Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-05-09
Veto Message.

cal year nding June S0th, 1850, and for
other purposes"
To me House q Representatives.:
l have maturely considered the important quss.
tons presented by the bill entitled an act making
appropriations 'or the support ot the army FOR the
hscd year eH. - iHne seth. 1881, aud for other
purposes ami now return il 90 the house Of rep.
reseutaiiV's. il which it orisuated with
MI DIRECTION To ITS APPROVAL.
The bill provides in the usual form fer appropris
ti0ns required for the support Of the army during
the next nscNi year. II it contained no other FRO,
VISIONS 1t would receive my prompt approval. II
includes, however, further legislation which al
tachcd, rs 1t is, 20 the appropriations which are
requisite for the efficient performance OF some OF the
most necessary duties Of the government
involves questions OF the Gravest character. The
sixth section ot the hill is anendatory OF the statute
now ID orce IN regard 70 tn authority Ct persons II
tile civil, military aud naval service Of the United
States at the place where any general or special
election Is held in any state. This statute was
adopted February IS 1868, alter protraced debate n
the senate, aud almost without opposition IN the
house al representatives. by the concurrent votes o
both Of the leading political parties Of the country
aud became law by the approval OF President ldu
colin II was re-euacted in 1874 in the revised
statutes of the United states sections 2O1 aud 5S2S
which as follows;
Sectios aOO2, No military or naval officer, or
other person engaged in the civil, military naval
service of the United States, shall order, bring
keep or have uuder his authority, or CONTROL any
troops or armed men at the place where any general
necessary to repcl armed enemies u the Uuited
States, or 10 keep peace at the polls.
Section 55IS. every officer of the army or ma
Wy, or other person III tue civil. military or naval
service of the United States, who ORDERS, brings
keeps, or has under his authority or control any
troops or armed men ut any place where gene
raj or special election is held in any state, unless
such force be necessary to repel armed enemies
OF the United States, or ~ keep peace at potts,
shall be incd not more than five thousand dollars
and suffer Imprisonment at hard labor not less
than three months nor more than five years.
THE AMENDMENT PROPOSED
in this statute In the bill before me onllls from
both Of the foregoing sections the words '.or ~
Keep the peace Il; the polls. The effect o. tile
adoption Of this amendment may be considered
first upon the right of the United States govern.
ment To use the military force TO keep peace ut
an election for members OF congress- aud sec.
ond, upon the right OF the government by evil
authority to protect these elections from violence
and fraud. In addition To tho sections in the
statute above quoted, the following provisions OF
law relating TO the use of military ut elections
are now in force.
Section 9OS. No officer Of the army or navy Of
the United States shall prescribe, or Tx, or at
tempt 10 prescribe, or fix by proclamation or oth-
erwlSc the qualifications OF voters i'll any state
or in any manner Interfere with the freedom Of
any election IN any state, or with the exercise Of
the tree rights oi suffrage in any state.
Section 500. Every officer or other person in
the military or navsl service, who by force, threat,
Intimidation, order, advice or otherwise, pre-
vents, or attempts to prevent any qualified voter
OF any state from freely exercising the right of
suffrage AZ any general or special election in
such states, shall be hned not moro than - 0G0
and imprisoned y. hard labor not more than i've
years.
section $3.50. Every officer or the army or ma.
w who preSrriheS, orders, fixes. or attempts to
prescribe or fix, whether by proclamation, order
or otherwise, the qualifications Of voters at any
election in any state shall be punished rs pro-
vided IN The preceding section.
Section b53l. Every officer or other person in
the military or naval service who by force, threat,
intimidation or otherwise, Compels or attempts
10 compt! any officer holding an election in any
state, Il secure vote from any person not To-
pallv qualified 10 vote, or who imposes or at
tempts 10 impose any regulations FOL conducting
any general or special election III any stare diff
terent from those prescribed by law. or who lu-
terieres in any manner with any officer OF elec-
tion in the discharge of bis duty shall be pun
iShed IA prescribed IN section 5!29.
Section 3532 Every person convicted of any
ofrnses specified in the five preceding sections
shall. In addition to punishmen:s therein sever.
ally prescribed, he disqualified from holding any
office OF honor, profit OF uust under the United
states; but nothing in these sections shail be
construed TO prevent any officer. soldier, saor,o or
marine, from exercising the right Of suffrage ~
any election district to which he NAV belong il
otherwise qualified according to the laws OF the
state In which he offers to vote.
THE FOREGOING ENACTMENTs
wnnld seem 10 be eunicient to prevent military
Interference with elections. But thc last con
gress, to remove all apprehension Of such inter-
ference, added 10 this body OF the law section Is
oi the act entitled IAN act making appropriations
for the support Of the army for the fiscal year end.
my Jnne Both 1873, and Tor other PURPOSES ap-
proved June 18th, is $, which is as follows:
Section 10Th. From ami after the passage OF
this act 1t shall not bo lawful 10 employ any part
Ol the army Of the United State as u p0SSd CONT
tdtuS, or otherwise, for the purpose OF executing
the law except in such cases and under sneh cir.
cumstauces as such employment OF said force may
be expressly authorized by tho constitution or BY
an act OF congress- and no money appropriated by
thls act sinai be used to pay any OF The expenses
incurred IN the employment OF any troops in vlo-
laton Of this section, and any person wlltully
violating the provisions OF this section shall he
deemed guilty OF misd' meanor, and on conviction
thereof snail be punished by fine not exceeding
Slu,UN, or imprisonment not exceeding two
years, or both such fine and imprisonment.
This act passed the senate after full considera-
tion without single vote recorded against i on
Its hnal passage, and by majority Of more than
Two thirds u was concurred IA by the house OF
representatives.
THE PURPOSE OF THE SECTION QUOTED
was stated in the senate by Of it, supporters,
VIZ: Therefore hope, without getting lnioany
controversy about TIE past, but acting wisely for
the future, that 1t fldll take away the idea Z at
the army can BIZ used by general or 81 ectl
deputy marshal, or any marshal, merely for cleo
ton purposes, or posse, ordering them about
the polls or ordering them anywhere else where
there is M election going on TO prevent dsor
ders or suppress disturbances that should he sup
pressed by the peace officers OF the state; or n
they must bring others TO their aid they should
summon uuoygantzed citizens ard not summon
the officers and men Of the army rs a posse e0mi
tatNS to guell disorders and thus ret up feeling
which will be disastrous 70 peace among the PEG.
pie OF the country"
In the house Of representatives.
THE OBJECT OF THE ACT OF IS
was stated by gentleman who had II in charge
in similar terms. lie said: " But these are minor
points and insignificant points compared with the
gteat principle which was incorporated BY the
house IN the bill IN reference To the use OF armed
men in peace" The senate had already included
whit they called and what we might accept as the
principle, bit they had stricken out the penalty
and bad stricken out the word expressly : 80
that tho army might be used In all eases where
the / rpiied authority might be interfered with.
The house committee planted themselves Arm.
II upon the doctrine.
RATuE CT THAN YIELD TINS rUSDANEErAL rRIS.
CHILE
for which for three years this house had strug-
Eled. they would allow the bill 10 fail notwith.
standing the reforms that we had secured, re-
gardlns these reforms OF but little consequence
along side Of the great principle that the army
O, the United state. in time OF peace shonld h.
under the control OF congress and obedient TO IT'S
Laws. Amer long aud protracted negotiations
the committees have conceded that the principle
in II its length aud breadth, including the petal.
~ phic the senate had stricken out. We bring
YOU back therefore, q report with the alteration
OF a single word, which LAWYERS assure me is
proper to he made, restoring to this bill tho prn