Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1882-08-04
A VETO MESSAGE.
presIdent Arthur Refuses 60 sign the
River and IHarbor Hill.

River and IHarbor Hill.
The President sent the following message,
votoing the river aud harbor bill, TO the
House on Tuesday afternoon;
TO the House Of Representatives:
Having watched with much interest the
progress of the House bill No. G242, entitled,
IAN act making appropriations for the con
strucion, repair aud preservation OF certain
works on rivers and marlboro and for other
purposes" aud having since it was received
carefully examined it, after mature consider
alton l am constrained to return it herewith
to the House of Representatives in which II
originated, without my signature, and with
my objections to its passage
Many Of the appropriations in tho bill are
clearly for the general welfare and most beneh-
cent in their character. Two of the objects for
which provision is made were by me consider
ed so important that felt IL my duty to di-
rect them to the attention of Congress. In
my annual message in December last, l urged
the vital importance Of legislation for the re-
clamation Of the marshes and for the estab-
lshment Of the harbor lines along the Potomac
front. In April last by special message, l
recommended an appropriation for the i'm
provement Of the Mississippi river II is not
necessary that l should say that when my sig
nature would make the bill Rpproprating for
| these and other valuable national objects a
law, it is with great reluctance, and only I'M
der sense of duty, that withhold it.
My principal objection to the bill is that it
contains appropriations for purposes not fox
! the common defense OF 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 II is proposed to
make the improvements l regard such APP
preparation of the public money as beyond
! the powers given by the constitution to Con
| gross and the President l feel the more
bound to withhold my signature from the bill
because Of the peculiar evils which manifest
! l. result from this infraction Of the cOh,tilu
| ton. Appropriations Of this nature, to be
devoted purely to local objects, tend to in
crease in number and in amount. As the cit
liens Of one state find that money, TO raise
which they in common with the whole couu-
try are taxed, is 10 be expended for local i'm
| provements in another state, they demand
| similar benefits for themselves, and il Is not
unnatural that they should seek TO indemnify
| themselves for such use of the public funds
by securing appropriations for similar i'm
provements in their own neighborhood. Thus,
| a. the bill becomes more objectionable it Sc
cures more support. This result is iuvaria-
BILE, and necessarily follows neglect to Oh.
serve the constitutional limitations imposed
|
atoms for river and harbor improvements
have, under She influences TO which l have
alluded, increased year by year out of pro
portion TO the progress Of the country, great
as that has been. In 1870 the aggregate APP
preparation was 81, 1913, 800, in 1875, Sc, Gas,
jl7, in 1880 $500, 800, and in 1881 ST..
451, 800 while 10y the present act there is APP
proprated SIS, 1885 While feeling every
disposition to leave to the Legislature the re-
| l.slt = 4.
should be appropriated for the purposes oil
the bill, so long as the appropriations are con.
fined to the objects indicated, by the grant oil
power l cannot escape the conclusion that, ~
a part Of the law. making power Of the gov
eminent, the duty devolyes upon me to with
hold my signature from the bill containing
appropriations which, in my opinion, greatly
exceed in amount the needs of the country
for the present fiscal year. II being the usage
to provide money for these purposes by an
nual appropriation bills, the President is il
effect directed to eIpend so large an amour
of money within so brief period that the eK
penditure cannot be made economically ant
advantageously. The extravagant expendi
ture Of public money is an evil not to b,
measured by the value Of that money to tn,
people who are taxed for it. They sustain
greater injury in the demoralizing effect pro
duced upon those who are intrusted with Of
fetal duty through all the rRmfcations o
governments.
These objections could be removed, anC
every constitutional purpose readily obtained
; should Congress enact that half only o
, , the aggregate amount provided for in the bill
be appropriated for expenditure during tn
fiscal year, and that the sum appropriated
be expended only for such objects named il
the bill AS the Secretary Of War, under th
direction Of the President shall determine
provided that in no case shall the expendtur
for any one purpose exceed the sum now des
ignated by the bill for that purpose. fee
authorized TO make this suggestion becaus
, of the duty imposed upon the President b,
the constitution to recommend to the consid
Grafton Of Congress such measures As he shal
judge Necessary and expedent, aud becaus
it is my earnest desire that the public work
which Ars in progress shall suffer no injury
Congress will also convene again in fou
, months, when this whole subject will be opel
! for their consideration.
CHESTER A. ARTHUR.
, Executive Mansion, August /, 1882.