Virginia advocate. [volume] (Charlottesville, Va.) 1827-1860, 1830-06-25
THE ADVOCATE.
CHARLOTTESVILLE, FRIDAY, JUNE Is, 1890
THE VETO.

HE VETO.
The moral and political courage Of the
President in impressing his veto on the
Maysville Turnpike Bill, and thus arrest.
ing, at least for time, the wild and ex-
.ravagant expenditure involved in schemes
of internal Improvement prosecuted by
the General Government, becomes mare
and more apparent from every perusal of
his message. The charge Of eIcctionser-
ing views, urged with such shameless in
delicacy against the message by Mr.. Stan
bury Of Ohio, on the Reconsideration of
the bill, has been reiterated, with but lit
tie consistency, by the Coalition presses.
At the same time that this charge is made
against the President, these aforesaid
presses chuckle with infinite delight ut
the revulsion of public feeling which this
veto Is to effect in Pennsylvania, Ohio,
Kentucky, and indeed in every State
whose representatives on the floor of Con-
gress have hitherto advocated the exer-
else of this much contested power by the
General Government. They hatter them
selves that they see in il the instrument by
which the blasted prospects of the prostrat-
ed demagogue, the appropriate idol of their
alteration, HENRY Clay, are To be reuova-
ted and restored. 1t is the Talisman by
which they are to oblterate from the me-
mory of the people of this country all rec
objection of the Clay and Adams bargain,
and the Western pledge, and touched by
which the faded and withered reputation
OF Henry Clay rs to be clothed with fresh
verdure. The reforms which the Admin
istration of General Jackson has hitherto
effected, are amply INDICATED, in the eyes
of the people, by the numerous defaIca-
tons which were found To detorm every
department Of government under the CO.
alition dynasty, and which, like the stable
of Augeas, required the arm of Hercu-
les to cleanse them. The Coalition clam
ors on the subject of removals fell on The
public ear unheeded and despised The
attempt to excite the sympathies OF the
people Tor the fate of such men as Watkins,
Peake, Robertson, &c. &C., was found to
be lost labor Through the chasm which,
they iondly expect the VETO will make IN
the we'll earned popularity of the Presi-
dent, solitary ray Of hope has broken in
upon the dungeon of their despair.-And
yet, admirable consistency they charge
the measure to an electionecring policy.
The truth is, the measure was an act of
well considered duty. The President had
only to consult the Constitution of the IT,
nited States, and the interests of the peo-
pie TO prompt his course. These pointed
out that course as with sunbeam Thus
instructed, he pursued with his wonied
decision, dignity and propriety, the sug-
gestions Of Judgment and duty.
Clear, as in our view it is, that the pow
er over the subject of Internal Improve
ments is not granted by the Constitution
TO the General Government, the proprie.
ty OF granting such a power without guar
ding it by the seyerest sanctions and the
strictest Interchangeable be still more than
questionable. Without the most scrupu-
lous care in limiting and controlling its
application we can imagine none more Ii
able to abuse-Done which would be
more fruitful scource Of patronage and
corruption. AS it has been hitherto exer-
cised IFS abuses have been enormous the
expenditure involve in it, most extrava-
gart; and the jeaIousies which have arts.
en- IN consequence Of il between various
sections OF the country, most perncious.
1t has been used for the purpose Of ma
king appeals to local Interests and section
al fayor.-It is time that this destructive
policy was arrested. That these appeaIs
to local interests at the expense Of the in
terest of every other part Of the country
should be done away with-tbat the
wounds it has inflicted on the Constitu-
ton should be- healed--t that these attemn,s