The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1879-05-15
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RrssaAsas Iaayss ssnAs ! Msseaest y
the House Giving 1als Reasons for
Not APprovinG of the Army Appro.
Pfiatlon 0al. ESFErI ~
wAsHmaEox, April 20.
The following Il the message of the
President Of the United States on re-
turning to the House OF Representatives
the bill entitled .sAn act making appro.
priations for the support at the army
for the fiscal year ending June sd.
1880. and for other purposes:''
To the House Of Representative:
have maturely considered the important Qies-
ing sppropriations os the support Of the army 10
the hscal year ending June 3d. 1880, and tor other
purposes, and now return Il to the House Of
Representatives. I'm which It originated. with my
The Dbl provides In the usual form for the ap.
during me next n.cal year. II It contained No
provsl. 4 includes, however, further iegislstcn
which, attached a. 1t b to appropriation which
are requisite for the efficient performance Of some
involves, questions Of the gravest character.
The sixth section Of t.e bill IL amendatory Of I
statute now in foscs in regard 70 the asthoEity
o. os,v Re1sons n TIE civil, military and naval
where any general o. special election b held
in any State. This statute was adopted Feb. Is,
1850, aites Protracted debate in the Senate, and
eentatves, ~ the concurrent votes Of both Of the
leading political parties Of the country. and be.
came S Law q the approval Of President Lincoln.
other person in the civil military o. naval service
Of the United States, who orders brings, keeps OF
has under hi: authority Or control any troops 9!
p ss' az place xhsse general o. spsea
necessary 70 repel armed enemies Of the United
states or % keep peace q the polls, shall be fined
not more than 5000 and suffer imprisonment q
than i've years," was re-snacted in 1874 in the
Revised etst1tee Of the United States.
SEC. zVO2. No military o. naval 0ficcr o.
service Of the United States shall order, bring,
Keep OF nave under his authority q control any
troops OF armed men at the place where any gem
y be Necessary to repel armed enemies Of the
The amendment proposed to this statute in the
bill before me omits from both Of the foregoing
polls" The effect Of the adoption Of this amend
ment may be c0nsidered-6rst, upon the right Of
the United States Government to use military
Congress; and second upon the rSSt q the Gov
9nment BY civil authority 70 project these cleo.
tons rom violence and frsnd. -
In addition 70 the sections Of the statute abevs
ing to the use Of the military power at elections
Sc: 2o0s; No en,eer of tn. army or navy Of
tempt to prescribe OF AZ, by proclamation, order,
Or otherwise, the qualifications Of voters in any
state; or In any manner interfere with the free
dom Of any election in any State, o. with the ex.
SEC: $50. Every oficer Of other person in
!ne military OF naval service who by force, threat
intimidation, order, advice or Otherwise prevents
State esy sSs sht of 81
at any general or special election In such State
shall be fined not more than 5000, and impris.
se hard coG Er no, than i've
navy who prescribes, or fixes, or attempts to pro-
scribe or fix, whether by proclamation, order or
otherwise the qualifications Of voters at any cleo
in the preceding eection.'
a.. "sEc; 553l. Every Officer or other person in
t me-. military Or naval service, who, BY force.
tempts to compel, any officer holding an election
IN any State to receive the vote from person not
legally qualified to vote, or who imposes, or ~
70,
ierent from those prescribed by law, or who inter
tercs in any manner with any officer of election
IN the ef his duty shall be punished
"S.c. 5532. Every person convicted Of any Of
the ofenses specified in the i've preceding Sec
ton shall, In addition TO the punishmcnts therein
severaily prescribed, be disqualified from holding
any office Of honor profit or trust under the Unite
States; but nothing In those sections shall be con-
strued to prevent any officer, soldier, sailor OF ma
rue from exercising The right Of outrage in any
" wise qualified according to the laws Of the State
The foregoing cnactments would seem to be
elections; but the last C,ngrsss, to remove ali ap
Prehension OF such interference, added 10 this
body Of the law Sec. Is Of the act, entitled IAN
act making an appropriation for the support Of the
for other purposes" approved June Ii, 1873,
which 10 az follows:
"sEc: 10. From and sitter the passage Of this
ct, It shall not be lawful TO employ any part q
eGtus, or otherwise, for the purpose Of executing
the laws, except In such cases, and under such
circumstances, az such employment Of said force
or BY the act Of Congress, and NO money appro.
prated by this act shall be used to pay any Of the
expenses incurred in the employment of any
con willfaiy violating the provisions Of this SEC.
and, upon conviction thereof shall BE- punished
by fine not exceeding $4,000. or imprisonment
e;.oss6ng two years. or both such hne and
This act passed the Senate, after full consider
alton, without single vote recorded against 1t on
it's final passage and by . majority of more than
two-thirds it was concurrod In by the House Of
The purpose Of the section quoted was stated in
By s Of %Ss s.se IT: o
the future, that we shall take away tie idea tina,
BE- Or ussS II y ss
tiOn purposes, or posse ordering them about the
polls, OF ordering them anywhere else where there
T. no election going on, to prevent disorders or
by the peace officers Of the State, OF, IL they Aust
bring others to their aid, they should summon
unauthorized citizens and not summon the officers
disorders. and thus get up feeling which with be
disastrous to the peace among people of the coun'
In the House Of Representatives, the object Of
the act Of 1873 was stated by the gentleman
who had it In charge In similar terms. He said:
But these are I'll minor points, and insignin-
can't point: compared with the great principle
to tie use Of armed me-. IN
The Senate had already included what they called,
and what We might accept, - . principle, but
they had stricken out the penalty and had stricken
Be used i'm in al cases wSers implied aStSosI s,
might be interfered with. The House commit.
tee planted themselves firmly upon the doctrine
as 5e s rsss ase @ % Soo:s
struggled, they would allow the bill to All, not
withstanding the reforms that We had secured, re-
ss,dng the: reforms q but little
the United States in time Of peace should be nm
der the control Of Congress and obedient TO ita
laws. Aftef long and protracted negotiation, the
Senate Committee has conceded that principle in
all its length and breadth, including the penalty
which the Senate had stricken out We bring you
back, therefore, report report with the aItera-
ton Of single word which lawyers assure me
h proper to Be made, restoring to this bill the
principle for which we have contended 90 long,
and which II % vital to secure the rights and ber
ties Of the people. Thus have we this day secured
to the people Of this country the same great pro
lection against . standing army which cost the
struggle 81 two hundred years for the Commons Of
England to secure for the British people,"
From this brief review Of the subject, 1t SUN.
GENTLY appears that under the existing laws there
case Of such Interference hae, In fact, occurred
since the passage Of the act last referred to. No
officer of the United States has appeared under
orders at any place Of election in any State. No
complaint even Of the presence Of United States
troops has been made in any quarter. Il may
therefore be confidently stated that there is
no necessity for the enactment Of Sec. s Of
the bill before me to prevent military Interior
ence at elections. The laws already in force are
all that s required for that end But that part Of
Sec of this bill which IL significant and vitality
important 10 the clause which, II adopted, will do
pve the civil authorities Of the United States Of
all power to keep peace at Congressional cleo
tions. Congressional elections In every district,
In . very important sense, arc Justly mat
ter Of political interest and soncefa throughout
cal party-is entitled 70 : share Of the power
tional suffrage. It b the right q every citizen
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