The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1891-02-06
His First Veto Message

Governor Pattieon GENT to the Senate
last evening a message vetoing the reso-
luton passed by both branches Of the
Legislature calling on the United States
Senators from this State to stand by the
Force bill 1t follows III full:
COMMONWEALTH OF Pennsylvania, Ex-
EcUTTvE DEPARTMENT, OFFEg OF TILE
Governor, HARRIsBURG, Feb ,, 1S9l.-
To the Sena.s Of the Commonwealth Of Penn
~,,Icdylia: GENTLEMEN Il herewith re- |
turn, without my approval, the concur |
rent resolution of the Senate, adopted |
! January %, 1891, as fellows, to Wit:
/ Resolved, That our United States |
| Senators be earnestly requested to use
4 every honorable effort TO secure the pas
SAGE of the federal election bill.
The twenty-siIth section of Article
/ three of the Constellation of the Com
/ nonwealth of Pennsylvania, provides
! that ''every order, resolution or vote, -
which the concurrence of both Houses
| may be necessary, Except OF adjourn
/ menO shall be presented to the Govern
or, and, before it shall take effect, be
approved by him, or being disapproTod-
shall be repassed by two-thirds Of both
Houses, accorCfn ng to the rules and E-ni-
tations prescribed in case of bil.
This section is the only warrant for
| the presentation TO me of the resolution
herewith returned.
In the absence of any more definite
information than is contained IL the
terms Of the resolution, / assume that
the measure it is intended TO favor is the
bill now pending In the United States
Senate to amend and supplement the
election laws of the United States, pOpu-
| larly known as the Force Bill" / am
not willing TO give my assent 70 any
declaration in support of that measure,
for lit trenches on the principle Of local
sovereignty" which is the essence of
our free Government.
In the contemplation Of the WISE men
who made the federal Constitution, If
was both impliedly and expressly reserv-
ed to 1.-The people of the several States
to choose their representatives In Con-
gress; and their legislatures are entirely
! competent TO prescribe the times,
places and manner of holding elections"
for such representatives. There is
neither public necessity nor popular de
mand for legislation which seeks 10 in
wade this right of the people and to
transfer the choice of their representa-
tives from state to federal regulation,
The proposition to invest the executive
and judicial branches Of the federal
government with the power 10 appoint
T agents to control the election of the leg
I islatiye branch, is most perniciors and
! / dangerous one. The device to this end,
which this resolution approves, involves
t / the expenditure OF many millions OF
e dollars and the creation OF enormo ous
= official patronage; itprovides for canvas
, sers gathered at remote distances from
the election districts IN which their pow
= ers are 70 be exercised; il degradeS the
! Judiciary BY making It q political appli-
] ance 10 perpetuate the power which APP
= pointed it; IL affects the State jurisdiction
o. over elections for state, county, and dis
tricts, by auth OrizIng federal supervisors
to reject votes st such elections which,
in their Judgment, may be wholly or in
part defective; and invites and prOvoEes
=. a collision Of State and federal authority
AS cumbersome, inquisitOrial and e1-
pensive as it - unnecessary and uncon-
z stitutional such plan viii not tend 10
I secure free and untrammled suffrage,
On the contrary, it Will destroy the
purity and disturb the tranquility OF
elections; it will awaken sectional dis
5 cord, breed diEtrust and endanger bust
g ness prosperity. Sound moral, material
q and political considerations alike de-
mAnd that such q measure should be
, rcprObated and not encouraged. Con
y vcned, as the general assembly of Penn
! sylvania Is, to consider matters of State
, concern and TO jealously protect the
: / rights Of it, citizens, ] can see no virtue
| in the approval of a measure which
would yield 70 Federal interference and
supervision what fairly belongs to peo-
: pie Of the States, and what II cOnStitu-
2 tionally guaranteed 10 them.
believe that an overwhelming ma
jority, not only Of the people Of the
. ! country, but Of our own Commonwealth,
t are heartily opposed to the features OF
I / this bill. II Is OF no consequence in this
view what pledge has been made by any
particular p1lItical faction, inaSmuCh as
its foremost exponent had denied that
% IL Is a partisan measure, or that any man
> supporting 1t Is actuated by partisan
purpose. Measured as 2 question Of
general puplic concern, there is neither
= justification in the origin of the bill nor
Q any wholesome effect 10 be secured by
p its passage Nor has II gained in pop
ulsr confidence IN the attempt to enact
1t by suppreSSing that freedom Of de
bate which is so supremely important
( to ..the perfection Of legislation, the dig
! nifty of the Senate, and to civil liberty
itself" | cannot, therefore, consist
emily or conscientiously join in re
quest To the Senators of Pennsylvania 10
/ favor such an enactment.
{ ROBERT +. PATTIsOE