The Evening critic., 1882-08-02
THE PRESIDENTS VETO
Orthc River and ETarbor Appropria-
tion BiII-The Reasons for It's Dis.


OF the River and faarbor Approprin-
ton biil-The Reasons Tor tfs DIN
npproyni
Ths roIlovvIrc ia tho mil ,ext NJ tho presl.
-. e - ,,,. 49,, r,,.,.o,.
uents message Vo'oihg inc hiVer auu n'f''f
Dill!
"To NE HoUst n REPRESENTATIVES.
uuavlnr watched with-mue,, interest tho pro.
,,osa ~ tIo,,so Iii No 900 entitled ian not
hsoi houso piii No'o%iNi ont'i'u n ~
making appropriations for tho construction,
repair, and preservation of certain works on
rivers nnd hnrbors. nnd for other purposes,,,
- ,',, =, 'DN - -, s,,
anu na'ihg, SINCE IL was roeeNou' oato.uiiy
examined II, after mature consideration am
constrained to return 1t herewith to tho House
s,,,,",,, ~, a,,,aa,,,sa ao, ,,,,, -, a,'1s,,
Without my signa'uro anu WIN my objections
TO Its passage.
''SIany OF the appropriations in tho bill arc
clearly Tor the general welfare and most bone.
flcent In their character. Two OF tho objects
for which provision is made were by me con
sidered so Important that felt II 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 re.
olamation Of the marshes and for the estab.
lishment OF the harbor lines along tho poto.
mao front.
"m April last, by special message, recon.
of the Mississippi River. 1t Is not necessary
that soy that whom my signaturo would make
the bin appropria,ing or.hose and ether val:
reluctance, and only under sense OF duty,
that withhold It. My principal objection to
the bill 10 that Il contains appropriations for
purposes not for tho common defense or gen-
eral welfare, and which do not promote COM
merce among tho States. These provisions, on
tho contrary, are entirely for tho benefit OF tho
particular localities In which II is proposed
TO make tho improvements. regard such APP
preparation OF the public money as beyond tho
power given by the Constitution to Congress
and the President. feel the more bound to
withhold my signature from the bill because OF
tho peculiar evils which mnnffestly result from
this inffnctlon Or tlle Constitution.
Representations OF this nature, to be do
voted purely TO local objects, tend TO an In
crease in number and In amount. As tho citizens
OF one State ind that money ito raise which
they, In common with tho whole country, are
mcnts In another State, they demand similar
benefits for themselves, and II Is not ununtu.t
raj that they should seek TO indemnity them.
selves for such uso of tho public funds by go
curing appropriations for similar improve.
ments In their own neighborhood. Thus, as
the bill becomes more Objectionable, It secures
moro support. This result is invariable, and
necessarily follows neglect to observe tho
constitutional limitations imposed upon the
Iaw-making power. The appropriations for
river and harbor improvements have, under
the influences to which have alluded, iu-
creased year by year, out of proportion to tho
progress OF the country, great as that has
been. In 1870 tho aggregate appro-
priation was S3,975,9O0; In 1875,
s6,64S51T.50; In 1850, SS,070,50O, and
In 1881, S11,d51,300, while by the
present act there is appropriated SIS
T13,S16. While feeling every disposition to
leave 10 the Legislature the responsibility of
determining what amount should be appro-
priated for tho purposes Of the bill, so long as
the appropriations are confined to objects In
d1cated by the grant of power, cannot escape
the conclusion that as a part of tho aw.mak.
Ing power OF the Government the duty de-
wolves upon me 10 withhold my signature