Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1832-10-09


would have been the very last remedy that tie wise
hors OF the Constitution oi the United States would have
recommended the adoption OF the people. Tho
reigny the States sacrey preserved 20 be- at
the guardian aud the guarantee OF their rights and
liberties. 1t i the best; indeed. il is the only check 10
abuse OF sovereign power that would Itself have
been abused. constitutional power would have had
handle or every demagosuc on every little occasion
seize, aud 10y it, a8i'ae the State hut sovereign power
has grandeur that torbids such uDhoy iono and
quires bold hands and great 0ccaon' Tor us employment
There practically bu two checks 20 government in
the affairs OF 1t, la GpycrnmcntsLaw constitu-
tional a0d municipal, which is internal. 2d, Among
Naions--Foscc, which Is sovereign and external The
first embraces al ,ie machinery of free and limited Co
vcnments;all the securities OF different orders aad
among the citizens and subjects of different
mcn'i Wnuch constitutions, Inherent Legislative halls
md other secur L." Tor sober deliberations deter
mnaions in short M the balances and adjustments Of
power within Gov erumcuts Of whatever nature they NAV
be. Under this head COMES the celebrated check,
mouy called This always when the idea is not
nsapphed, Internal check operating as a par, Of the
machinery of particular Government and noyer properly
applicable to sovcrogns in their relations each other
If there be any power ia the Union which bears any true
analogy TO this oous appclaive il is found in the Exc
cuvc control over the legislation OF the two Houses OF
Congress which is not rejoice say that odious and
pernicous authority called peto. The President Of the
United States cannot say, ,cW that this be not idto,
but his authority were, ntcrposed TO add to the Sc
euries Which the Constitution contains against rash and
unwse acts OF legislation Ii only checks little the
speed OF legislation by sending the the proper egs
atiye iunconarics for further deliberations at the same
time requiring a small addition to the IepSatye u,oncn
um watch before passed IT, II will rarely happen if the
measure he unques;onaby for the public cool that the
constitutional majority will not be obtained; WHILE the
time, will rarely happen in srcha case that the
Presidential restraint will be nterposed. But veto whe
thcr include under the such limited control or
not in all instances is internal power not
exist in the Constitution OF the United States except in
TINS limited control the proper legislative functona
rie How utterly nappicabe therefore all snaogies
drawn from the Roman trbunlton power which was in
tcrna from the of monarchs which also nternal:
trom'th Polish vcto which is-no, alas which tcds in
ten: Aud here, gentle reader, pause and contemplate
the history OF the power usually denoninated veto 1t
the history Of blood and anarchy and revolution and
ACKNOWLEDGMENT of empire and submission aud conquest
and despoiism We are, in the works of all good ho-
rans and sound satesmen and philosophers philan-
thropists aud lovers temperate freedom taught and en-
joined TO shun il. Its diScord its anarchy its unhappy
progress and IFS tragic issues, all presented sad and
gloomy relief in the history of the unhappy Poles One
of the historians OF Poland calls his narrative the Hsory
of the Anarchy OF Poland" 1t said- at was in this
King reignf that the hber,n ueto or privilege of the
Deputies to stop all proceedings in the Diet by simple
dissent hr't assumed the form OF legal custom. The
heaven OF superstition aud bigotry (ays Rhuere in his
History OF the Anarchy OF Poand') began ferment
and blend itself with the other vices of The Constitution
They then became closely united and their junction deiicd
all remedy. Ii was then, that, in the of the Ma
uona Assembly, sprang up this singular anarchy, which,
tnideT the protect If making the Constitution more firm
has destroyed, in Poland, all sovereign power. The
right Of single opposon to general dccrees was for a
long time not acted upon There remained but one step
TO complete the destructive system, and that was taken in
1862 under the reign Of John Casimr. a Polish Noble
named Szini, whom his contemporaries have denounced
To The indignation OF postcrity having left the Diet,
the period allotted for its resolutions, by his voluntary
ausCN'C' preventing inc possibility oil unauulty the
Diet considered that had its power bv the eseron
OF this one Deputy precedent absurd, but so easily
Initiated could not foil to have the pernicious eff
fec'3."-Thc application might be made very striking
even in this our day OF youth and you please virtue and
panousH but the gloomy future which such an nstF,l-
lhc"t o anarchy holds forth probable, in decrepi-
tudc OF age under veterae vices and Incorporate fac
uons makes ~ wonder At the bolness which made the
advocates of Nuliicaun adopt for their scheme mama
so very Just in reference 10 its Dangers but truly alarm
ing The SeditOns of Rome and the anarchy OF Poland
ne1 'orn ,or our imitation III an age, when we had
battered ourselves that great sun OF light had burst forth
upon us IN the science Of Government which
to us the fruits Of free aud sober deliberations and wise and
learned Judgments instead OF those clumsy formations
turbulence and ignorance, and intrigue and chance.
IT'S perfectly idle TO talk OF internal checks among soye
reigns Sovereign power il the only admissible checL
among sovereign States. To prescribe laws where there
Is sanction 'oeniorce them, provoke the dsobedence
oil me strong aud the aggression OF the UNJUST and 10 en-
been attempted, f at all with success This boas,ad die
covsry 'hiS conservative spirit OF anarchy is therefore
Min2', example aud equally without the support of any
'Fletoher's History OF Poland fCassimir.