The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-05-13
Another Veto.
WAsH1NGToN, MAY q.

Appropriation bill and returned tho De-
ficiency bill to the House with the fol.
lowing veto message:
lb the House Of Representatives
After mature consideration of the dill
entitled can Act making appropriations
to supply certain deficiencies in appro.
priations for the service Of the Govern
ment for the fiscal year ending June 80,
1880, and for other purposes" I return it
to the House Of Representatives in which
1t originated, with my objections to it's
passage. The bill appropriates about
eight millions Of dollars. Over six hun.
dred thousand dollars is for fees of Truited
States Marshals aud of general anu spe-
cial deputy marshals, earned during the
current fiscal year, aud their incidental
expenses. The appropriations made in
the bill are needed to carry IN the oper-
ations of the Government, and to fulfill
its obligations for the payment of moue7
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.
priati0ns is 30 urgent, and they have
been already so long delayed, that if the
bill before me contained go permanent or
general legislation unconnected with
these appropriations it would receive nv
prompt approval. It contains, however,
q provision which materially changes
and, by implication, defeates the impor-
tant parts of the laws for the regulation
of United States elections. These laws
nave 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 earnestress that the
election laws are indispensable to faif
and lawful elections, and clearly warran-
ted by The Constitution. Under these
circumstances, TO attempt in an appro-
priation bill, q modification or repeal of
these laws, is to annex the condition to
the passage of needed and proper appro-
priation, which tends to deprive the Ex-
ecutiye OF that equal and independent
exercise OF discretion and Judgment,
which the Constitution contemplated.2
The objection to the hill, therefore, to
which 1 respectfully ssk your attention.
is that it gives @ marked and deliberate
sanction, attended by no cirt.mstances
of pressing necessity to q questionable.
and as am clearly of the opinion. dan.
gerous practice of tacking upon appro-
prlation bills general and perpanent leg
islation.
This practice opens wide the door 10
hasty, inconsiderate and sinister legisla-
ton. It invites attacks upon indepen-
dent and constitutional powers Of the
Executive, by providing an easy and eff.
fectiye way Of coustraing executive dis
cretion. Although of late this practice
has been resorted to by az political par
| ties, when clothed with power, it did not
prevail un3il forty years after the adoption
OF tho Constitution, and it is confiden ~
believed that it is condemned by the
enlightened Judgment &c tho country.
The States which have adopted new
constitutions during the last quastar of q
century have generally provided reme-
d. 3 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
OF moro than half of the States contain
substantially this provision orsotne other
of like intent aud meaning. The public
welfare will be promoted In many ways
by retnfn tn the curly practice of the
Government, and 60 the true rule of leg
isiation which is that every measure
should stand upon its own merits. ana
| firmly convinced chat 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 rafirnl viii
be accomplished. Placing my objection
70 the bill on this festute Of its framing,
Iorpear any comm5nI upun, tau ilnpor.
tant, general and permanent legislation
which it contains, as matters for specific
and independent consideration.
lSignedI, RUTHERFORD b. HAYES
Executive Mansion, May 4th, 1880.