The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1882-08-16
The Presidents Veto Message.

Following is the full text of the Presidents
message vetoing the river and harbor appro-
priation bill:
To the House Of Representatives:
Having watched with much interest the pro-
gress of House bill No. 6,242, entitled can Act
making appropriations for the construction, re-
pair and preservation Of certain works on rivers
and harbors and for other purposes" and hay
ing since it was received carefully examined 1t,
after mature consideration I am constrained to
return it herewith to the House of Representa-
tives, in which it originated, without my sigma
ture and with my objections to its Passage.
Many Of the appropriations in the bill are
clearly for the general welfare and most bene-
fetal in their character. Two Of the objects for
which provision is made were by me consid-
cred 90 important that I felt it my duty to
direct them to the attention of Congress. In
my annual message in December last I urged
the vital importance of legislation FOR the
reclamation Of the marches and for the estab-
tomac front. In April last, by special mes
sage, I recommended an appropriation for
the improvement Of the Mississippi river.
It is not necessary that I say that
when my signature would make the bill ap-
propristing for these and other valuable
national objects q law, it is with great reluot-
ance and only under a sense OF duty that |
withhold 1t. My principal objection to the bill
is that it contains appropriations for purposes
not for the common defense 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
the improvements. I regard such appro-
priation Of the public money as beyond the
powers given by the Constitution to Congress
and the President. I feel the moro bound
to withhold my signature from the bill because
Of the peculiar evils which manifestly result
from this infraction Of the Constitution. Ap-
preparations Of this nature to be devoted purely
to local objects tend 10 increase in number and
in amount. As the citizens Of one State find
that money-to raise which they In common
with the whole country are taxed is to be ex-
pended for local improvements in another State,
they demand similar benefits for themselves,
and it Is not unnatural that they should seek to
indemnify themselves for such use Of the
public funds by securing appropriations for
similar improvements in their own
nsiishboEhSSG1ai; :. Thus. as the bill becomes more more
result is invariable and necessarily follows a
neglect to observe the constitutional limitations
imposed upon the law-making power.
The appropriations for river and harbor i'm
provements have, under the influences Of which
have alluded, increased year by year out of
proportion to the progress Of the country,
great as that has been. In 1870 the aggregate
appropriation was So. 975, 900; In 1876, Sc. 64S,-
5l7.5O in 1880, SO, 976 500, and in 1881, s11,-
45l, 800; while by the present set there is ap-
While feeling every disposition to leave to
the legislature the responsibility OF determiu-
ing what amount should be appropriated for
the purposes Of the bill 80 long as the sppro-
priatiols are confined to objects indicated by
the grant Of power, I cannot escape the conclu-
sion that as a part Of the law-making power of
the government the duty devolves upon me to
withhold my signature from the bill containing
appropriations which in my opinion greatly ex-
coed in amount the needs Of the country for
the present fiscal year. It being the usage to
provide money for these purposes by annual
appropriation bills, the President is in effect
directed to o1pend 30 large an amount OF
money within 30 brief period that the e1-
penditnre cannot be made economically and
s~dvantageously.
The extravaganza expenditure of public
money is an evil not to be measured by the
val6e Of that money to the people who are
taxed for it. They sustain . greater injury in
the demoralizing effect produced upon those
who are intrusted with official duty through all
the ramihcations Of government. These OBJ
~jections, could be removed and every constitu-
tAOh1A - pOoo Ao6u3Ay oNoAuS ohOVl'k SOn-
gress enact that one-half only Of the aggregate
amount provided for in the bill be appropriated
for expenditure during the fiscal year. and
that the sum so appropriated be expended only
for such objects named in the bill IS the secre-
tary Of war under tho direction of the
President shall determine, provided that in no
case shall the expenditure for any one purpose
exceed the sum now designated by the bill for
that purpose. I feel authorized to make this
suggestion because OF the duty imposed upon
the President by the Constitution to recon-
mend n the consideration Of Congress such
measrn es as he shall judge necessary and ex-
pedient, and because it is my earnest desire
that the public works which are in progress
sball suffer NJ injury. Congress will also con-
vene again in four months, when this whole
subject will be open for their consideration.
CHESTER A. ARTHUR.
Executive Mansion, August l, 1882.