Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Wayne County, Ind.) 1831-1837, 1836-06-25
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giving the veto powe! To the President, il
ca.rocf. il follow : ih2t they never could
have expected STAT lac who was constiiu-
ted the umpire hetsees ca'.sending fac
tons should eve, identity himself with the
interest OF one uf them, ard voluntarily
lrceee E;.seif( roa. the proud eminencc Of
leader O: i nation To thai OF party. can
easily conceive the exisience OF a state of
IA ngs by WHICH the Chef Magistrate efa
Stale may ee forced To act upn party
principles; but such course is entirely
opposed to all the Obligations which the
Co, .s,i,u,on imposes on President sf
the United States. The immense ,nflu-
ence he possesses viii always give to his
party the pgepoadcrance, aud the very
circumstance OF rs being an Executive
party viii be the cause Oi inscsiag moro
bitterness aud vindic,:ve feeling in these
domestic contests. U.Ger these circum-
stances, the qualified veto given BY the
Constitution may, if the President should
think proper 10 change its character, be-
come rs absolute in practice as that pos
sessed by the kings of England and France.
From the great variety OF local interests
acting upon the members O! the two I!on-
scs Of Congress and from the difficulty "C
keeping all the individuals Of large party
under 'he control OF party discipline, laws
will often lie passed by small majori;ies
adverse to the interests OF the dutnir.ant
party; tut if the President should taak
proper for The purpose 10 use the veto
power for :hc purpose Of prono!ing lii.
interests q: lli>: purity. il will be III vain Ia
,expeci that m.j,.i!y 30 large as ,we-
thirds in 10th Houses would te found ~
lopposiii ion I" his wishes. Ia the hands os
such a President, the GU Lifted veto Of the
Constitution would in practice become
absolute.
have. upon another occasion, express
sed my views upon the danger Of a domi-
nan: Executive party. II may, perhaps, be
SAID that the Chief Magistrate will 6nd II
impossible to avoid tie influence Of party
spirit. Several of our Chief Mag ssirat~s,
however, have been able to escape its in.
fluence; or, what is the same thing, 10
act as ii they did no, feel IT, As one
mode Of avoiding it, il would be my aim to
interfere with the Legislation Of Congress
as little as possible. The clause in the
Constitution which makes j; the duty Of
the President to give Congress information
Of tho state Of the Union, aud to recon-
INC nd 10 their consideration such measures
las he shall Judge necessary and expedienf,
could never be intended to make him tho
source Of Legislation. Information should
always be frankly given, and reconmem
dations upon such matters as come moro
under his cogDizlncc than
theirs. But there Il should end. IL he
should undertake to prepare the business
|oflegislation 70, the action of Congress, or
~ assume the character of code maker fOs
the nation. the personal interest which no
will take in the success Of his measures
will necessarily cow, ri him into partisan,
and will totally incaInciia,e him for per
forming the part ofthat impartial umpire,
which is the character that have supposed
the Constitution intends him to assume,
wien the acts passed by the Legislature
ere submitted t. his decision. l do NOT
think it by any means necessary that Ae
should take the lead as reformer, even.
when reformation is, IN his opinion neces-
sarv. Kerorrners will he never wanting
when it is well understood that the power
which wiclds the whole patronage OF tho
nation will not oppose the reformation.
! have the ionor, 10 be, with great con-
side.a,ion and respect, sir, your humble
servant, w. II. HAkKiSON.
To the Hon. She,roi Williams.
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