River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-05-08

has ample opportunity and time to pass the
appropriation bills, and also to enact any polit-
ical measures which may be determined upon
by separate bills by the usual and ordinary
methods of proceedings. Bnt the majority of
both houses have deemed it wise to adhere to
the principle asserted and maintained by the
last Congress by majority of the House of
Representatives. That principle is that the
House of Representatives has the sole right to
originate bills for raising revenue, and there
fore has the right to withhold appropriations
upon which the
EXISTENCE OF THE GOVERNMENT MAY DEPEND,
unless the Senate and President shall give their
assent TO any legislation which the House may
see fit to attach to appropriation bills. To es-
tablish the principle is to make a radical, dam
gerous and unconstitutional change in the
character of our institutions. The various de-
partments of the government and the army
and the navy are established by the constitu-
ton or bylaws passed in pursuance thereto.
Their duties are clearly defined and their sup
port is carefully provided for by law. The
money required for this purpose has been col
lected from the Leople and is now in the treas
ury ready to be paid out as the appro-
priation bills are passed. Whether the appro-
priations are made or not, that collection of
taxes will 60 on, and the public money will ac-
cumulate in the treasury. 1t was
not the intention Of the trainers
q
the government should have the power to die
tate the conditions upon which this treasure
should be applied to the purposes for which it
was collected. Any such intention, if it had
been entertained, could have been plainly ex-
pressed in the constitution. That the
majority of the Senate now concnrs in the claim
of the House adds to the gravity of the stua-
ton, but it does not altar the question at issue.
The new doctrine, if maintained. will result in
the consideration of
UNCHECKED AND DEsPorIc POWER
IN the House of Representatives. bare
majority of the House will become the govern
ment. The executive will no longer be what
the trainers of the constitution intended, an
equal and independent branch of the govern
ment. 1t is clearly the constitutional duty Of
the President to exercise his discretion and
Judgment upon all bills presented to him with
out constraint or duress from any other branch
of the government. To say that a majority of
either or both houses of Congress may insist
upon approval of bill under the penalty of
stopping all of the operations of the govern
ment for want of necessary supplies is to
DENY TO THE EXECUTIVE
that duty of legislative power which is plainly
conferred 10y the seventh article of the consti-
tuition. 1t strikes from the constitution the
qualified negative of the President. 1t is said
this should be done because tits the peculiar
function of the House of Representatives to
represent the will of the people, but no single
branch or department of the government has
exclusive authority to speak for the American
people The most authentic and solemn eX-
preston of their will is contained In the con-
stitution of the United States. By that con-
stitution they have ordained and established a
government whose powers are distributed
among coordinate branches, which, as far as
possible consistently with harmonious co.
operation. are absolutely independent of each
other. The people of the country are unwil-
ling to see the
SUPREMACY OF THE CONSTITUTION
replaced by the omnipotence of any depart
ment of government. The enactment of this
bill into a law Will establish a precedent which
will tend TO destroy the equal independence of
the several branches of the government. Its
| principle places not merely the Senate and
! executive, but the judiciary also, under the
coercive dictation of the House. The House
alone will be the judge of what constitutes
a grievance, and also of the means and meas
ures of redress. An act of Congress to protect
| elections Is now the grievance complained of,
4 but the House may, the same principle, de-
| termine that any other act of Congress already
| made that a nomination or appointing Mt to
| Office by the President, with the advice and
! consent of the Senate or that decision or
| opinion of the supreme court, Is grievance,
! and that if measures of redress be withheld.
the appropriations required for the support of
| the offending branch of the government be re-
| fused. Believing that this bill is a
DANGEROUS VIOLATION
of the spirit and meaning of the constitution,
j am compelled to return it to the House, in
which it originated, without my approval
The qualified negative with which the consti-
tuition invests the President is trust that in
wolves duty which cannot decline to per-
| form, and in conscientious purpose to do
what L can to preserve unimpaired the consti-
tutional powers and equal independence, not
/ merely of the executive, but of every branch OF
the government which will be imperrilled by
the adoption of the principle of this bill, de-
sire earnestly to urge upon the House of Rep
resentatives a return to the wise and whole
some usage Of the earlier days Of the republic,
which excluded from appropriation bills al l.
relevant legislation. BY this course you will
inaugurate an important reform in the method
of Congressional legislation, your action Will
be in harmony with the fundamental princi-
pies of the constitution and the patriotic sen
timent of the nation, which is th3ir firm sup
port, and you will restore to the country that
feeling of confidence and security and repose
which are so essential to the prosperity OF all
our fellow citizens.
(Signed) RUrHERFoRD b. HAYES.