Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1879-05-08

gress and of the President of the United
can scarcely be estimated. egslt is question
that never yet has been brought SO sharply
before the American Congress and the Amer
lean people as 1t NAV benow s ,@:2
1t is question which sooneror later must
be decided, and the decision must determine
what are the powers of the House q Repre-
ident, should approach this question: were
I in the best possible condition to speak and
to argue 1t, with. very grave difidence and un-
certainty, with the utmost anxiety, for none
can think over It as long and carefully as
have thought OF 1t, without seeing we are be-
ginning, perhaps, struggle that may last
longer 10 this country, as q similar struggle
In what we are accustomed to call the moth
erland: The struggle lasted for two centu--
ries before it was ultimately decided It is
not likely to last so long here, but It NAV last
until every man In this chamber is in his
grave. It il a question whether Or not the.
House OF Representatives has the right to say
we Will grant supplies only upon condition
that grievances are addressed. We ore repre-
sentatives OF the tax payers of the republic.
We, the House of Representatives, alone have
the right to originate money bills. We, the
House OF Representatives, have alone tho
right to originate bills which grant the money
Of the people. The Senate represents the
States: We represent the tax. payers of the
republic. We, therefore, by the very terms
OF the constitution are charged with the duty
OF originating bills which grant the money Of
the people. We claim the right which the
house OF commons in England established al
ter two centuries of contest, to say we will not
grant the money of the people unless there is
redress OF grievances"
Upon the assembling of this Congress in
pursuance of the call for an extra session,
which was made necessary by the failure of
the Forty fifth Congress to make needful ap-
preparations for support of the government,
tempt made in the last Congress to engraft by
construction a new principle upon the con-
stitution should be persisted in or not. This
Congress has ample opportunity and time to
pass the appropriation bills, and also to enact
any political measures which may be deter
mined upon by separate bills by the usual
and ordinary methods Of proceedings. But
the majority Of both houses have deemed it
wise to adhere to the principle asserted and
Maintained by the last Congress by ma
jority of the House of Representatives. That
principles Is that the House of Representa-
tives has the sole right to originate bills for
existance of the government may depend I'M
less the Senate and President shall give their
assent to any legislation which the House may
see ut to attach to appropriation bills. To es-
tablish the principle is to make radical, dan
gerous and unconstitutional change in the
partments Of the government and the army,
and the navy are established by the constitu-
ton or bylaws passed in pursuance thereto.
Their duties are clearly defined and their sup
port is carefully provided for by law. The
money required for this purpose has been COL
lected from the people, and q now in the
treasury, ready to be paid out asAsoon as the
appropriation pills are passed. whether the
appropriations are made or not, that colec-
ton of taxes will go on, and the public money
will accumulate in the treasury. It was not
the intention ofthe trainers of the constitution
that any single branch of the government
should have the power to dictate the conci-
applied to the purposes for which it was col
lected. Any such istention, if it had been
entertained, could have been plainly express.
ed in the constitution. That the majority of
the Senate now concurs in the claim of the
House adds to the gravity of the situation,
but it does not alter the question at issue.
The new doctrine, if maintained, will result
in the. consideration OF unchecked and
despotic power in the House of Representa-
tives bare majority of the House
will become the government. the
executive viii no longer be what
the trainers of the constitution intended, an
equal and Independent branch Of government.
It is clearly the constitutional duty Of the
President to exercise his discretion and judy
meat upon all bills presented to him without
cOnstraint or duress from any other branch of
the government. To say that majority of
either or both houses of Congress may insist
upon approval of bill under the penalty of
inn oil Nf I'm
ment for want Of necessary supplies is to
deny to the executive that duty of legislative
power which is plainly conferred by the sew
enth article of the constitution. It strikes
from the constitution the qualified negative
! of the President. 1t is said this should be
done because it is the peculiar function of the
House of Representative to represents the will
of the people, but no single branch or depart
ment OF the government has exclusive au-
thority to speak for the American people.
The most authentic and solemn expression
OF their will is contained in the constitution
of the United States. By that constitution
they have ordained and established govern
ment whose powers are distributed among
| coordinate branches, which, as far as possible
consistently with harmonious cooperation,
are absolutely independent of each other
The people OF the country are unwilling to
see the supremacy of the constitution re-
placed by the omnipotence of any depart
ment Of government. The enactment of this
bill into law will establish q precedent which
will tend to destroy the equal independence of
the several branches of the government. Its
principle places not NEARLY the Senate and
executive, but the judiciary also under the
coercive dictation of the House. The House
alone will be the Judge of what constitutes
grievance, and also of the means and meas
ures ofredress. An act of Congress to pro-
tect elections is now the grievance complained
OF, but the House mayor the same principal,
determine that any other act of Congress al
ready made, thata nomination or appointment
| to office by the President, with the advice and
| consent of the Senate, or that decision or
opinion Of the supreme court, a grievance,
and that if measures of redress be withheld,
| the appropriations required for the support of
the offending branch of the government be
refused. Believing that this bill is danger
GUS violation of the spirit and meaning of the
constitution, am compelled to return it to the
House, in which it originated, without my
| approval. The qualified negative with which
trust that. involves duty which cannot de-
cline to perform, and in a conscientious pur-
pose to do what can to preserve unimpaired
the constitutional powers and equal
| independence, not merely of the ex-
ecutive, but of every branch of
the. government which will be imperilled by
the adoption of the principle Of this bill, I
desire earnestly to urge upon the House Of
Representatives return to the wise and
wholesome usage of the earlier days of the
! republic, which excluded from appropriation
bills all irrelevant legislation. By this course
you will inaugurate an important reform in
the method Of Congressional legislation, your
action will be in harmony with the fundamen.
tai principles of the constitution and the pa.
| triotic sentiments of the nation, which is
their firm support, and you will restore to the
country that feeling OF confidence and secu
rity and repose which are so essential to the
prosperity of all our fellow citizens.
(Signed) RUTHERFORD B. HAYES.
Spiced Reading.
A scientific club-The boomerang.
"A man of pluck-The' owl.stripper.