Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1835-06-29
POLITICAL.
From the National inteuiseneer.
THE PROSPECT BEFORE US.-No. ".

the PkoSPECG BEFORE US.-No. ~
However odious in its immediate bearings In
Spcils principle, which we have designated as tn
first principle of the dominant party, il is per $
not necessarily fatal the spirit of our institutions
The will of the People win still be the law, am
their Representatives still represent them, if, il
the progress of reform, the party had halted at h
line. But We mus bear in mind that there are So
veral principles which make up the aggregate u
the party creed, aud they are to be perpetaaied a
Hwhole in the event of the success of the object
ofthe Baltimore Convention.
Under the present Administration has bee,
preached, for the first time in our Republic lh
broad doctrine of INHERENT EXECUTIVE POWERS
the admission OF which, in connection with the frs
principle already discussed, resolves our system
government into simple DE>roTIsM-an eleetiy,
Despotsm. We have in fact realized already tn,
predictions of the most profound of the anti-icdc.
ralists, who, with untegucd disIrust, opposed til,
adoption OF the present Constitution. II Is indeed
under " Monarchy IA diSsaise' that live
We call our Chief Magistrate President. Bat
what is there in name 7 That officer actually
exercises power more arbitrary than either of the
monarclls OF Great Britain or France, and claims
still larger powers. which he may be- expected to
exercise, should the nominee OF the Baltimore
Convention be placed in a situation to perfect
the work" which has been " so elorou>y begun
by the popular citizen who now fills the Chief Ma
gistrac,.
Abuses may, howeycr, be committed in Govern
mcnt as we'll by msappcation OF power granted
BY the People, as by the assumption of powers no,
granted. Such an ahnse OF power We CONSIDER the
principle upon whiehtis refo poecr of the E,ecn-
tive has been exercised, during the reign OF the
party now in power in such a manner as tIst the
undoub'od will of the People, expressed and rctc-
rated, through their Representatives a, successive
sessions OF Congress, las been dcridcd contcn,cd,
and nulliiied by the President.
The veto feature Of the Constitution we believe
10 BE- itself an anomaly, which onqht to be cxpnnc-
I'd from the Constitution, whenever Republican
principles regain their asccndancy in our country,
and those OF -" the party are no longer dominant
But the power which il conlcrs becomes essen
tally iyranncal, and hostile to the spirit OF the
Constitution, when i, is exercised as it has been,
as legislative power, corresponding with that
which the Senate exercise, over propositions orr
ginating in the House Of Representatives, and the
latter body over these originating IN the Senate.
-" All Legislative power herein granted SAY, the
Constitution, shall be vested IN the Congress Of the
L ltcd States, which shlll consist of 4 Senate and
House ofReprcscntafisc~.' The President ha,
no proper share in the ordinary business al lce>ln-
non no other agency in it than " from time to
time to recommend 10 the consideration of Con
prcSS such measures n he shall nudge necessary
md cxprdicnt." Nut content, however, with tli,
right OF recommendation OF measure, to Conerc,,
the President has exercised the power Of defeating
measures deemed eNpedicnt by Congress, ms clcc-
lively as though the provision OF the Constitution
had run as follows: " All Legislative power shall
be vested in ConFress, which shall consist of a
President, Senate, and House OF Representatives"
lie has rplprIsl ulti,b In, l.
large maloritcs, dcpriving the two Houses of on
eress OF the opportunity of requesting upon them,
by Withholding them until after the adjournment
OF congress, thus mpalfng the clear authority OF
congress. lie has even gone far as To claim
TIM right OF originating bills for Congress To pass
upon, or, al least, 50 lar rs, IN putting his veto on
one important bill, TO intimate, a> reason for re-
letting II, that the Executive uishcs had not been
consulted before its mrplurtinn.' Such eyer
riscs OF the veto power are not the less nncou-
s'ituiional because they take shelter under the
literal authority OF the Constitution. Such "A DOW
ar as has been exercised systematically undel the
present Administration, by the President, ovrr the
legislation conhded 10 Congress. was never with
iu the contemplation ot tn trainers of the Con-
stu'on, bat j, wholly iorcieuto lis spirit and pun
pose.
One of the grounds, il :, true, ON which the in
was defended by Gae. HAMILTON, was 10 increase
the chances in favor Of The community AGAINST the
passing of bad laws through haste, inadyeftencc,
or design But this distinguished statesman was
well aware that is argument was two-edpcd
weapon aad cut both WAYS: for he could moi helm
admitting that the power It preventing bad laws
includes that OF preventing GOOD encS and may be
used to the one purpose we'll as To To the Other
WIN Whatever earnestne,S, indeed, TIN, nnutl.
was defended by the supporters of the CanSiilu-
hon, their argument comic, their sense OF its ar
o,trary nature al, Ia the pl aiding before the
icople, the consideration most relied npon h,
them to lF1pupte the Puhiie fNor towards it.
was, tina, the President would not venture IL mace
himself IN conflict with the Ngetior reieR and
mfacRcc Of the Lesisl tive body. except IN self
defence. How >hort-Siahtcd I, the clcarc,l bn,n
vision Lilc did Gen. in1i1 ron fnre>ee the
introduction into the administration orthc Ga,olu-
ment, OF an avoaed principle, clothing the ENccu-
i've with power then inronccivablr, in the maxim
that I" to the victors belong the Spoils !"
Ming of Great Britain (ead the author of
the Letters ofPrnIIus) wihali his train of FOREIGN
attributes and with all ha influence he draws from
thousand sources, would resort to every altcrna-
tive before he would risk the diSplcaSurc of the M
ton by an opposition To the sense Of the Leri~la-
tive Body nor would he venture TO exercise thc
power except IN c5s' of "eXtrcmr necessity -
That no such necessity In, existed in the ,;,>c, in
which the President has imprinted his Veto upon
the parchmcnts which Congrc>>I have placed 5cior,
him, is notorious for he lla, approved at one tim,
bills involving identically the same PRINCIPLES a,
those which he hasrejectcd al anothcr-appro>nr
lar pV nh of All, l. Il