The Worthington advance., 1879-06-05
Another Veto Message from Presi.
e.. dent HAYES. -: -:

BY the President was delivered to tie House Of
Representatives to-day
s1Rs After mature consideration Of the
bill entitled An act making appropriations
for the Legislative, executive and judicial ex-
penses of the government for the fiscal year
ending June &c, 1880, and for other purposes" !"
herewith return it to the House OF Represen-
tative., in which it Originated, with the follow.
ing objections to. its approval The main
purpose of the bill is to appropriate the money
required to support duringthe next fiscal year
the several civil departments of the govern
ment. The amount appropriated exceeds in
the aggregate
EIaHTERN Mn.IIoNs OF DOLLARS.
This money is needed to keep in operation
the Essential functions Of all the great DEPART
ments of government, legislative, executive
and judicial. If the bill contained. no othe,
provisions, no objections to its approval would
be made. 1t ern braces, however a number OF
clauses relating to subjects of great general
interest, which are wholly unconnected with
the appropriations which it provides
for. The objections to the practice of tacking
especially when the object is to deprive CO.
ordinate branch Of the government Of its right
to the free exarsise of its own discretion and
judgment touching such general legislation,
were set forth in the special message in relation
to House bill No: l, which wes returned to the
House Of Representatives the Goth Of last
month. regret that the objections which
were then expressed to this II
METHOD OF IEaisLATIoN
have not seemed to Congress of sufficient
weight to diBsuade from this renewed iucur-
poration of general cnactments in an abpro.
Priation bill, and that my constitutional duty
in respect to the general legislation that il
placed before rue cannot be discharged without
seeming to delay. however briefly, the neces-
sary appropriation by Congress for support of
the government. Without repeating these OBJ
jectien. respectfully refer to that message for
a statement Of ny views on the principle
this bill, viz: that to withhold ap-
propriations is constitutional means
for the redress Of what the majority of
The House Of Representatives may re-
gard as grievance. The bill contains the fol-
lowing clauses, viz: .,.,.
And provided farther, that the following
sections Of the revised statutes of the United
States, namely sections 2,016, 2.0ls and 2,O20.
and all of the succeeding sections of said stat
utes, down to and including section 2,027, and
slso section s, ,622, b and the; same are hereby
eess sse ossei section, revised .sat ts't a
peintnent Of chief supervisors of elections,
or general deputy marshals having any duty to
perform in respect to any election, and pre-
scribing their dpties and powers, and allowing
them compensation; be and the same are here
by repealed"
REPEAL PROPOSED.
1t also contains clauses amending sections
2,0l7 2,0l9, 2,028 and 2,03l Of the revised stat
utes, The sections Of the revised statutes
which the bill, il approved, would repeal or
1870, ahdjamended February 2sth. 1871 en-
titled AN act to enforce the rights OF citizens
of'the United States to vote in the! several
States Of this Union, and for other PURPOSES -
All of the provisions of the above named act
which it is proposed in this bill to repeal or
modify. relate to Congressional elections: The
remaining portion of the lnw,' which would
measure, is that which provides for the ap-
pointmentby Judge ot the circuit court of
the United States Of two supervisors of cleo
tion. in each election district, at any
Congressional '''e election, on f!dne
application of citizens who deslre, in the Ian.
gnagc of the law, ito havesuchl euartl.
ed and scrutinized.' The duties of tho super.
visQrs will be to attend at the polls At all Con-
gressional elections and to remain after the
polls are closed until every vote cast has been
counted, but they will have no authority to
make arreats or to perform other'duties than to
be in the immediate. presence of the officers
holding the election and TO- witness their pro.
CCeU1HS6p ANCAuuAA8 tA0 OOuQb40R VI VOGe6 &uO
making returns thereof. The part Of the cleo
tion law which would be repealed by the 40
proval of this bin includes those SECTIONS which
give authority to supervisors Of election to per
sonally scrutinize, count and canvass each bal.
lott and Ill the sections which confer autfotit,
upon United States marshali and DEPUTY mar
shals in connection With Congressional elec
tions. The enactment of this bill will also re-
peal section 5.522 Of 1he criminal statutes Of
the United States omcers engaged in dischargt.
of their duties at Congressional elections. Thi,
section protects supervisors and 'mArahals in
the peefusmanoe of their duties by making TIN
obstructing OK assaulting of these Officers ol
any interference with them by bribery or no
licitation, or. otherwise, crimes against ,th.
United States.
.EFFECr OF THE REPEAL.
The true meaning and effect of the proposed
legislation are plain. Supervisors with au
thority to obaerve and witness the proceeding,
at Congressional elections. will be. left, bpt
there will be no power to protect them or tt
prevent interference with their duties and K
punish any violation Of the law from which
their powers are derived. If this bill il ID
proved, only the shadow of tho authority OF
the United States 1t national elections will re-
| main. The substance will be gone. Super
vision of elections will be reduced to mere
inspection without authority on the part Of
auperviSorS to do any act WhetAver tn make ths