The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1880-05-13
ANOTHER VETO.
Put 20 the Deficiency Bill by tina
President.


President
The President has sent to the House of Rep
resentatives the following message, vetoing the
deficiency Appropriation bill:
10 the House of Representatives:
After maeare consideration of the bill entitled
" AN act making appropriations to supply GER
tam deficiencies in the appropriations for the
service of the Government for the fiscal
year ending June 80 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 appTopriates about $500. OOO of which
over 100000 is for the payment of the fees of
United States Marshals and of general and
special Deputy Marshals earned during the cur
rent fiscal year, and their incidental expenses
1he appropriations made in the bill are needed
TO carry on the operations of the Government
and to fulfill its obligations for the paymunt
OF money long since due its officers for services
and expenses essential to the execution of their
duties under the laws of the United States. The
necessity for these appropriations is so urgent
and they have already been so long DELAYED
that II the bill before me contained no perma-
nent or legal legislation unconnected with these
appropriations it would receive nv prompt ap-
materially change, and, by implication, repeal
important parts of the laws for the regu-
lation of the United States elections.
These laws have for several wears been
the subject of vehement political controversy.
and have been denounced as unnecessary. OBJ
presslve, and unconstitutional On the other
hand, it has been maintained with eoual zeal
and earnestness that the elections laws are in
dispensable to fair and lawful elections. and are
clearly warranted by the constitution. Under
these circumstances, to attempt, in an
appropriation bill, a modification or re-
peal of these laws, is to annex
a condition to the passage of
needed and proper appropriations which tends
to deprive the Executive of that equal and in
dependent exercise of discretion and Judgment
which the constitution contemplates The OBJ
lection to the bill, therefore, to which 1 re-
spectfully ask your attention is that it gives
marked and deliberate sanction, attended bv no
circumstances Of pressing necessity, to a ques-
tionable, and, as am clearly of the opinion, the
dangerous practice of lacking upon appropriation
bills generaland permanent legislation This prac-
tce opens vide the door to nasty, inconsiderate
and sinister legislation. 1t invites attacks upon
the independence and constitutional powers of
the Executive by providing an easy and eff
fective way of constraining the Executive
discretion. Although of late this practice has
been resorted to by all political parties when
clothed with power, it did not prevail
until forty years after the adoption of the
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 remedies for
the peril. Many of them have enacted that no
law shall contain more than one subject, which
shall plainly expressed title Constitutions
of more than half the States contain substan-
TALLY this provision, or some other of like intent
and meaning. The public welfare will be pro-
NOTED in many ways by return to the early
practice of the Government and to the true in
terest of legislation, which is that every meas
ure should stand upon it's own merits
am firmly convinced that appropriation bills
ought not to contain any legislation not rele-
want to the application or expenditure of money
thereby appropriated, and that, by a strict ad-
herence to this principle. an important and
mHch-needed reform will be accomplished.
Placing my objection to the bill on this feature
of its frame, forbear any comment upon the
important general and permanent legislation
which it contains, as matter for specific and in
dependent consideration.
(Signed) RUTHERFORD B. HAYES.
EXECUTIVE MANSION. May 4, 1880.