Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1886-07-17
THE PRESIDENTS VETOES.
From Harper's Weekly.l

THE PRESIDENTS VEIUGS.
From Harper's Weekly.l
The presidents vetoes of pension bills
have been constant, and in almost every
case his statement of reasans has been
conclusive. In some instances there
may be good reasons for rcconsld era
lion. But the action of the president
sho Y s devotion to dnty and resoln-
lion not to suffer injustice 10 be done to
the people by careless appropriations
of public money, which will receive
the most general and hearty approval.
Here are some illustrations of the
vetoed bills:
"Simmons w. Harden got bill
passed granting him Il pension for
enlargement of the heart, which was
the result OF falling out of 4 wagon
fourteen years before the disease
developed. The bill granting a pension
to Abigail Smith was vetoed because ii
gave her less amount than she was
already receiving. Another instance
of careless legislation is shown in the
veto of bill for the relief of Andrew
j Hill, when the papers show that the
claimants name is Alfred. James
Buffers bill was vetoed because he was
never in the army; he enlisted on
August %, 1864, got leave to go home
to bid his friends goodbye. fell into a
cellar and broke his leg en- route, and
was discharged September 10. Harriet
Welshs bill was vetoed because she
admits that she married the man for
whose service she claims pension
when she had another husband living
undivorced John ID. Ham was drafted
| into the army he was enrolled, and the
next day started for home; he fell of
his horse, broke his ankle, and was not
placed on the rolls OF his regiment
James g. Chandler applied for a
| pension at the pension Office because he
was run over by wagon in 1862. This
was denied him. Then he entered
another application on account OF
bronchitis. This was also denied him
Then he made third for rheumatism
and that was denied also. Finally he
went to congress ami got bill passed
on all three of his claims" There are
many others quite as extraordinary
To prevent such waste of the public
money is simple duty of the president
and the attacks which have been made
upon him for discharging his duty art
exceedingly discreditable to those wht
make them. The attacks proceed
upon the general assumption that any
man who was Il soldier is entitled {,
have his claim tor relief honored in tul
in the precise fnrm in which he makes
it, and without regard to The facts. o
course nothing could be more absurd
Many of the bills are laws of con
gress overriding the decision of tn,
pension bureau. The president acts
therefore, as judge of appeal, ant
decides upon the facts in evidence, re
capituiating them in his message. Th
assertion that the constitution does no
contemplate this kind of detailed re
vision of the acts of congress by tn
executive is Idle and wholly unbound
ed. To the extent of the veto tn
5 president is made most importan
: part Of the legislative power, and h
acts under the precise obligation tha
binds any member of congress. Hi
duty requires him to consider detail
quite as much as the duty of the repre-
7 sentative requires him to do the sam
thing, and when it Is obvious thu
details have been neglected by congress
it is the especial duty of the executiy
= to correct the result of the neglec
Mr.. Bayne, of Pennsylvania, in his eX
traordinary vituperation of the pres
dent as "ihis man''who was almost tral
scending his authority, and.' no bett,
than any other American citizen, al
not the equal of any man who perile
his life and went out to save the Union
wholly forgot that he was speaking
an officer of the government who actt
It under obligations quite as importal
= and binding as those of Mr.. Bayne hin
II self, and that even if the president ha
q been shirk and IL cOward-which
3. was not-that fact is not a reason th
II Mr.. Bayne and his associates shou
e be allowed TO take money improper
l. from the public treasury. The reast
IS of the president S vetOes are submitt'
e to the country, and the country W
N Judge whether they are well tOunde
ii No honorable soldier will think hi
+ unfriendly to soldiers because he +
< fuses To cOuntenance dishonest CLAIM
l. even when preferred in the name of
O soldier; and every good citizen, Co
y scious that the president is an hone
,. man, aud that the country is not III
lc generous to the soldiers, will suppo
y him in his defense of the just rights
y all the people,
he There is general feeling that t
D. veto power should be used sparingl
al But il wnnld be better to say III
IS congress ought not to furnish irequc
" occasion for lis exercise. The numb
" of President Cleveland 5 vetocs is gre;
le but they all effect what is substantial
4 IL
E. infinite details, namely, the grants
e OF pensions. The veto power is one
= the most important and valuable of {
Ie checks of our government. Ii belOn
~ to the system which wisely separat
70 the republic from the simple dcmocr
III cy, or the constant, immediate rule
IL the majority. II is a power provide
by the majority for its own restrain
~ and nothing proves more complete
rs the wisdom of our popular @overnme
in than the fact of the adoption by 4
~ majority of provisions which prevc
hasty action. The president does II
cs intend TO slight his duty. and he IA
announced that he will consider ,
le bills carefully before signing them.
T.. gives fair notice that he will not
n. hurried, and congress has learned tn
As his words plainly express his purpose
J. His duty is largely "A duty OF deta
,e His ability is shown by his diSpositi,
T. and capacity to treat details. 1t is
II quality of great administrative abili,
al 1t is sometimes contcmned as the sis
De of a routine officer But it is the qua
D. ty which distinguished Gladstone as
- financial minister, and it was a strikil
Y, trait in Napoleon. The two chief e
N ecutive functions III our governme
5; are the appointment of agents throu.
D whom to execute the laws, and [
: approval of laws to execute. They a
Y, both matters of detail, and to object
IN careful executive attention to them
s. TO object To the executive office. L