The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1880-05-04

WASHINGTON, May 4.-The president
sent to the house to-day the followins
message, vetoing the deficiency appropria
tion bill:
10 the House of Representatives:
After mature consideration :of the bill
entitled, etc., return it to the house
| with my objections to its passage. The
bill appropriates about $SO0,OOO, of which
5000, 900 is for payment of fees of u. s.
marshals and their general and special
deputy marshals, earned during the cur
rent fiscal year, and their incidental ex~
penses. The appropriations made in the
bill are needed to carry on the operations
Of the government and fulfill its obliga-
tions for the payment of money long since
due,its officers for services and expenses
essential to the execution of their duties
under the law of the United States. The
necessity for these appropriations is 80
urgent. and they have been already SO
long delayed, that if the bill before me
contained no permanent or legal legisla
ton, uuconnected with these appropria-
tions.it would receive my prompt approval.
1t contains, however, provisions which ma
terialiy change, and by implication repeal
important parts of laws for the regulation
Of i. s. elections. These laws have fer
several years past been the subject of
vehemens political controversy and have
been denounced as unnecessary, oppres-
sive, ard unconstitutional, and on the other
hand it has been maintained with equal
zeal aud earnestness, that the election
laws are indispensable to fair and lawful
elections, and are clearly warranted by the
constitution. Under these circumstances,
10 attempt by an appropriation bill, q
modification Or appeal of these laws, is TO
annex a condition TO thespassage OF needed
and proper appropriation, which tends to
deprive the executive of that equal
and independent exercise of discretion and
judgment. which the constitution contemr
plates. The objection to which L respect
fully ask your attention is. that it gives
marked sanction, attended by no clrcum-
stances of pressing necessity to question
able and, as I am clearly of opinion, the
dangerous practice of tacking upon the
appropriation bills, general ana permanent
legislation. This practice opens wide the
door to hasty, inconsIderate aud sinister
legislation. 1t invites attacks upon the
Independence and constitutional powers OF
the executive, by providing an easy and
effective way of constraining executive
discretion. Although of late this pracs
tice has been .resorted t0 by all political
parties, when clothed with power, 1t did
not prevail until 40 years after the sdop-
ton OF the constitution, and 1t is confident
ly believed that il is condemned by
enlightened judgment OF the country, The
states which have adopted new cOnstitu-
tious during the last quarter of the cen
tury, have generally provided remedies
for the evil. Many of them have enacted,
that no law shall contain more than one
subject.5 which sshal be plainly express
ed in it's title The constitution
of more than half the states contain, sub
stantialIy, this provision or some other OF
like interest and meaning, Public welfare
will be promoted in many ways by a
return to the early practice of the govern
ment, and to true rule of legislation, which
is, that every measure should stand upon
its OWL merits / am firmly convinced
that appropriation bills ought not contain
auy legislation not relevant to the applica-
ton or expenditure of money thereby
appropriated, and that By strict adherence
90 this principle, au Important and much
needed reform will be ACCOMPLISHED.
Placing my objection to the bill on this
feature OF it's frame, [ forbear any CON
ment upon the important general and per-
manent legislation which it contains, as
matter fer specific and independent con
sideration. tSIgneo)
RUTHERFORD 3. HAYES,
Nav T. 1890