The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-06-26
Still Another Veto.

WASHINGTON, June 70.
The following is summary of the
Presidents message returning the judi
cial expenses bill to the House without
his signature: The President begins by
reciting passage of the original legisla.
tive bill repeating title 26 of the revised
statutes and its return to the House with
out his approval. The object of the pres
ent bill, he says, is not 10 repeal the elec-
ton laws but to defeat their enforcement.
Under existing laws, the failure of Con-
gress to make appropriations required for
the execution of the provisions OF the
election laws would not prevent their
enforcement. The right and duty to ap-
point general and special deputy marshals
which they provide for could still remain,
and the executive department of the gov
ernment would also be empowered to in
cur the requisite liability for their COM
pensation; but the second section of this
bill contains prohibition not found in
any previous legislation. Its design IS
to render election laws imperative by
omitting to appropriate money for their
enforcement and by prohibiting any Off
Ger of the government from incurring liza
bility under title 26 of the revised statutes
authorizing the appointment of deputy
marshals for service on election day.
The appointment of special deputy mar.
shals is not, he says, spontaneous act OF
authority on the part of the government,
but is made by section 2O2l Of the revised
statutes q popular right of citizens in
towns having 10000 inhabitants, or up
wards. The present bill neither revokes
this nor releases the marshal of the duty
imposed by law, nor the President of his
duty to see that the law is faithfully exc
cuted. He declines to discuss the wisdom
and necessity of the election laws, or what
he regards as the dangerous and uncon-
stitutional principle of this bill, that the
power vested in Congress to originate
appropriations involves the right to COM
pei the executive to approve any legisla-
ton which Congress may see fit to attach
to such bills, under penalty of reducing
the means needed to carry on the essential
functions of the government. His views
OH these points were, he says, presented
in a previous message, and he regards
them conclusive as to his duty in respect
to the present bill. This measure leaves
the powers and duties of supervisors Of
elections untouched, but deprives the ma
tional government of the power to pro-
tect them in the discharge of their duties
at the polls. The States may employ
both civil and military power at elections,
but by this bill even civil authority to
to protect Congressional elections is de-
MED to the United States. There are
two lawful ways to overturn legislative
enactments- - one is their repeal, the
other is the decision of competent tri-
bunal against their validity. The effect
of this bill is to deprive the executive of
the means to execute laws which are not
repealed. They have not been declared
invalid, and it is, therefore, the duty Of
the executive and every other department
of the government to obey and enforce.
He closes by saying he is willing to con-
cur in suitable amendments for the i'm
proyement of the election laws, but can
not consent to their repeal or approve
legislation which seeks to prevent their
enforcement,