New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-06-24
TIE LATEST TErO

The Presidents Veto Message is short snd
sharp. 1t cuts like knife, and is so plain
aud direct that every citizen will now under
stand the issue to which the controversy be-
tween the President and Congress has been
narrowed. Congress had tried to repeal the
Election laws; the President had objected,
and his objection had been sustained by
tbe constitutional number of represent
tatives; and theIeupon the majority in
Congress attempted to nullify the laws which
it had failed to repeal. Having stated theae
facts, the President pithy remarks that the
Election laws remain valid enactments-the
" supreme law of the land, binding not only
"upon all private citizens, but also alike and
"eanally upon all who are charged with the
"duties and responsibilities of the LeHsla-
4" tive. the Executive and the Judicial Depart
| "ments of the Government. 1t is not sought
"by the bill before me to repeal the Election
claws. Its object is to prevent their en-
"forcement."
These curt sentences go to the root of
the matter. They aTaign members of Con
press as law-breakers. The brand will
stick. The men who have been selected to
make laws for the country, and who insult
their constituents, and outrage public decency,
nv an attempt TO defeat the enforcement of laws
which they have failed to repeal, ought to be
known hereafter as law-bTeakers, and visited
with as sharp public censure as falls
upon any private citizen who spends night
in Jail for violating other laws of the land.
Il il no excuse that these Democratic multi
tiers had a political purpose to serve. 1t is
only the more to their shame that they had
Of bair omit To,
os members of the law-making body, TO
get lid Of the statutes which they have
disregarded. Ii public opinion should not
hold these men to strict account for an act SO
indecent and so calculated to undermine re-
spect for all law, it would encourage law-break-
ing upon any other pretext whatever. AS the
President shows, q valid and still unrepealed
statute binding upon members OF Congress as
well as upon private citizens, made it the duty of
Congress To provide means for the enforcement
of provisions against fraud at elections; and
the refusal to comply with that requirement
was not only violation of law by the
members themselves, but an attempt to de-
priye the President of power to perform his
constitutional duty. The issue thus raised is
one of which the Democrats will hear great
deal too much for their comfort before an
other year has passed.
The veto message calls attention to some
facts which have not been fully understood
The President says: Under the ex-
"isting laws, the failure of Congress
"to make the appropriations required
"for the execution of the provisions of the
ELECTION laws would not prevent their en-
" forcement." 1t has been shown, in dis
patches from THE TRIBUNEs Washington
correspondents, that there is power un-
der existing laws to pay the super
visors of elections and the statement.
though it seemed startling at first to
Democrats who had been hoping, through
three months Of extra session and sharp con-
test, to get rid of supervisors by emitting
special appropriations for their payment. has
been found entirely correct. Now the Presi