The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1879-05-09

i Nr. Hays veto right? Isit? Le
1.-THE qu uFstion be answered with calmucs
and csn6or, and without passion. "a
|jectives or partisan prejudice.
The president OF the United States ~
the right TO veto every bill passed b,
Congress. II is not the technical rich
which 10 questioned. but the mora
right. There IL no power vested In an,
lofhcer that could not be grossly abused
Congress could pass bill appropriatins
Ito each. member, In the form Of salary
u, ,oO0,0o0. The president could sigr
the bill. The strictly legal right to IA
this could not be questioned. Yet il
would be monstrous outrage. The presi
dent might, in . drunken spree. turn
Iout Of office any moment l0OoO oficial,
without cause. He has the right 10 do 90
yet Il would not be right. Grant had
e perfect right, for instance. to dismis,
John b. Henderson for being honest
and 10 pardon Mcdonald for being dis.
honest Yet most people will think the
act was not right. a man has the right,
for instance, TO get drunk and abuse his
wife yet nobody will say it Is right.
In one word the right TO do thing
does not make the thing itself Sixht.
u depends entirely upon the surround
ing circumstances.
Now, what are the surrounding cir
cumstances?
Congress, by decisive majority in
each House, has passed the usual army
appropriation bill and attached 70 II .
Clause repeating the provisions which
permit the use of the army at the polls
and .. the pleasure Of the president
II Is TO this repeating clause
alone that objection Is made by Repub-
licans. Ii Is solely this repeating clause
which causes the veto.
The first questions, therefore. are,
What supreme necessity exists for the
use Of the army 1t the polls7 What use
hss been made OF that power by prcvi-
cus presidents? Has the pres ident the
right to insist upon it?
The army ct the poll provision was
passed BY the Republican majority in
precisely the same manner IL which the
Democrats try to repeal II -ae IN amend
ment TO the appropriation bill. Il vas
passed purely for PARTISAN purposes In
he South. Il was more or less used IN
llmost every Southern State. II was
purely . war measure. No such pro-
vision VA. ever enacted before in the
whole history Of the country. II is In
alter repugnance TO the spirit OF free
Institutions In monarchiaI England
here Il law to-day which prohibits
he use or quartering of soldiers within
hrec miles Of any poll at any election.
let in THE free Republic, only two
ears ago. the very men who are now
ven recognized BY Mr.. HAYES and the
Republican party ss the legal Legislature
4 south Carolina, were prohibited from
the capitol grounds OF Columbia
~ fixed bayonets. Sergeant O'Flaherty
or more than two months commanded
he Legislature Of sovereign State. No
member could pass the line or euter the
apitol without Sergeant O'Tiaherty's
onsent. One company OF regular
roops, representing the power OF the
american flsg, subverted law, constitu-
ion and sci government by order Of the
tirant. A few years sooner.
be Legislature Of Louisiana being in
ession. an honest soldier aud gentleman
Ike General De Trobriand had TO march
y the order Of the same president into
he legislative halls At the head Of
quad Of soldiers with fixed bayonets,
nd eject by force every member who
1as pointed out TO him by IN agent Of
Iellogg. These are historical facts.
nd : Republican committee Of Con-
ress, among them Mr.. Wheeler, the
resent vice-president. rebuked this
ross outrage and reported that the
legislature WAS legally and fairly elect
4. and that Mr.. Kellogg never was.
The army, therefore, has been used
" PARTISAN purposes. The question IL.
such use, such power not dangerous
Let Republicans OF greater cminence
nd purity than Mr.. Hayes answer this
uestion.
II came up in 1856. when VIM. II.
eward, then the foremost Republican
] the land, addressed the Senate thus:
Since the House Of Representatives
y power to pass such bill distinctly
has the power also 10 place an equiv
cnt prohibition in any bill which Il
y constitutional power TO pass. And
} II has constitutional right to place
e prohibition in the annual army ap-
ropriation bill. II IL light one III
TO effect tho object desired.
I'd II that object il one that IL IL itsclf,
st and cminently important 70 the
,ace and happiness Of the country. or
the security Of tho liberties ~ the
soplc. The House Of Representatives. Il
oreovcr, IL entitled TO judge and de-
rmine for itself whether tho proceed
g Is thus necessary, or whether the
bject Of Il i thus important.
VIM. Pitt Fesscnden, another Repub-
ran senator, presented the argument