EXECUTIVE MANSION, _May 4, 1880_.

_To the House of Representatives_:

After mature consideration of the bill entitled "An act making
appropriations to supply certain deficiencies in the appropriations
for the service of the Government for the fiscal year ending June
30, 1880, and for other purposes," I return it to the House of
Representatives, in which it originated, with my objections to its
passage.

The bill appropriates about $8,000,000, of which over $600,000 is for
the payment of the fees of United States marshals and of the general
and special deputy marshals earned during the current fiscal year,
and their incidental expenses. The appropriations made in the bill are
needed to carry on the operations of the Government and to fulfill its
obligations for the payment of money long since due to its officers
for services and expenses essential to the execution of their
duties under the laws of the United States. The necessity for these
appropriations is so urgent and they have been already so long
delayed that if the bill before me contained no permanent or general
legislation unconnected with these appropriations it would receive
my prompt approval. It contains, however, provisions which materially
change, and by implication repeal, important parts of the laws for the
regulation of the United States elections. These laws have for several
years past been the subject of vehement political controversy, and
have been denounced as unnecessary, oppressive, and unconstitutional.
On the other hand, it has been maintained with equal zeal and
earnestness that the election laws are indispensable to fair and
lawful elections, and are clearly warranted by the Constitution.
Under these circumstances, to attempt in an appropriation bill the
modification or repeal of these laws is to annex a condition to the
passage of needed and proper appropriations, which tends to deprive
the Executive of that equal and independent exercise of discretion and
judgment which the Constitution contemplates.

The objection to the bill, therefore, to which I respectfully ask your
attention is that it gives a marked and deliberate sanction, attended
by no circumstances of pressing necessity, to the questionable and,
as I am clearly of opinion, the dangerous practice of tacking upon
appropriation bills general and permanent legislation. This practice
opens a wide door to hasty, inconsiderate, and sinister legislation.
It invites attacks upon t