The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-05-13

The President to-day signed the Army
Appropriation bill and returned the De
ficiency bill to the House with the fol-
lowing veto message:
To the House of Representatives:
After mature consideration of the bill
entitled San Act making appropriations
to supply certain deficiencies in appro.
priations for the service of the Govern
ment for the fiscal year ending June 30,
1880, and for other purposes" I return it
to the House OF Representatives in which
it originated, with my objections to its
passage. The bill appropriates about
eight millions of dollars. Over six hun
dred thousand dollars is for fees of United
States Marshals and of general and spe-
cial deputy marshals, earned during the
current fiscal year, and their incidental
expenses. The appropriations made in
the bill are needed to carry on the oper.
ations of the Government, and to fulfill
its obligations for the payment of money
long since due to its officers, for services
and expenses essential to the execution of
their duties under the laws of the United
States. The necessity for these appro-
priations is 80 urgent, and they have
been already SO long delayed, that if the
bill before me contained Do permanent or
general legislation unconnected with
these appropriations it would receive my
prompt approval. 1t contains, however,
a provision which materially changes
and, by implication, defeates the impor-
tant parts of the laws for the regulation
of United States elections. These laws
have for several years past been the sub
ject Of vehement political controversy,
and have been denounced as unnecessary,
oppressive and unconstitutional. On
the other hand, it has been maintained
with equal zeal and earnestness that the
election laws are indispensable to fair
and lawful elections, and clearly warran.
ted by the Constitution. Under these
circumstances, to attempt in an appro-
priation bill, modification or repeal of
these laws, is to annex the condition to
the passage of needed and proper appro-
prialion, which tends to deprive the Ex-
ecutive of that equal and independent
exercise of discretion and judgment,
which the Constitution contemplated
The objection to the bill, therefore, to
which l respectfully ask your attention,
is that it gives marked and deliberate
sanction, attended by no circumstances
of pressing necessity to questionable,
and as am clearly of the opinion, dan.
gerous practice of tacking upon appro-
priatioI bills general and perpanent leg
islation.
This practice opens wide the door to
hasty, inconsiderate and sinister legisla-
ton. 1t invites attacks upon indepen'
dent and constitutional powers of the
Executive, by providing an easy and ef.
fective way of constraing executive dis
cretion. Although of late this practice
has been resorted to by all political par
ties, when clothed with power, it did not
prevail until forty years after the adoption
of tho Constitution, and it is confidently
believed that it is condemned by the
enlightened judgment of the country.
The States which have adopted new
constitutions during the last quarter of
century have generally provided reme-
dies for this evil. Many of them have
enacted that no law shall contain more
than one subject which shall be plainly
expressed in its title. The Constitutions
gilmore than half of the States contain
substantially this provision orsome other
of like intent and meaning. The public
welfare will be promoted in many ways
by return to the early practice of the
Government, and to the true rule of leg
islation which is that every measure
should stand upon its own merits. l am
firmly convinced that appropriation bills
ought not to contain any legislation not
relative to the application or expenditure
of money thereby appropriated, and that
by strict adherence to this principle,
important and much needed reform will
be accomplished. Placing my objection
to the bill on this feature of its framing,
I forbear any comment upon the impor-
tant, general and permanent legislation,
which it contains, as matters for specific
and independent consideration.
[Signedl RUTHERFORD B. HAYES.
Executive Mansion, May 4th, 1880.