New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-05-06
THE NULLJFIERS IN TROUBLE.

Upon sober second Thoughtful they ever
come to that-the Democrats In Congress will
perceive that President Hayes has placed them
in q very uncomfortable position by his Veto
He has not vetoed the Army bill, because the
general legislation engrafted thereon does not
seem to him important. Since a test is TO be
made as to the right of the Executive to a free
and untrammelled decision upon measures sub
mitted to it for approval, he has chosen not to
cumber the ground with objections in unim-
portant cases. Congress cannot claim that he
shows ca9tOus or quarrcsOme spirit lie
valves objections that might with perfect pro-
priety be made, ~ long as no results OF serious
consequence are involved, and the principle at
stake can be fully maintained in matter which
none can consider trivial. Nor will it be found
easy to. meet the Presidents objections to the
Deficiency bill. He does not loosely ins st that
each and every political "rider" affords good
reason for vetOing an appropriation bill. But
he makes it very clear that the nature of tho
provisions attached to the Deficiency bill, and
the circumstances attending, render it ImpOs-
sible for the Executive to waive his objections in
that case without surrender Of powers intrusted
to him by the Constitution. The fact that
Congress, though 1t has been in session five
months with the subject constantly before it,
has not chosen to pass a separate measure en-
bracing the provisions attached to the appIO-
priation bill, makes it perfectly clear that it
was the deliberate intention Of Congress to
cOerce the Executive, and in a matter acknowl-
edged to be of vital importance.
The issue, then, Is narrowed to this: Has
Congress the right to force the Executive TO
abandon the execution Of laws which Congress
does not like but cannot cOnstitutiOnally re-
peaR This is notification, of course, and by an
unconstitutional and revolutionary method.
The object is to nulify law the method is TO
strip the President Of power intrustcd to him
by the Constitution. If the object can be at
tanned in this case, bare majority in either
House can nullify any law which requires APP
propriations for its enforcement. If the
method can prevail, the very structure of our
Government Is thereby revOlutonzed, for the
Executive becomes no longer n coordinate
branch of the Government, intrustcd by the
Constitution with defined powers, but a mere
tool of the bare minority in Congress. No wise
Democratic member in either House would dare
to 20 before the people upon Il naked assertion
OF the Itghtfulncss either OF the method
adopted or of the object sought. No one would
dare to ask the people To uphold Il bare majority
Of either house IN multiplying Il law which it
does not like but cannot repeal. Not one,
either, would dare to ask the people to uphold
Congress in compelling the President to sign a
bill which he does not approve.
Do the Democrats in Congress suppose that
these simple Issues can he concealed from the
people? Perhaps they may. Nearly all the
fatal plumbers Of that party have sprung from Il
II 4. l., 81 l.. I T.
beiOolcd that they would not understand tho
real issue presented. Tho Democratic dclna-
gogue knows that the people who trust him
must be very thick wittcd, and he concludes, it
may he, that the rest of the people arc quite as
easily fooled. But the history Of the party Tor
| twenty years has shown that the Idemagogucs
were mistaken. They rate far too low the in
| tclligcnce of tho people wi tn whom they have
| to deal. When they have dressed up their
schemes with such DISCUSSES or excuses MS seem
to them sufficient, they 80 before tie voters
| hoping for u victory. But in an instant the
common sense of the millions tears away every
rag of disguise and every shred of pretext, ard
the naked purpose stands exposed.
The Democrats will make another bad blum
der if they go into the Presidential campaign
upon the issues which they have raised by the
Deficiency bill. The President is a clear-hcaded
politician, as well as n statesman of courage
and fidelity, and he knows that the people will
sustain him in his position. Every attempt to
| befog the issue by criticism of the election
law will fail. Congress had five months in
| which to amend that law, and did not try. II
chose to nullify it, if possible, because the
Democrats themselves no longer dared openly
to demand the entire repeal Of Federal acts to
prevent fraud Mt elections. Neither can the
people be deceived by any clamOr about the Sc
lection of officials under the law. Congress had
five months in which to provide for selection
by different mode, and some Republicans were
ready to assent to methods which Democrats
proposed What the Democrats really wanted
was to get rid of all officials for the prevention
of fraud, because, under any mode of appoint
ment, some were likely to be faithful and fear