Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1879-06-17
MIR. KNoFT,s REPORT.

The report of the judiciary committee Of
the House of Representa- of which Mr..
j. Proctor Knott is chairman, was submitted
to the House yesterday. This report, which
has been promised for some time, oriticises
the various messages of the President yeto>
ing the several appropriation bills sent him
on account of the repeating clauses contained
in them. The report is temperate, but at the
same time it is severe. 1t discusses the sew
eral points raised in the different veto mes
sages in the light of history, and aims to es>
tablish the point that the President has not
only been not well>informed in regard to the
particular issues in controversy, but that he
has also, at different times, held different
opinions in regard to what was required of
him in the premises. The President himself
is quoted as admitting that "any military in
reference whatever at the polls is contrary
to the spirit of our institutions, and would
tend to destroy the freedom of elections. -
The report makes it evident that the act of
Congress of February 27, 1865, which has
been frequently adduced as an argument in
favor of the excessive federal authority ex-
ercised at the polls, was really an act in>
tended to restrict that supposed authority,
which was naturally strained to the utmost
during the war, upon the theory of "war
port claims that the words cor to keep peace
at the Polls were not in the original text,
and that they were inserted in spite OF the
strenuous protests Of large number of the
friends of the original measure at the time
the bill was passed, who pointed out tho
dangerous practices which might be resorted
to in consequence of misapprehensions in
that regard. These acts, the report claims,
have been committed, and the repeating
clauses to which the President objects have
been introduced solely with view to prevent
a continuance of these demonstrations and
the misdeeds founded on them. The report
contends that Congress is to be the sole judge
of the propriety of its proceedings, and that
the criticisms which the President has di-
rected against them are at least in bad taste.
In regard to the substance of the Executives
objections to the repeating clauses, the report
says that "the entire argument against the
necessity of the bill is therefore left to rest
upon the Presidents reiterated assertion that
troops have not been and will not be used to
interfere with any State election during his
administration" That assertion. was no doubt
sincere. but unfortunately for its validity as
q bill designed for the protection of future
generations as well as this, the official term
of the present Executive is limited, and he
may be succeeded in the exalted position he
occupies by. one who will feel less scrupu-
lous regard for the freedom and purity of the
ballot than he processes himself to entertain.
Moreover, he is human and liable to change,
and DO one but himself can know to what ex
tent the partisan debates in Congress have
influenced his opinions even upon the ques-
tions involved in the vetoes under considera>
tiou." In despotism, the report says, the
subjects must depend upon.the good will of
their master, 'hut free people, if they
would remain free. must insist upon the guar
antics of positive law" 1t is not upon Mr.
Hayes intentions, in other words, but upon
the correction aud revision of the. statutes,
that Congress wishes to rest the purity of
elections in the future. The report meets
the President at every point upon constitu-
tional and historical grounds, and its value
as public document must be measured by
the accuracy with which it discusses these
important legal and technical issues. Its
temper and judicial balance are unquestion>
able, and worthy of the highest commen-i
dation Baltimore SIM, June 12h.