Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1880-05-07

Washington, May 4, 1ssO.-The President
sage, vetoing the deficiency appropriation
bill;
To the House of Representatives:
After mature consideration of the bill enti-
tied Gan act making appropriations to supply
certain deficiencies in app proF riations for the
service of the government for the fiscal year
ending June 80, and for other purposes" re-
turn it to the House of Representatives in
which it originated, with my objections to its
passage. The bill appropriates about $780,
600, of which over $500, 900 is for the pay
ment of the fees of the United States marshals
and Of general and special deputy marshals,
earned during the current fiscal year, and
their incidental expenses. The appropriations
made in the bill are needed to carry on the
operations Of the government, and to fulfil its
obligations for the payment of money, long
since due to its officers for services and ex-
penses essential to the execution of their du-
ties under the laws of the United States. The
necessity for these appropriations is SO urgent
and they have been already so long delayed
that if the bill before me contained no perma-
nent or generl legislation unconnected with
those appropriations, it would receive my
prompt approval. 1t contains provisions,
however, which materially change, and by
implication repeal important parts of the Law
for the regulation of United States elections.
These laws have for several years past been
the subject of vehement political controversy,
and have been denounced as unnecessary, op-
pressive and unconstitutional. On the other
hand it has been maintained with equal zeal
and earnestness that the election laws are in
dispensable to a fair and lawful election, and
are clearly warranted by the constitution.
Under these circumstances, to attempt in an
appropriation bill the modification or repeal
of these laws is to annex condition to the
passage of needed and proper appropriations,
which tends to deprive the executive of that
equal and Independent exercise of discretion
and judgment which the constitution contem-
plates. The objection to rhe bill, therefore, to
which I respectfully ask your attention, is
that it gives marked and deliberate sanction,
attended by circumstances of pressing neces-
sity, to the questionable, and, as am clearly
of the opinion, the dangerous practice, Of
tacking upon the appropriation bills general
and permanent legislation. This practice op-
ems wide the door to hasty, inconsiderate leg
islatioD. 1t invites attacks upon the inde-
pendence snd the constitutional powers of the
executive, by providing an easy and effective
way of constraining executive discretion. AL
though of late this practice has been resorted
to by all polit ical parties when clothed with
power, it did not prevail until forty years af-
ter the adoption of the co Institution and it is
confidently believed that it is condemned by
the enlightened judgment of the country. The
States which have adopted constitutions dur.
ing the last quarter Of a century, have sever-
ally provided remedies for the evil. Many of
them have declared that no law shall contain
more than ono subject which shall be plainly
expressed in its title. The constitutions of
more than half the States contain substantial
ly this provision, or some other of like intent
and meaning. The public welfare will be
promoted in many ways by the return to the
early practice of the government and to the
true method of legislation, which is that ev-
cry measure should stand upon its own mer-
its. am firmly convinced that approprla-
tion bills ought not to contain any Legislation
not relevant to the appropriation or the ex-
penditure of money thereby afforded, and that
by strict adherence to this principle an i'm
portant and much needed reform will be ac-
complished. Placing my objection to the bill
on this feature Of it, frame, forbear any
comment on the important general and per-
manent legislation which it contains as mat
ter for specific and independent considers
ton. [signed] RUTHERFORD B. HAYES.
May 4, 1880. aE$$E n $50 =, = - Pc.