The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1882-08-02
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
Welding the River and Harbor Bill.

Washington, August THE following is
the full text Of the presidents message vetoing
the river and harbor bill:
TO the House of Representative
Having watched with much interest the pro-
gress of the house bill No. 622, entitled an act
making appropriations for constructing, re-
pairing and preserving of certain works on
rivers and harbors, and for other purposes,
and having, since it was received, carefully
examinedit, after pature consideration, am
constrained to return it herewith to the house
of representatives, in which it 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 benifcent in their character. Two
objects tor which its provisions are made
were by me considered so important
that | felt it my duty to direct them
to the attention of congress in my annual mes
sage in December last. urged the actual inn
portance of legislation for the reclamation of
the marshes. and for the establishment O har-
Dor lines along the Potomac front of Wash
ington. In April last my special message rec,
commended an appropriation for the improve
ment OF the Mississippi river. 1t is not nec-
essary that should say that when my sigma
ture would make bill appropriating money
for these and other valuable national objects
law, 1t is with great reluctance, and only I'M
der sense Of duty, that wished it, My
principal objection to the bill is that it con-
tains appropriations that are not for the COM
mon de ense or general welfare, and which do
not promote commerce among the states.
These provisions, on the contrary, are entirely
for the benefit of the particular localities
in which it is proposed to make improvements.
regard such appropriations of public money
as beyond the power given by the constitution
to congress and the president. l feel more
bound to with hold my signature from the bill
because Of the evils which manifestly result
from this infraction Of the constitution. APP
preparations of this nature, to be devoted pure
ly to local objects, tend to increase id number
and amount as the citizens of one state find
that the her money, to raise which they, in COM
mon with the whole country, are taxed, is to be
expended for local improvements in another
state. They then demand similar benefits
for themselves, and it is not unnat-
ural that they should seek to indemnify
themselves for such .sse Ut pstSilc funds by
recurring appropriations for similar improve
ments intheir own peighborhoods. Thus as
the bill becomes more Objectionable. it secures
more support. This result is invar;able, and
Necessarily follows neglect to observe the
constitutional limitation upon the law.makinp
power. The appropriations for river and
harbor Improvements have, under the irhuen-
ces to which have alluded, increased year by
year out Of proportion to the progress of the
country, as great as that has been. In 1870
the aggregate appropriation was $3.e7s goo:
in 1875. $6.74S.SI7.5o; in 1880, $500, 900;
and in 1881, $II,45I. 3oo while, by the pres
ent act, there is appropriated $I8,74S87s.
While telling every disposition to leave
to the legislative power the responsible
y of determining what amount should be APP
proprated for the purposes Of the bill, so long
as the appropriations are confined to the OBJ
ects indicated, can not escape the conclu-
sion that, as part of the law-making part of
the government the duty devolves upon me to
withhold my signature from a bill containing
appropriations which, in my opinion. greatly
exceed in amount the needs OF the country for
the present fiscal year. 1t being the usage 10
provide money for these purposes by annual
appropriation bills, the president is in effect
directed to expend SO large an amount
Of money within SO brief period
that the expenditures cannot be made
economically and advantageously. Ex-
ravagance in the expenditure Of public
money is an evil not to be measured BY
the value of that money to the people, who
are taxed for it, for they sustain greater injury
in the demoralizing effect produced upon those
who are entrusted with official duty through
the rami6cations of the government. Those
objections could be removed, and every con-
stitutional purpose readily obtained, should
congress enact that one-hslf, only, of the az
eregate amount of the appropriation provided
for in the bill be appropriated for expenditure
during the fiscal year, and that the sum so ap-
propriated be expended only for such objebts rs
are named in the bill and as the secretary of
war under the direction OF the president shall
determine. provided that in no case shall the
expenditure for any purpose exceed the sum
now designated by the bill for that purpose.
feel authorized to make this suggestion BE-
Cause OF the duty impo< ed upon the president
by the constitution to recommend to the con-
sideration of congress such measures as shall
be judged necessary and expedient, and be-
cause it is my earnest desire that the works
which are in progress shall suffer no injury.
Congress will also be convened again in about
four months. when this whole subject will be
again open for their consideration.
Bravery Of the Egyptians.
Alexandria. July I2.-The truth is, the
Egyptians fought much better than was al all
expected They have we'll earned the honor
Of being he first to face throughout long day
the most Tremendous artillery FIRE ever opened
in any warfare. Nor can it be said that ip-
norance made them bold for the first
few rounds from our heavy guns
produced eff cts positively frightful to wit.
ness even from \ point of safety,
while to have stn Il "nder such avalanches
ofiron without flnching, proves the Egyptians
to have some good stuff among them With