Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1879-05-06
Comments on the Presidents Veto
Message.

Message.
The Lyachb,trg Virginidn says:-"It
Is as. offensive to the House of Represen-
tatives as any thing that ever emanated
from Charles the First, of England, in
his communications to Parliament, and
makes direct issue between the peo-
pies Representatives and the President,
that scarcely admits of compromise. F"
He assails both the legislation and
the manner of it, and rather ridicules
the pretensions Of the majority in the
House of Representatives for claimin
the sole right to originate bills for rails
ing revenue, and therefore the right to
withhold appropriations upon which
the existence of the Government may
depend" And pray, Mr.. President,
what body, but the House, had the
right, under the Constitution, to origi-
nate bills for raising revenue, and how
are these bills ever passed except by
the 'majority?"
"No principle of the Constitution has
been more clearly settled than this; and
the representatives of free people
should never consent to grant appro-
priatiOns for the maintenance of stand.
ing army, if, through any existing law
the Executive whether King or Presi-
dent, does not matter) can use it to me-
mace the liberties of the people.
We cannot imagine how it is posi-
BILE for the President to arrive at the
conclusion which he states, to-wit
THAT this bill is dangerous, and in VIC
lation of the spirit and meaning of the
Constitution" To our apprehension il
Is Just the reverse. But the President
has made the issua.-He has arrayed
himself with the stalwarts-the men
who seek occasion to keep up strsfe be
tween the sections. and to pave the way
for the return Of soldier whose will
was law to himself, when he was in
the Executive chair"
The Alexandria Gazette says I'm
considering the Presidents veto mes
Iisage it should also be remembered that
Congress in passing the army appropria-
ton bill has complied with all its con-
stitutional requirements. 1t has threa-
tened nobody, and has voted such esti-
mates as were asked for by the Secreta-
nv of War. The President, for mere
party purpose, has deprived the army OF
Its means of subsistence, and should be
held responsible for what, in the eyes OF
all lovers of freedom, must seem an out
rage on republican institutions hardly
less fragrant, but only legitimate con-
sequence of the one by which he holds
his offios.u
The Lynchburg NesUs says TILE
makes square issue with the Demo
cracy. He will use the troops at the
polls, if he chooses-in fact, he init
mates that they are necessary in Con.
gressional elections. His positions on
every point is the reverse of what he
held and that for which he voted in
Congress, ana like bis corrupt leaders
in the House, he "goes back"on the &C.
ton and doctrines of the party during
Andrew Johnson's administration"
The Richmond Dispatch ys:-"We
denOunce him as an unwilling enemy
of free government and civil liberty.
He has made it possible for oentraliz
ed despotism to be erected in few
years upon the ruins of our present Fed
eral systeIn.n
The Washington correspondent of
The State says $50 far as can learn
it is the unanimous opinion of Demo-
Gratis that Mr.. Hayes has surrendered
himself entirely into the hands of the
stalwarts, and gone back on his record
with reference to the use Of the army in
politics. They say he assumed to die.
tate to Congress the manner in which it
shall pass laws, and goes as far as Presi-
dent Johnson IN attempting to intimi-
date the legislative branch of the Gov
eminent. They think there is an i'm.
piled intention to use the troops when
ever he can do SO to the advantage of
his party, and broadly advanced the
most dangerous Capitalization heresies. "
The State says:-'It Is the weakest
paper yet issued by Mr.. Hayes as Presi-
dent.
The message weakens the Presidents
repute before the country, and its only
good effect will be to strengthen the
Democrats, who may now claim that in
the light of the Presidents declarations
all men may see that no method was or
is left to the Democrats for the repeal of
laws utterly obnoxious than this objec-
tionable method of attaching the repeal
to appropriation bills. Thus he has hurt
his own side and helped the other, and
has left nothing to the Democrats but to
stand::frm."
The Norfolk Landmark says :-"The
astitude now occupied by Mr.. Hayes
places him in antagonism, not to the
Democratic party alone, but to the SUI
preme popular right of controlling the
supplies, and when his votes already re-
compared with his present course, he
stands condemned out of his own
mouth"