The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1879-06-07
VETOED.
The President Sends Another Dccu.
ment to the House
Giving His Reasons for Withholding His
Approval
From the Legislative, Executive and Judicial
Appropriation Bills

WASHINGTON, May 29.-The follow
ing message of the president was deliv-
cred to the house of representatives
to-day:
Message to the House Of Representatives
SIRs: After mature consideration of the
bill entitled San act making appropriations
for the legislative, executive and judicial
expenses of the government for the fiscal
year ending June 30th, 1880, and for other
purposes" | herewith return it to the house
Of representatives in which it originated
with the following objections to its ap-
prevail:
The main purpose of the bill is to appro-
pirate money to support, during the next
fiscal year, the several civil departments Of
the government. The amount appropriated
exceeds in the aggregate $18,000,000 This
money is needed to keep in operation the
essential functions of all the great depart
ments of the government, Legislative, execu-
tive and judicial. If the bill contained no
other provisions, no objection to its APP
proval would be made. 1t embraces,
however, q number of clauses re-
lating to subjects of great general in
terest, which are wholly unconnected with
the appropriation which it provides for.
Objections TO the practice o. lacking general
when the Objects to deprive coordinate
branch of the government of its right to the
free exercise of its own discretion and judy
ment touching such generallegislation, were
set forth in the special message in relation
to house bill No. l which was returned to
the house of representatives on the 29th Of
last month. | regret that the objections
which were then expressed 20 this method
of legislation hSve not seemed to congress
OF sufficient weight to dissuade it from this
renewed incorporation of general enact
ments in an appropriation bill, and that my
constitutional duty in respect TO the general
legislation thus placed before me cannot be
discharged without seeming to delay, how
ever briefly, the necessary appropriations by
congress for the support of the government
Without repeating these objections, | re-
spectfully 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 appropriations is a constitutional
means for the redress of what the majority
of the house of representatives may regard
as q grievance.
The bill contains the following clauses,
viz: And provided further that the follow
ing sections of the revised statutes of the
United States namely, Sections 2,016-2, 018
and 1920 and all of the succeeding sections
ton g. 27 and also Section 1922 be and tn 2
same are hereby repealed. Il and
that all the other sections of the revised
statutes and all laws and parts
of laws authorizing the appointment
of chief supervisors of elections,
special deputy marshals of elections or gen.
eral deputy marshals having any duties to
perform i'll respect to any election, and pre-
scribiDg their duties and powers and allow
I'M thpr4, ha nd ha
are hereby repealed"
1t also contains clauses amending SEQ
tons 2,O17, 2,0l9, 2,028 and 2,031 of the re-.
vised statutes. The section of the revised
stuatues which the bill, if approved, would
repeal or amend is an act approved May 80,
1870, and amended February 28th, 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
acts, which it is proposed in this bill to re.
peal or 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
provides for the appointment by Judge Of
3 Circuit Court of the United States of two
supervisors of elections in each election dis
trlct, at any congressional election, on due
application of citizens vino desire, in the
guarded and scrutinized." The duties Of
supervisors will be to attend at the polls at
all congressional elections and to remain
after the polls are open until every vote
cast has been counted but they will have
no authority to make arrests or to perform
other duties than to be in the immediate
presence of the officers holding the election
and to with sss all their proceedings in
Guiding the counting of votes and making a
return thereof.
The part of the election law which will be
repealed by the approval of this bill in
cludes these sections, which give authority
to the supervisors of election "To person.
ally scrutinize the count and canvass each
ballot" and all the sections which confer
authority upon United States marshals and
deputy marshals in connection with
congressional elections. The enactment of
this bill viii also repeal section
5,522 of the criminal statutes of the United
States which was enacted for the protection
of Unised States officers engaged in the dis
charge OF their duties at congressional elec-
tons. This section protects supervisors
and marshals in the performance of their
duties by making obstruction on the as.
saulLlng OF these officers or any interference
with them by bribery or solicitation or
otherwise, crimes against the United States
The true meaning and efectof the proposed
legislation are plain. Supervisors with au.
thority to observe and witness the proceed
ings at congressional elections will be
left, but there will be no power to protect
them or to prevent interference with their
duties, or to punish any violation of the
law from which their powers are derived
If this bill is approved only the shadow of
authority of the United States at national
elections will remain. The substance will
be gone. Supervision of elections will be
reduced to mere inspection without author
ity on the part of the supervisors to do any
act whatever to make the election a fair
one. All that will be left to the super
visorg is permission to have such
an oversight of elections as the politi cal
parties are in the habit of exercising with
out any authority of law in order to prevent
their opponents from obtaining an unfair
advantage. The object of the bill is to de-
stroy any control whatever by the United
States over congressional elections.
The passage OF this bill has been
urged upon the ground that the
election of members of congress is a
matter which concerns the states alone; that
these elections should be controlled ex-
clusively by the states; that there are and
can be no such elections as national cleo
tons, and that the existing law of the
United States regulating congressional cleo
tions is without warrant in the constitu
ton. It is evident, however, that
the trainers of the constitution regarded the
election of members of congress in every
state and in every district as in a very i'm.
portant sense justly 3 matter of political
interest and concern to the whole country.
The original proposition of the constitution
on this subject is as follows:
Section 4, Article /: The times, places
and manner of holding elections for sena-
tors and representatives shall be prescribed
in each state by the legislature thereof, but
CONGRESS may at any time By law. make or