My current course of history is called United States
History: Heritage of Freedom in Christian Perspective. At this
moment we are studying the Presidents directly after the Civil War. This is a
section in my book on President Grover Cleveland, who served from 1885-1889 and
1893-1897 as President.
President Cleveland demonstrated a rare understanding of the
United States Constitution and the intended limited role of the federal
government. During his first term, farmers in a portion of Texas
were stricken by drought. Congress proposed
a bill appropriating a relatively
modest $10,000 to buy seed for the farmers. On February 16, 1887, President Cleveland vetoed the bill
with the following insightful message:
It is represented that a
long-continued and extensive drought has existed in certain portions of the
State of Texas,
resulting in failure of crops and consequent distress and destitution.
Though there has been some
difference in statements concerning the extent of the people's needs in the
localities thus affected , there seems to be no doubt that there has existed a
condition calling for relief; and I am willing to believe that, notwithstanding
the aid already furnished, a donation of seed grain to the farmers located in
this region, to enable them to put in new crops, would serve to avert a
continuance or return of unfortunate blight.
And yet I feel obliged to
withhold my approval of the plan, as proposed by this bill, to indulge a
benevolent and charitable sentiment through the appropriation of public funds
for that purpose.
I can find no warrant for such
an appropriation in the Constitution, and I do not believe that the power and
duty of the General Government ought to be extended to the relief of individual
suffering which is in no manner properly related to the public service or
benefit. A prevalent tendency to disregard this limited mission of this power
and duty should, I think, be steadfastly resisted, to the end that the lesson
should be constantly enforced that though the people support the Government,
the Government should not support the people.
The friendliness and charity of
our countrymen can always be relied upon to relieve their fellow-citizens in
misfortune. This has been repeatedly and quite lately demonstrated. Federal aid
in such cases encourages the expectation of paternal care on the part of the
Government and weakens the sturdiness of our national character while it
prevents the indulgence among our people of that kindly sentiment and conduct
which strengthens the bonds of a common brotherhood.
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