American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1879-05-10

- ACAAA N1IA AVS II
The Presidents Veto
Message. Of the President fetoinS TIL
Army AptropfiAtiBn Bili
To the House Of Representatsres
I have maturely considered the tmportan
Asf ~ she 5 snt1s ga
support Of the Army for the tscal year endinl
June 80, 1880. and for other purposes" afic
In In which It originated. with my objections te
It's approval
appropriations required for the support To, q
the Army during the next fiscal year. If II
contained no other provisions. 1t ~Ou1d re
ceive my prompt approval. 1t includes, how
| ever,
FURTHER LEGISLATION,
which are requisite for the efficfent perform.
the s,ev Govssnment; involves questions of the
The The a IF ss b y e
naval sefvscs Of The United States g a bias az
where any GENERAL or special election IS Held
the Senate and AMIDST WITHOUT opposition ii
sSsss Of Of SgPsS ct ts ssf
parties Of the c5untry. and beBarte a law By
aesTn IN the L
! the United States; Sections 2602 and 6o2S
which are as follows: :.
I" Section aoos No military or naval omesr
m nissd States ,n aysi service Of the
troops or armed men at a place where any
general or special election is held in any
enemies Of the United States or to keep the
peace at the polls
NayT or os eSs Gmc Ger OF , yfe Army OF
or naval service. who orders. brings, keeps.
or has under his authority or control any
general OF special election Is held in any
state, unless such force be necessary to repel
mora than S .066 aid stlfer ipbrispfimefit at
hard labor not less than three nonths nor
more than five years."
THE AMENDMENT
proposed in this statute in the bill before me
omit omit; from . both Of the foregoing sections the
The effect of the adoption of this amend
ment may be considered, tirst, upon the right
tary force to keep the peace at elections for
members of Congress- and, second, upon the
to protect these elections from violence and
fraud.
I'm addition to the sections of itle, statute
above quoted, the following ptovisiofs III this
law relating TO the use of the military power
at elections are now in force:
of the United States shall prescribe or FIX or
attempt to prescribe or fix by proclamation,
order or otherwise. the Qualifications of
fere with the ffeedoih II any eiectt8n in any
State or with the exercise of the free rights OF
Section $3.50. Every oflicer or other person
in the military or naval service who, by
N N
voter of any State from freely exercising the
right of suffrage at amy Eeaeral Or special
than 5000 and imprisoned at hard labor not
Navy who prescribes or fixes, or attempts to
prescribe or FIX, whether by proclamation.
voters at any election tn any state, shall be
punished as provided In tho preceding sec
secsso. 1851. Every onicer or other person
in the military or naval service who, by force,
threats, Intimidation, or otherwise, compels
eiccsion In sny ssase 70 reSeVe yoes from An
person not legally qualified to vote, or who
imposes or attempts to impose any regula.
ELECTION in a State, difefsns from those pre-
scribed by law, OF who interferes in any man.
charge Of his duties, shall be punished as pre-
scribed in Section 1529.
!" Section a5s2 Every person convicted Of
ceding sections shall, in addition to the pun
fshments therein severally prescribed, be
profit or trust under the United States; but
nothing in these sections shall be construed
marine from exercising The right Of suffrage
in any election district to which he may
bel otheryise qualified d according to
vote"
The foregoing enactments would seem to
with elections; but the last Congress, to
remove all apprehension ct such inter-
Of the act entitled can Act making appro-
pristions for the support of the Army for
the fiscal year ending June 30, 1879. and for
other purposes" approved June ls, 1878,
!" Section Is From and after the passage of
part part Of the Army n.y. Of the United states as Z
posse comitafas or otherwise for the purpose of
Ss the laws IN such snd
ment of said force may be expressly author
lied by the Constitution or by act Of Con-
shall be used to pay S any 81 the expenses in.
CURED in the employment of any troops in
ton shall be deemed guilty Of a mtsdemean-
or and upon b S0av naa c sasss sha o oe
both such fine and imprisonment"
sideration without single vote recorded
against Il on its final passage. and by ma
Jority of more than two: thirds IL was con-
THE PURPOSE
ate sA BY one d its supporters as follows:
controversy about the past. but acting wisely
for the future, that we shall take away the
Marshal merely for election. purposes,
sSs as pos cndens sSem
else where there is no election going on to
prevent disorders or suppress Disturbances
Of the State; or II they must bring others to
their aid they should summon unOrganfzed
citizens and not summon officers and ID, men memo OF
disastrous to peace among the people OF the
In the House of Representatives the object
of the act of 1878 was stated by the gentleman
who had 1t in charge in similar terms. He
"But these are all minor points and insig-
nfficant compared with the great principle
bill in reference 10 the use of armed men in
peace. The Senate had already included
as the principle, but they had stricken ont
the penalty and had stricken out the word
expressly" SO that the Army might
p pn pSe authorisy " might seS be Inferred.
and with the House Committee planted them
than yield this fundamental principle. for
which for three years this House had strug-
withstanding the reforms that we had Sc
cured, regarding these reforms as OF but IT.
tie consequence alongside the great principle
peace should be under the control of Con
gress and Obedient to its laws. Alter long
metee ,Ras in ali It's
length and breadth, including the penalty
which the Senate had stricken out. We bring
you back, therefore, report, with the altefa-
lion Of a single word, which lawyers assure
us is proper TO be made, restoring to this bill
SO long and which is go vital to the civil