Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1880-05-13
The. Deficiency Bill.

WASHINGTON, May 4.--rhe President
to day signed tho army appropriation bin
and returned tho deficiency bill to tue
house with tho following veto message:
TO the House of Representatives: After
mature consideration Of the bill entitled,
"Au act making appropriations to supply
certain deficiencies in the appropriations for
the service of the government Tor tho fiscal
ycar ending june 80, 1880, and Tor other
purposes" l. return it to the House of Rep
resentatiycs, iu which it originated, with
my objections to its passage Tho bill op
propriates about, $S,000,0OO, of which over
5000, 600 is for the payment of fees of
United States marshals and of general and
special deputy marshals earned during the
current fiscal year and their incidental cx-
penses. The appropriations mado in tho
Dill are needed to carry on tho operations
OF the government aud to fulfill its obiga-
tons Tor the payment of money long since
due to Its officers for services and expenses
essential to tho execution of their duties
uudcr tho laws Of tho United States. Tho
necessity for these appropriations is so urgent
aud they have boon already 40 long delayed
that if tho bill before nc contained no
permanent or general legislation uncon-
uectcd with these appropriations, it would
receive my prompt approval, 1t CONTAINS,
however, provisions which materially
change, and by implication repeal importapt
parts OF the laws for tho regulation of
United States elections. These laws have,
for several years past, been subject Of We
hcmcnt political controversy, aud have been
denounced as unnecessary oppressive and
unconstitutional. On tho other hand it
has been maintained with equal zeal md
eafncstncss thai election laws arc indispen-
sable to fair and lawful elections, and arc
clearly warranted by the constitution
Under these circumstances, to attempt in
appropriation bills modification or repeal on
these laws is to annex q condition TO the
passage Of needed aud proper appropsia-
tons, which tends to deprive the executive
of that equn! aud Independent exercise Of
his discretion and judgment which the
constitution contcmplatcs. Tho objection
to the bill, therefore, to which / respect
fully ask your attention, is that it gives
marked auo deliberate sanction, attended
by no circumstances Of pushing necessity
to the questionable and, as ain clearly of
opinion, dangerous practice Of tacking
upon appropriation bills general aud pcrma@
n"nt lcsisla,ion. 1t invites attacks upon
Independence aud the constitutional power
Of the executive by providing an easy and
effective way of constrainiug executive dis
erection. Although Of late this practice las
been resortcd to by all political parties
@hen clothed with power, it did not pre-
vail until forty years after the adoption of
the constitution, and it ia confidently be-
lieved that it is condemned by tho enlight-
encd judgment Of tho country. The States
which have adopted new constitutions 1u.
ring the last quarter OF ccotury have
generally provided remedies for this evil.
Many of them have enacted that 10 law
shall contain moro than one subject, which
shall be plainly expressed in lis title. The
constitutions of more than half of the
states contuin substantially this provision or
some other OF like intent aud meaning.
"ihc public welfare will be promoted in
many ways by rcturD 10 III eoarly practice OF
the government aud to the true rule OF
logisiation which is that every measure
should stand upon its own merits am
firmly cooyinccd that appropriation bills
ought net 70 contain any legislation not
relevant to the application of expenditure
of money thereby appropriated, and that
" strict adherence to this principle i'm i
rnrtant aud much needed reform will be
accomplished. Placing my objection to
the bill on this feature Of its frame,
foroear my comment upon the important
general aud permanent Legislation which
it contains as matter for specific and iudc-
pendent consideration
(SianedD RUTHERFORD IS. HAYES.
Executive Mansion.