Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1879-05-07

The Republican Senate VIII not aei
the Bepublican President sign bilftor sucn
repeal. Whatever objection to- iegisiauoi
upon appropriation bills may De n'aae u
ordinary cases does not Apply where Tree
election, and the liberty of the citizen are
concerned. We have the power TO 'o'e
money; let us annex conditsoss 10 II ANU
insist upon the redress Of grievances.
By another distinguished pem6e' OF 'l'e
House il was said .sThe right OF the rep
resentatives of the people to withhold sup
Plies is as old as English liberty. History
records numerous. instances where the Com-
mons, feeling that the people were oppres'-
ed by the laws that the Lords wouid ho'
consent to rereal by the ordinary me'nou'
of legislation, obtained redress al last u,
refusing appropriations unless accompanied
by relief measures"
That a question of the greatest naThf-
tude and new in this country was raiseo u
this course of proceedings was fully reeog-
uized also by its defenders in the Senate
twas SAID BY a distinguished Senator
g" Perhaps no greater question, IN the i0rm
we are brought to consider 1t, was ever COZ
sidcred by the American Congress IN Tine
of peace, for it involves not merely TUG
merits or demerits of the laws which the
Uouse bill proposes to repeal, but involves
the rights, the privileges, the powers, the
duties of the two branches of Congress anu
of the President of the United States.
.Itisavsst question that never yet has
been brought so sharply before the Ameri-
/ can Congress and the American people as
/ it NAV be now. 1t is question which
sooner or later must be decided, and the de-
cision must determine what are the powers
of the House OF Representatives undcr Inc
Constitution and what Is the duty OF that
/ House in the view of the trainers oil the
| Constitution according to its letter and
spirit.
" Mr.. President, | should approach TINS
question, if were in the best possible con-
d:iion to speak and to argue it, with very
grave diffidence, and certainly with the ut
most anxiety, for no one can think OF 1t as
long and as carefully as have thought OF
| il withou. set ing that we are at the begin
ming, perhaps, of a struggle that may las'
as long in this country as similar strug-
I gle lasted in what we are accustomed to call
the motherland. There the struggle lasted
| for two centuries before it was ultimately
decided. 1t is not likely to .ast so long
here But it may last until every man in
this chamber is in his grave.
"I 1t is the question whether or no the
House Of Representatives has d right TO say,
We will grant supplies only upon condi-
tion that grievances are redressed; we are
the representatives of the taxpayers of the
republic we-the House of Representa-
tives-alonc have the right to originate
money bills we-the House Of Represen-
tatives-bave alone the right to originate
bills which grant the money of the people.
The Senate represents States. We repre-
sent the taxpayers of the Republic. We,
therefore, by the very terms OF the Consti
tuition, are charged with the duty of origi-
mating The bills which grant the money of
the people. We claim the right which the
House of Commons, IN England, established
after two centuries of contest, to say that
we Will not grant the money of the people
unless there is a redress of grievances
TINE TO PASS SEPARATE BILLS.
Upon the assembling of this Congress in
pursuance of a call Tor an extra session,
which was made necessary by the failure of
the Forty-fifth Congress to make the need
ful appropriations for the support OF the
government, the question was presented
whether the atteinpt made in the last Con-
gress to engraft by construction new prin-
ciple upon the Constitution should be per-
sisted in or not.
This Congress has ample opportunity and
time to pass the appropriation bill and also
TO enact any political measures which may
be determined upon in a separate bill by the
usual and orderly methods of proceeding /;
but the majority OF both houses have DEEM
ed it wise TO adhere to the principle assert
ed and maintained in the last Congress by
the majority of the House OF Representa-
tives.
That principle is that the House OF Rep
resentatives has the sole right to originate
bills for raising revenue, and therefore has
the right to withhold appropriations, upon
which the existence OF the government
may depend, unless the Senate and Presi-
dent shall give their assent to any legisla-
ton which the House may see bit to attach
TO appropriation bills.
IN UNCONSTITUTIONAL GRANGE.
To establish this principle is to make a
radical. dangerous and unconstitutional
change in the character of our institutions.
The various departments of the govern
ment and the army and navy are established
by the Constitution by laws passed in pur-
suance thereof. Their duties are clearly
defined and their support is carefully pro-
vided for bv law. The money required for
Iuls purposes mas DccH COueCteu IEoui tHc
people, and is now in the Treasury, ready
to be paid out as soon as the appropriation
bills are passed. Whether appropriations
are made or not, the collection of taxes will
60 on; the public money will accumulate in
the Treasury.
INTENTION OF THE FEANERs OF THE cOSsrI
TUITION.
II was not the inteHtion of the trainers of
the Constitution that any single branch of
the government should have the power TO
dictate conditions upon which this treasure
should be applied to the purposes for which
it was collected. Any such intention, if it
had been entertained, would have been
plainly expressed in the Constitution. That
a majority of the Senate row concurs in the
claim Of the House ADDS to the gravity of
situation, but does not alter the question at
issue.
ThE NEW DOCTRINE.
The new doctrine, if maintained, will re-
suit in a consolidation Of unchecked and
despotic power in the House of Rspresen.
tatives. bare majority in the House will
h.oo,oa tho oorarnmapf The Exacufiva