Daily Republican., 1879-04-30
Afirm President.

our extra. Sali anu aseo' '"'h o"i W. ~
A firm President.
Hewever lenient President Hayes
has been heretofore, he has evidently
shown in his veto message that he has
frmness to an unusual degree just
when frmnsss is required. From the
determination with which he ve'oes
ths army bill, It seems strange
that his attitude in relation to It should
ever have been questioned. He had
evidently given the question much
thought and attention and consequent,
ly his objections are reasonable and
strong. He quoted the sections Of the
United States laws bearing upon the
subject and shows wherein they have
been amended from time to time as cir
cumstancss seemed to suggest or re-
quire. These snactments, the Prssi-
dent thought would seem to bs So fficient
to prevent military interference with
the elections. In referring to the OBJ
jections against the law, the President
shows the insincerity ofthose complain
ing Of troops at the polls, by stating
that no soldier has appeared at any OF
the election polls since the modification
of the law, nor no complaint has been
made of the presencs of troops. He
showed that If he gave his approval
to the bill it would deprive the Uuited
States of all power to keep peace at
the Congressional elections which
are a matter of political interest
and concern throughout the whole
length and breadth of the land. An.
other objection he had to the bill was
that it takes away from Congress and
the Executive the power to protect the
right Of citizens of the United States to
vote according to the dictates Of their
own consciences. and while Section 2,
of the Fifteenth Amendment of the
Constitution. says that Congress shall
have power to enforce that article by
appropriate legislation, the act which
he was requested to sign took away
every means by which Congress could
enforce the laws. The veto message IL
unusually lengthy and all the disput'
I'd points are squarely met and more
than fully answered. The most of it il
devoted to show the danger to the ma
tion of forcing extraneous Legislation
pom appropriation bills. He says thi'
habit was not known or attempted un
til about forty years after the adoption
of the Constitution, since which time
all political parties had taken advan
tage of it until it was assuming such |
threatening attitude to the peace ant
happiness Of the nation that it had t.
{ be checked. TIE President says tina
it was not the intention of the framer
of the Constitution that any single
branch of the Government should hav'
3 the power to dictate conditions upor
. which the taxes collected from
the people should be applied, ant
the fact that a majority OF th'
Senate should now concur in th'
claim set up by the House does not al
/. ter the fact. This new doctrine if main
tanned. he said, would result in con
solidation of unchecked and despoti
mower in the House of Representatives
where bare 0ajority Ofthe House vii
= lecome the government, and the Execu
tive would no longer be what the fra
mers of the constitution intended, al
u. equal and independent branch of tn
s government. The President Lelieve'
! the bill to be dangerous violation
the spirit and meaning of the Constitu
> tion, and therefore he was compelled t
0 return it to the House in which
= originated without his approval. Ever.
;. body whose minds are not warped wit
rrajudices will appreciate the pres iden
v in his efforts to urge upon the House o
Il Representatives a return to the wis
d and wholesome usage OF the earle
days of the Republic, which exclude
all irrelevant legislation from appropr
alton bills. The message all throug
e shows a decision and firmness in tn
: President, that encourages his friend
. as much as it disappoints his enemies
and the idea so often broached ths
= there was a weak vascllating man il
}: the Presidential chair might as well..h
, dissipated first ss last. Neither tb
President nor the Republican party il
tends TO bc rodden over any mora by tn
congressional rebels and brigadi-r gen
erals