Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-07-03
The Full Text Of tho Presidents
Message VetOing the United
states Marshal Bill.

40 me HoHsc " hePfcscHtUtfCts
return to the House of Representatives, in
which it originated the bill entitled, Gan act
making appropriations to pay fees of United
States marshals and their general deputies,
with the following objections to its becoming
law:
The bill appropriates the sum Of 5000, 600
for the payment during the fiscal year ending
June so, 1880, of United States marshals and
their general deputies. The officers thus pro-
yided for are essential to the faithful eXecu-
ton of the laws. They were created and
their powers and duties defined by Congress
at its first session after the adoption of the
constitution, in the Judiciary Act, which was
approved September "a, 1889. Their general
duties, as defined in the act which originally
established them, were substantially the same
as those prescribed in the statutes now in
force. The principal provision on the sub
ject in the revised statutes is AS follows:
SIC 7S7.-Tt shall be the duty Of the mar
shall of each district to attend the District and
Circuit Courts when sitting therein, and to cx-
ecute throughout the district all lawful pre-
cepts directed to him and issued under the au-
thority of the United States; and he shall
have power to command all necessary assist
ance in the execution of his duty.
The original act was amended Feb. -,
1875, and the amendment is now found in the
revised statutes in the following form:
SEC 7ss The marshals and their deputies
shall have in each State the same powers in
executing the laws of the United States
the sherifis and deputies in such State may
have by law in executing the laws thereof.
THE VALUE OF THE MARsmALs.
BY subsequent statutes additional duties
have been from time to time imposed upon
the marshals and their deputies, the due and
regular performance of which are required
for the efficiency of almost every branch of
the public service. Without these officers
there would be no means of executing the
warrants, DEGREES or other process of the
courts and the judicial system of the country
would be fatally defective.
The criminal jurisdiction of the courts Of
the United States is very extensive. The
crimes committed within the maritime iuris-
dction of the United States are all cog
nizable only in the courts of the United
States. Grimes against public justice;
crimes against the operations of the gov
eminent, such as forging or counter
feiting the money sureties of the Unit
ed States; crimes againt the postal laws Of
fences againt the elective franchise. against
the civil rights of citizens, against the exist
ence of the government; crimes against the
Internal Revenue laws, the neutrality laws;
crimes against laws for the protection Of In
dams and of the public lands-all Of these
crimes, and many others, can be punished
only under United States laws--laws which
taken together, constitute Il body of juris
prudence which is vital to the welfare of the
whole country, and which can be enforced
only by means of the marshals and deputy
marshals of the United States. In the Dis
trict of Columbia all the process of the courts
is executed by the officers in question. In
short, the execution of the criminal laws of
the United States, the service of all civil
process in cases in which the United States
is party, and the execution OF
the revenue laws, the neutrality, and
many other laws of large importance depend
on the maintenance of the marshals and their
deputies. They are in effect the only police
of the United States Government Officers
with corresponding powers and duties are
found in every State of the Union and in
every country which has a jurisprudence
worthy of the name. To deprive the nation
al government Of these officers would be as
disastrous to society as to abolish the shcrffs.
c0nstables and police officers in the several
States. 1t would be a denial to the United
States of the right to execute its laws--a de-
NAL of all authority which requires the use
Of civil force.
The law entities these officers to be paid.
The funds needed for the purpose have been
collected from the people and are now in the
Treasury. No objection is therefore made
to that part of the bill before me which ap-
propriates money for the support of the mar
shals and deputy marshals OF the United
States.
THE OBJECTIONABLE CLAUSE.
The bill contains. however, other provis-
with the second section of the bill entitled
"An act making appropriations for certain
judicial expenses" which on the 23d of the
present month, was returned to the House OF
Representatives with my objections to its APP
proval. The provisions referred to are as
follows: t. ..
SEC. 2. That the sums appropriated in this
act for the persons and public service en-
braccd in its provisions are in full for such
persons and public service for the fiscal year
ending June 80, $780, and no department or
officer of the government shall during said
fiscal year make any contract or incur any IL
ability for the future payment of money un-
der any of the provisions of Title 26, men
toned in Section Of this act until an APP
preparation sufficient to meet such contract or
pay such liability shall have first been made
by law.
Upon reconsideration in the House OF
Representatives Of the bill which contained
these provisions, it lacked a constitutional
majority, and therefore failed to become a
law. In order to secure an enactment the
same measure is again presented for my ap.
proval coupled in the bill before me with ap.
nominations for tho suot,ort IF ,narshals a nj