Ellsworth American., 1879-05-08
The Presidents Veto.
Concluded from last weeks Issu,


The practice of tacking to appropriation
bills measures not pertinent to such bills
did not prevail until more than forty years
after the adoption OF the Constitution. II
has become common practice. All par.
ties when in power have adopted it. Many
abuses and great waste of public money
| have In this way crept into appropriation
! bills. The public opinion OF the country
| Il against 10. The States which have re-
| Gently adopted Constitutions have gener-
| ally provided a remedy for the evil by
| enacting that no law shall contain more
/ than one subject, which shall be plainly
expressed In It's title. The Constitutions
/ Of more than half OF the States contain
substantially this provision. The public
welfare will be promoted in many ways BY
1 a return To the early practice OF the Gov
ernment aud TO the true principle of iegis-
/ lation which requires that every measure
/ shall stand or fall, according To its own
/ merits. Ii 1t were understood that to at
I tach to an appropriation measure irrele-
/ want to the general object of the bill would
/ imperil aud probably prevent It's final pas
1 sage and approval, a valuable reform In
| the parliamentary practice OF Congress
( would be accomplished The best justiti-
/ cation that has been offered for attaching
/ irrelevant riders 10 appropriation bills is
, that IL Is done for convenience sake, to
facilitate the passage of measures which
/ are deemed expedient BY all The branches
I OF Government which participates in egis-
lstion. II cannot be claimed that there Is
I any such reason Tor attaching this amend
/ ment OF the election laws To the Army Ap-
/ preparation bill. The history of the meas
/ ures cOutra1cts this assumption-a ma.
/ joriiy Of the House Of Representatives In
| the last Congress was In favor of section
six Of the bill. IL was known that a ma
/ iority of the Senate was opposed TO 1t, and
I that as a separate measure it could not be
/ adopted IL was attached To the Army
Appropriation bill to compel the Senate to
4 assent 70 1t. Ii was plainly announced to
Y the senate that the Army Appropriation
1 bill would not be- allowed to pass unless
/ the proposed amendments OF the election
/ laws were adopted with il. The Senate
/ refused TO assent to the bill on account OF
/ this Irrelevant section. Congress there
] upon adjourned without passing an appro-
/ priation bill for the army, and the present
/ extra session of the Forty-sixth Congress.
4 became necessary TO furnish the means "a
I carry on the Government.
\ Inc ground upon which the action o
1 the House of Representatives Il defended
has been distinctly stated by many OF It.
I advocates. \ week before the close o
the last session OF Congress the doctrine
/ Ia question was stated by one of its ablesl
defenders as follows;
II is our duty to repeal these II is mol
worth while 10 attempt the repeal except
upon an appropriation bill. The Republican
I senate would not agree To. nor the Reyub
hcan President sign bill Tor such repeal
whatever objection TO legislation upon ap
preparation bills may be made lu ordinary
cases, does not apply where free election;
[ and the liberty OF the citizens are con
I cerncd; We have the power 10 vote money
7 let US annex conditions to it and insis
( upon the redress Of grievances"
By another distinguished member OF the
, House it was said The right Of the rep
resentatives Of the people To Withhold sup
plies {, a, old aS Eng ish ibelty. History
records numerous instan - where tn,
common feeling that the people were op
pressed by the Laws OF the Lords whC
would not consent 10 repeal by the ordi
nary methods OF legislation, obtained re-
dress at last by refusing appropriation
unless accompanied by relief measures.
That II question Of The grayeSt magui
tudr. aud new Ia this country, was raised
by this course OF proceeding, was fully
recognized also by It's defenders in tn,
senate, Il was said by disttugu> >hed
senator, perhaps no greater question
In the form We are brought to cou-de
II, was ever considered BY the American
Congress In time OF peace, tor II Involve
not merely the merits or dement's OF tht
laws which the House bill proposes 10 re-
peal, but involves the rights the privileges
the powers, the duties OF the Two brauChel
OF Congress and OF the President Of tht
United States. II is vast question, il Is
que. lou whose Importance can scarcel,
be estimated IL is question that ueve
get has been brought so sharply befor
the American Congress and the American
people IL may be now. IL is question
which sooner or later must be decided, ans
the decision must determine what are tn
powers OF the House OF Representative
under the Constitution, and what Is tn
duty of that House in the view OF th
trainers OF that Constitution according t
its letter aud its spirit. Mr.. President,
should approach this question. If | were II
the best possible CONDITION TO speak and /
argue it, with very grave diiilence an
certainly with the utmost anxiety, tor n
one can think OF IL as long and "a CAREFUL
a have thought OF 1t without seeing tha
We are at the beginning, perhaps, Of
struggle that may last as long Ia this cour
try a. "A similar struggle lasted 10 what "
are accustomed to call the notheriau
There the struggle lasted for two ceniGti'
before IL was ultimately decided. Ii Is nc
likely to last as long here but 1t may la
TIL every man ia this chamber Is in hi
grave. IL u the question whether or n
the House OF Representatives has tn
right to say, we will grant supplies onl
upon condition that grievances are r.
dressed We are the representatives, {
tha To ray n the RHnnhliC We In
House OF Representatives, alone have th
, power To originate bill. which grant tl
money OF the people. The Senate repr'
sents States. we represent the tax payer
of the Republic. We therefore by the yer
terms of the Constitution are charged Wit
the duty ot originating the bills while
grant the money OF the people. We elail
the right which the House OF Commons
England established after two centuries
contest TO say that We will no, grant til
money OF the people unless there is n
dress OF grievance.
Upon the assembling of this Congress /
pursuance ot Il call for an extra sessio
which was necessary by the failure of th
. Forty fifth Congress 10 make the needfi
: appropriations tor the support OF the CO.
ernment. the question was preseute
. whether the attempt made in the last Coz
, gress 10 engrait by construction a ne
principle upon the Constitution should
, persisted Ia or not, This Congress hs
ample opportunity and time to pass the al
! preparation bills and also TO enact any p'
litical measures which may be determine
upon in separate bills by the usual aU
orderly methods OF proceedings, but tt
majority OF both houses have deemed
wise to adhere to the principle asseIte
and maintained in the last Congress by th
majority of the House of Representative
That principle Is that the House OF Repr
sentatives has the sole right TO original
A bills for raising revenue, and, therefor
, has the right TO withhold appropriation
, upon which the existence of the Cover
ment may depend, unless the Senate al
the President shall give their assent,
4, any legislation which the House may 81
I, fit to attach to appropriation bills.
To establish this principle is to make
radical dangerous and unconstitution
change in the character of our Institution
S The various departments are establish,
S by the Constitution or by laws passed
< pursuance thereof. Their duties are cea
g ly defined and their support is careful
It provided Tor by law. The money requir
!. 1 =