The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-08-02

Money Should be spent, &c.
WASHINGTON, August 1.-The following
il the full text OF the Presidents message
vetoing the river and habor bill:
To the House Of Representatives.: Having
watched with much interest House bill
4,262, entitled IAN Act Making Appropria-
lions for the Construction, Repair. and
Preservation OF Certain Works on Rivers
and Harbors, and for Other Purposes"
and having, since 1t was received, carefully
examined il, after mature consideration |
am constrained TO return ii herewith 20 the
House OF Representatives, in which 1t
originated. without my signature and with
my objections to its passage.
Many OF the appropriations in the bill
are clearly for the general welfare and most
beneflcent in their character. Two OF the
objects for which provision is made were
by me considered so important that felt
it my duty to direct TO them the attention
OF Congress. In my annual message in
December last / urged the vital importance
OF legislation for the reclamation OF the
marshes and for the establishment of the
harbor lines along the Potomac front OF
Washington. In April last, by special
message, recommended an appropriation
for the improvement OF the Mississippi
river. II il not necessary that / say that
when my signature would make a bill APP
propriating for these and other valuable
national objects law. it is with great re-
luctance and only under a sense Of duty
that | withhold it.
MY PRINCIPAL OBJECTION
to the bill is that it contains appropriations
for purposes not for common defence or
general welfare, and which do not promote
commerce among the States. These provi-
siOns, on the contrary, are entirely for the
benefit OF particular localities, in which it
is proposed to make Improvements. re-
gard such appropriation OF public money
a. beyond the powers given by the Consti
tuition TO Congress and the President. and
/ feel more bound to withhold my sigma
ture from the bill because OF the peculiar
evils which manifestly result from
this infraction OF the Constitution.
Appropriations Of this nature, to be
devoted purely to local objects, tend
TO an increase in number and in
amount. As the citizens OF one State
find that the money. to raise which they i'm
common with the whole country ale taxed,
is to be expended for local improvements
III dlNill'A STATE. ilitN hiliiAlit Nlllill it IL
cfit- for themselves; and il is not nnatu-
raj that they should seek 10 indemnify
themselves for such Use OF public funds by
securing public funds for similar improve
ments i'm their own ncishborhOod. Thus
as the bill becomes more Objectionable it
secures more support. This result is inya-
rilble, and necessarily follows
NEGLECT TO OBSERVE CONSTITUTIONAL LINZ
TATIONs
imposed upon the lW-making power.
Appropriations for river and harbOr i'm
pr0ycmcnts have. under the influences 10
which | have alluded, increased year by
year out Of proportion 10 the progress OF
the country, great u that has been. In
1870 the aggregate appropriation was 3d.
$4,000: in 1873, SG,GlS.j11.j0; in 1850.
SS.J7G,j00, and in 1881, Sl1,ijl.300. while
By the present act there j. appropriated
S1S,7l3,S3j. While feeling every DISPOSE
ton TO leave to the Legislature the respon-
sibility in determining what amount
should be appropriated for the purposes OF
the bill. 80 long as the appropriations are
confined to the objects indicated by the
grant OF power, | cannot escape the conclu-
sion that, a. a part Of the law-making
power OF the Government, it only deyOlyes
upon me to withhold my signature from
the bill containing appropriations, which in
my opinion greatly exceed the needs Of the
country for the present fiscal year, it being
the usage 10 provide for those purposes by
annual appropriation bills. The President
is. in effect, directed to cXpend so large an
amount OF money within 80 brief period
that the expenditure cannot be made eco
nomically and adyantageouSly.
EXTRAyAGANT EXPENDITURE OF PUBLIC
MONEY
IL IN evil not 10 be measured by the value
OF that money by the people who are taxed
for il. They sustain greater injury in the
effect produced upon those
who are entrusted with official duty through
all the ramificatiOns Of Government.
These objections could be removed and
every constitutional purpose readily OBJ
tanned should Congress enact that one half
only OF the aggregate amount provided |
for i'm the bill be appropriated for
during the fiscal year.
and that the sum 50 appropriated /
be expended only for such objects named !
in the bill A. the Secretary OF War I'M |
der direction II the Pr, ,idcnt shall deter /
mine. provided that in no case shall the
expenditure for any one purpose exceed /
the sum now designated by the bill for
that purpose. | feel authorized to make
this suggestion because Of the duty
imposed on the President by che Con-
stifution 70 recommend to the con-
>idcration Of Congress such measures
a. shall be judged necessary and cX-
pedient. and because it i my earnest
desire that public work. which are in pro-
grc,s shall suffer no injury. Congress will
also convene again in about four months.
when this whole subject will be open for
their consideration.
[>ignedl CHESTER \. ARTHCR.
The GeIIert's Narrow Escape from