The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1879-06-12
THE LEGISLATIVE BILL VETOED,

THE LEGISLATIVE BILL VETOED.
President Hayes Refuses to Sign
tho legislative Appropriation Bill
Passed by Congress-His Objections
to the Bill. e
WASHINGTON, May 20. FL,
The following message of the Presi-
dent was delivered to the House of Rep
resentatives to-day:
To the House of Representatives:
SIRs-After mature consideration of the bill en-
Eislative, Executive and Judicial expenses Of the
1880, and for other purposes" herewith return
1t to the House of Representatives in which it
originated, with the following objections to its
The main purpose Of the bill is to appropriate
money required to support, during the next fiscal
year, the several civil departments Of the Govern
aggregate sis0OOott This money is needed deS
to keep in operation the essential functions of ali
the great Departments Of the Government, Lcgis-
la!ive, Executive and Judicial.
If the bill contained no other provisions, no OBJ
lection to its approval would be made. 1t en-
braces. however, q number of clauses relating to
wholly unconnected with the appropriation which
it provides for Objections to the practice of tack
ing general legislation to appropriation bills, es-
nate branch Of the Government OF its right to the
free exercise of its own discretion and Judgment
touching such general legislation, were set forth
House bill No. 1, which was returned to the
House of Representatives, on the 29th of last
month. I regret that the objections which were
seemed to Congress of sufficient weight to dis
suade it from this renewed Incorporation of general
enactments in an Appropriation bill, and that my
ton thus placed before me cannot be discharged
without seeming to delay. however briefly. the
necessary appropriation by Congress for the sup
Without repeating those objections, respect
fally refer to that message for statement Of my
views ON the principle maintained in the debate
withhold appropriations is Constitutional means
tor the redress of what majority of the House
Of representatives may regard as grievance"
hsr thst ne oowr y .s
tions of the Revised Statutes of the United States,
namely, Secs. 2O16, 2O18 and 202O, and all Of
and including Sec. 2O27, and also Sec. 5522, be,
a same ~ and nd''0y that hsRs's ali the other
sections Of the Revised Statutes, and all laws and
Chief Supervisor. of Elections, Special Deputy
Marshnls Of Elections, or General Deputy Mar
shals, having any duties to perform in respect to
powers, and allowing them compensation, be, and
the same are hereby repemed."
1t also contains clauses amending Secs. 2O17,
The sections of the Revised Statutes which this
Of an acs approved May 80, is7o, and amended
rights of citizens of the United States to vote In
the several States Of this Union and for other pur.
All of the provisions of the above-named acts
which 1t Is proposed in this bill to repeal modify
relate to Congressional elections. The remaining
portion Of the law, which will continue in force
after the enactment of this measure is that which
DrOvlQeS Tor the AOnOIntmCnt nv JudUQ Of the
Circuit Court of the United States oftwo Supervis
ors OF Elections in each election district at any
citizens who desire, in the language of the law,
" to have such election guarded and scrutinizcd.
The duties Of the Supervisors will be to attend at
the polls at all Congressional elections, and to re-
main after the polls are open until every vote cast
mas been counted; but they will have no authority to
make arrests or to perform other duties than to be
the election, and to witness all their proceedings,
return thereof
The part Of the Election law which will be re-
sections which give authority to the Supervisors
Of Elections Ito personally scrutnize the count
and canvass each ballot" and all the sections
shals and Deputy Marshals In connection with
Congressional S:,s elections. The enactment of
was enacted for the protection Of United States Of
fcers engaged in the discharge OF their duties at
Congressional elections. This section protects
their duties, by making the obstruction or ASSAULT
ing OF these officers or any Interference with them
by bribery, or solicitation, or otherwise, crimes
The true meaning and effect of the proposed
legislation are plain. The Supervisors, with au-
thority to observe and witness the proceedings at
the Congressional elections will be left, but there
will be no power to protect them, or to prevent in
reference with their duties. to punish any VIC
lation of the law from which their powers arc de-
of authority OF the United States OF National cleo
tions will remain; the substance will be gone.
The supervision of elections will be reduced to
mere inspection, without authority on the part Of
the Supervisors to do any act whatever to make the
election fair one. All that will be left to the
oversight OF elections political parties in the
habit Of exercising without any authority of the
law, in order to prevent their opponents from OBJ
is dsroy anW eanrS Whatever by tSe Tinted
States over Congressional elections
The passage of this bill has been urged upon the
Is matter which concerns the State alone; that
these elections should be controlled exclusively
by the States; that there are. and can be, no such
elections as National elections. and that the eX.
listing law of the United States regulating Com
grcssicnal elections is without warrant in the Con-
sitution. 1t is evident, however that the trainers
beers Of Congress in every State and in every dis
trict as in very important sense, justly matter
Of political interest and concern to the whole
The original proyson OF the conttu
SEC. 4. ART. 1.-The times, places and man
ner of holding elections for Senators and Repre-
sentatves shall be prescribed in each State by the
Legislature thereof; but Congress may at any
time, by law, make or after such regulations, ex-
cept as to the places Of choosing Senators"
A further provision has boen: since added,
which is embraced in the Fifteenth Amendment.
1t Is as follows:
"SECrIoN i. The right of citizens of the United
States'to vote shall not be denied or abridged by
race, color or previous condition of servitudc.'
"SEc. z. The Congress shall have power to en-
force this article by appropriate legislation"
Under the general provisions ofthe Constitution
(scc. 4 Art; y Congress-, in 1868, passed com;
prehensive law, which prescribed full and detailed
regulations for the election of Senators by the
m rce % almost ne tssn M
Of it, all Of the members of the present Senate Of
tionality is not called in question.
1t is confidently believed that no sound argu-
ment can be made In support Of the Constitution
atty Of the National regulation Of Senatorial cleo:
lions which will not show that the elections Of
members of the House Of Representatives may
also be Constitutionaly regulated by National au-
The bill before me itself recognizes the princi-
elections but National elections. It leaves in full
force the existing statute under which the Super
vsors still to be appointed by National author
|
lions whenever due application is made by citizens
who desire said elections to be "guarded and scru-
tinized' If the power to supervise in any respect
whatever, the Congressional elections exists I'M
der Sec 4, Art. of the Constitution it il power
which, like every other power belonging to the
Government of the United States. is paramount
and supreme, and includes the right to employ
the necessary means to carry it into effect.
The statutes of the United States which regulate
the election Of members of the House of Repre-
sentatives IN essential part of which it ia pro-
posed to repeal by this bill, have been in force
about eight years. -Four Congressional elections
have been held under them, two of which were at
the Presidential elections Of 1872 and 1875.
Numerous prosecutions, trials and convic-
lions have been held in the courts Of the
United States in all parts of the Union for
violation of these laws. In no reported case
has their Constitutonaliy been called in question
by any Judge of the Courts Of the United States.
The validity of these laws Is sustained by the
uniform course of judicial action aud opinion II
it is urged that the United States Election laws
arc not necessary, an ample reply, is fur
nshed by the history of their origin and of their
results: They were especially prompted by g., th s
in the City and State Of New York d
the elections of 1858. Committees repre-
senting both of the leading. political parties
Of the country have submitted reports to
~ pfoti n IN q