Latterly, for very many years, specific sums have been appropriated
for designated missions or employments, and as a rule the omission by
Congress to make an appropriation for any specific port has heretofore
been accepted as an indication of a wish on the part of Congress which
the executive branch of the Government respected and complied with.
In calling attention to the passage which I have indicated I assume that
the intention of the provision is only to exercise the constitutional
prerogative of Congress over the expenditures of the Government and to
fix a time at which the compensation of certain diplomatic and consular
officers shall cease, and not to invade the constitutional rights of the
Executive, which I should be compelled to resist; and my present object
is not to discuss or dispute the wisdom of failing to appropriate for
several offices, but to guard against the construction that might
possibly be placed on the language used, as implying a right in the
legislative branch to direct the closing or discontinuing of any of the
diplomatic or consular offices of the Government.
U.S. GRANT.
[For message of August 15, 1876, withdrawing objections to Senate bill
No. 779, see p. 388.]
WASHINGTON, _August 15, 1876_.
Pages:
748
749
750
751
752
753
754
755
756
757
758
759
760
761
762
763
764
765
766
767
768
769
770
771
772