressional cleo
tsi' uons' and and TO remain after the polls are open
Will "have no authority to make arrests, or to
perform other duties than to be In the immedi.
att ate presence OF the officers holding the
ceedings, including the counting OF the
votes. and the making OF a return
thereof" The part Of the election law which win
oe repealed by the approval Of this bill, includes
pervisofs OF election ''to personally scrutIn'ze,
count, and canvass each ballot" and all the
sections which confer authority upon the United
STATES aat s marshals and deputy marshals In con
enactment OF this bill will also repeal section
1922 OF the Criminal Statutes Of the United
states which was enacted for the protection of
u their duties at the Congressional elections
This section protects supervisors and marshals
% the performance OF their duties by making
he obstruction or the aSSaulting of these offi-
,ers, or any interference with them. by bribery
United States ~o
The true meaning and effect of the proposed
egislat1on are plain. The supervisors with
he authority to observe and witness the pro-
,eedlngs at the Congressional elections wifi be
til: puI Inere VIII be no power to protect
mem, OF 10 prevent interference with their du- |
les, or to punish any violation OF the law from
Nnlch their powers are derived. If this blu is |
lppToved, b only n the shadow OF the authority of
emafn-the substance will be gone The SUI |
'ervision OF the elections will be reduced to |
mere inspection, without authority on the part |
y y Lne SUPERVISORS to do any act whatever to |
nake the election fair one. All that Will be !;
elt to the super vlsors is the permission to have
uch oversight OF the elections as political par
leS are In the habit OF exercising without any |
'onents from obtaining unfair advantage The |
biect OF the bill Is to destroy any control what.
yer, yer by It, the United States over the Congress
The passage Of this bill has been urged unon
he ground that the election Of members of
congress is matter which concerns the states
lone; that these elections should be controlled |
xclusively by the states; that there are and
an De no such elections as National elections:
nd tnat the existing law OF the United States
" sguiatlng the congressional elections Is with
Ut warrant In the Constitution.
1t is evident, however, that the trainers of the
O1Stltutlon regarded the election OF members
congress IN every state and In every district
a,i1ca 10 very important sense, Justly matter of
ountry. The original provision OF the Consti-
lt1on On this subject is as follows:
Sec. a, Article l. "The times, places and
anner OF holding elections for Senators and
representatives. shall be prescribed in each |
ate by the legislature thereof; but the Con-
less may at any time, by law, make or alter
icoeing icn regulations except as to the places Of
A further provision has been since added,
l1ch Is embraced in the fifteenth amendment.
is as follows:
"Sec. l. The right Of citizens of the United
-ates to vote snail not be denied or abridged |
7 the United States, or by any state, on ac-
,unt OF race, color. or previous condition Of
rvitude
g Sec. 2. The Congress shall have power to
lforce this article by appropriate legislation"
Under the general provision OF the constltu-
on, (sectton 4, article ~ Congress In 1866
lssed a comprehensive law which prescribed
III and detailed regulations for the election of |
sDators by the legislatures OF the several |
ates. This law has been In force almost thir-
en- yeals. In pursuance of 1t all Of the men,
RS OF the present Senate of the United States |
,ld their seats. It's cOnstitutiOnality is not |
lied In question. 1t is confidently believed
at no sound argument can be made In sup
tlon or senatorial elections which will not
Ouse OF Representatives may also be constitu-
onally regulated by the national authority.
The bill before me itself recognizes the prln-
pie that the Congressional elections are not | {
ate elections, but national elections 1t leaves |
rull force the existing statute under which |
pervisors are still to be appointed by national