Daily globe., 1879-05-30

r =
gument In Support of the Right OF Fed
eral Interference with Elections-Tho
Beneficent Effect Of Having Supervisors
Of Elections at the Polls. }a IL
WAsH1NaToN, May 28.-The following message
by the President was delivered to the House of
Representatives to-day !.
j SIRs After mature consideration of the
bill entitled IAN act making appropriations
for the legislative, executive and judicial ex-
penses of the government for the fiscal year
ending June 90, 1880, and for other purposes, y
tatives in which it originated, with tho follow
ing objections to its approval: The main
purpose of the bill is to appropriate the money
required to support during the next fiscal year
the several civil departments Of the govern
ment. The amount appropriated exceeds in
the aggregate ,.s4isaf
EIGHTEEN MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
This money is needed to keep in operation
the essential functions of all the great depart
and judicial. If the bill contained no other
provisions, no objections to its approval would
be made. It embraces, however, a number of
clauses relating TO subjects of great general
interest, which are wholly unconnected- with
the apr appropriations which Viii it provides
general legislation to appropriation bills,
especially when the object is to deprive CO.
ordinate branch Of the government Of its right
to the free exersise Of its own discretion and
Judgment touching such general legislation, 4
were set forth in the special message in relation
to House bill No. l, which was returned to the
House of Representatives the Goth siof last
month. II regret that the objections which
were then expressed to thisav Da9t gs
aF es2 METHOD OF LEGISLATION .ss.sI tcJs
| have not seemed to Congress of sufficient
weight to dissuade from thia renewed incor-
poration of general enaetments in an appro-.
priation bill, and that my constitutional, duty
in respect to the general legislation that is
placed before me cannot be discharged without
isary appropriation by Congress for support of
the government. Without repeating these OBJ,
iections respectfully refer to that message for
a statement of my views on the principle
maintained in debate by the advocates = of
this bill, viz: that to withhold APP
for the redress of what the majority of
the House asof9 Representatives 3 may re-
gard as q grievance. The bill contains the fol-
lowing clauses, viz: .fgss y..sff eaefi
.'And provided further, that the following
sections of the revised statutes of, the United
States, namely sections 2,016, 2018 and 1920,
and all of the succeeding sections of said stat
utes, down to and including section s2O27, and
also section 1922, be and the same are hereby
| repealed, and that all
the other sections Of the revised statutes and
, all laws and parts of laws authorizing the APP
pointment of chief supervisors of elections,
or general deputy marshals having any duty to
y perform in respect to any election, and pre-
/ scribing their duties and powers, and allowing
them compensation, be and the same are here
by repealed" a;stt{ Es4ssl sje,ras@s} = ~.
? gd ~ REPEAL PROPOSED. as5
~ -,
20l7, 2,O19. 2,O28 and ,031 of the revised stat
r utes. The sections of the, revised statutes
: which the bill, if approved, would repeal Of
:. | amend, were part of an act approved May both
u 1870, and amended February 2Sth, 1871, en-
titled IAN act to enforce the rights Of citizen.
!, of the United States to vote in the severa
y States of this Union, and for other purposes
= All of the provisions Of the above named ac
d which it is proposed in this bill to, repeal o,
:, modify. relate to Congressional elections The
II remaining portion of the law, which would
d continue in force after the enactment of thi.
% measure, is that which provides for the ap
pointment by judge of the circuit court o
IT the United States Of two supervisors of elec
ton in each election district, at an.
Congressional election, on du
Il application of citizens who desire, in the Ian
d guagc of the law, s'to have such election guard
e ed and scrutinized." The duties Of the super
:. visors will be to attend at the polls at all Con
" gressional elections and to remain after th
o polls are closed until every vote cast has bee
# counted, but they will have no authority t
make arrests or to perform other duties than t
q be in the immediate presence of the officer
/. holding the election and to witness their pro
g ceedings including the counting of votes an
making returns thereof. The part of the ele,
l. ton law which would be repealed by the az
"a proval of this bill includes those sections whic
:. give authority to supervisors of election to pc
is sonally scrutinize, count and canvass each ba
of 6a11 tho xu1,i icI
-, upon United States marshals and deputy ma
y ,shals in connection With Congressional ele
= tions. The enactment of this bill will also r
o. peal section 5,522 of the criminal statutes {
- of their duties at Congressional elections. Th
y, section protects supervisors and marshals j
III the performance of their duties by making tt
Obstructing or assaulting of these officers
any interference with them by bribery or s.
s. icitation, or otherwise, crimes against IL
I'd United States.
bo EFFECT OF THE REPEAL
7, The true meaning and effect of the propos'
Ao legislation are plain. Supervisors with a
thority to observe and witness the proceedin
at Congressional elections will be left, b
there will be power to protect them or
= prevent interference with their duties and
= punish any violation of the law from whi
IN their powers are derived If this bill is a
" proved, only the shadow of the authority
Ii the United States at national elections will
al main. The substance will be gone. Supe
. vision of elections will be reduced to me
inspection without authority on the part
ut supervisors to do any act whatever to make t
as election fair one. All that viii be left to t
n. supervisors is permission to have such owe
sight of the elections as political parties are
- ~ the habit of, without any authority of law,
~ order to prevent their opponents from TAXI
- - unfair advantage. The object of the bill is
a;s ,is destroy any control whatever of the Unit
"a -. States over Congressional elections.
S.. CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS.
Is, The passage of this bill has been urged up
om the ground that the election Of members
ns- Congress is a matter which concerns Sta,
'iv alone; that these elections should be ccntro
~. ed exclusively by the States; that the
g. are and can be no such ell
tions as national elections; and tt
~ the existing law of the United States regul
to ing Congressional elections is without warra
az in the constitution. It is eYident, howev
h;s that the trainers of the constitution regard
shs the election of members of Congress in eve
'Ao State and in every district as q matter of /,
o,- litieal interest and concern to the whole COT
fa. try. The original proposition of the constit
tion on this subject is as follows:
a+a Section 4, article /. The times, places q
- manner of holding elections for Senators a
ts Representatives shall be prescribed in ca
isv State by the legislature thereof, but Congr,
-. may at any time by law make or alter su
regulations except as to the place Of choosi
20 Senators.
~ A further provision has been since add
sa It is as follows:
| SpcfiOy1 I The riohk of Of %ho IT,