Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1840-03-12

tee safns shaH De a lar, an lake hsannev, % IL he
had signed H." This very provision OF the Conssi-
tuition, then. showing that a Bill may " become .
Law" without tho concurrence Of The President.
gives not the slighest supp.ss to tho s~wceping
claim now Brought forward by him. that tho Exc
sutivc forms a component part Of the Legislative
power; y while thar claim, a. already remarked, 10
most eusphaticaliy Icpadlcted and condemned BY
the Ersi iias Of the Constitution. which declares
that al Legislative powers hercin granted are
vested in the two Houses ~ Congress.
IL this extraordinary declaration Of the rscsiden,
were a mere bar rem theory, revolving ~ Il 10 to the
understanding, Ia might b. permitted to pass With
out the expression OF any other sentiment than thu
OF special wonder that q statesman who had
passed through y succession Of public trusts to The
very highest known to the Constitution, should 10
strangely have mistaken both the text AID the spirit
OF The great charter" by which no holds bis Of
6ce. and which. III limiting and defining te powers
and duties OF public functioaafies, intended To give
the highest practical security to the public liberties.
But Is Is no empty speculation on the part 81 The
President. II shews the ovcrweening anxiety with
which he IL intent on the assertion of Erecafite
prercgafise, and the enlargement OF his own pow
ers, and how prone he 10 TO coniound the Abu-
ses Of Executive infusncs over the Legislative
department in thu practical Naturalization Of the
Government, (Which he himself, by his .ystem OF
party discipline. has so largely contributed 10 intro
duce,) with the sacred text Of tho Constitution IL
sell. This nav Executive reading of the Consii
tuition was, doubtless, intended, and has been 40 in
terproted by tho Presidents own party, to claim .
wide latitude in tho use and application u The veto
power for, IL tho Executive be a component part
OF the Legislative power" he would be justified In
withholding his approval OF any act OF Legislation,
on tho same principles which would justify tho non.
concurrence OF any other component part oil the
Lsgislaturs-of the SENATE or Ho,ssc Of Represen-
ta,ives, for example, in respectively deciding on
MN. aut fexstn nn, Houoa m fba uthrr. Md. M n
mere difference Of opinion ~ 10 the szpedsehcy OF
the measurr proposed, has ever been held 10 justi-
fy one House in rejecting II Bill passed by tho 9TH
er, so a like difference Of opinion, under this new
reading OF thu Constitution, would justify the Pre-
sideDt, IS a component part OF the Legislative
power" in applying the qualified negative or veto,
which the Constitution gives foI special and extra
ordinary occasions, to any act Of Legislation passed
By tho two Houses. Of the cxpeJienry Of which he
may not entertain the same views that they do.
To shew how utterly Inconsistent this new view
Of the appliwa,ion of the Presidential veto Is with
the old Republican doctrines. J need only refer you
TO MIR. JEFysRsox's official opinion presented to
Gen. WAsHtkaTos On the eonsutntionaliy Of the
Bank charter in 1921. in which he ssys. tho yslo
was intended by the Constitution IA a shield 10 pro-
tect the constitutional rights II tho .Siafes and n
Ms coordinate departments IF The Government
from ne inrasions 81 He Legislature. and oven IN
such cases, it ought NOT be ipicfposed. unless thr
question should appear TO the mind OF the President
"a be a CLEAR one, and free from all reasonable
doubt. IT, however. under the novel theory broacfi !
ed by the prcssn, Chief Magistrate. this high and
delicate power from BE- iDg " the extreme medicine,
ia 10 tcrums the daily food Of the Constitution, !
and may be lsgitimasciy used To rsrest en- ordinary
act of Legislation. upon a mere diasreace of opiai.
on a. 10 its rxpediency, itis plain. that y ~si ks al :
once . fundamental seseluuDn in our Republican
s,ssem, im~psftiI,g To- ths Executive power an irre-
.....hln a~xast ard eu.lltua fhs ftreltetsf An ,faes 4
tice, hnbituaily to SET at nsught the decisions 81 The
Legislative department; for, WITH the great inAn-
encs his station cnnfcrs, he can rarely. fever, fail
to command the support VI oae-fkird OF one OF the
other OF the Two Houses Of Congress-, which would
BE- sufficient to sustain his negative, and thus put II
in his power, by his single fiat. 10 control all the
rest Of both Bodies Of the Legislature.
In relation to the dang erons schemes Of radical
innovation, heretofore recommended and snconra-
eed by the presiden, on the subject Of the currency.
and 20 deeply affecting those daily Interests Of life {
which " come home TO the %basiness and bosoms of .
men, the late Message, instead Of disclosing any
salutary modification OF his former opinions. te-pro- 9
duces those opinions, 10 q note naked, upcqnivocaI, !
aud alarming form, thnn they have escr, heretofore. y
been presented. 1t is evident, whatever may baee |,
been said BY his p~artisans to tho contrary. tina, be :
aims a, a total overthrow ard destruction OF the TX ,
isting monetary system Of The country, aud moi mere y
Nv al a safe aud prudent reform OF the errors and 2
abuses which may hnye attended il. hfer speak, !
ing Of certain gross irregularities in the course Of !
business lately pursued by the PENNSYLVANIA Bank
Of the United States. and Que or iva orther Banks, '
irregularities for which the sys,em. in general, esn. !
not, with Justice, be held answrfahlc, inr they con '
sisted in an arkno~ lodged abandonment OF the ion' J
damcnlal principles and designs Of banking, and =
"a deviation, a. the Presiden, hiinselfsass, from !
The former course of business in lhi, country no !
proceeds 10 exhibit n highly wrought picture OF the I
II - ..l.xutt,~a ,.i,.t ep.nad and then Uro- 1
nonnccs his " deienda est Carthage" against the 7
whole system, in the sweeping derlarstion thai 9
These consequences are inherent IN the present :
sysieml-ihey are not Influenced by the Backs being )
large or small. created By National or State Go- .
vernments-they are the results Of the rres'si6n :
laws oftrsde and ertat." lie follow up this de- :
claration with much more about the evils OF "a I
eYeh currency" and the injuries Inflicted "by the .
rssiatrss laws OF a credit cuitenc, and a credit .
trnde," and finally, AFTER earnestly urging tic policy :
and duty OF the General Dotsrnment to collect 10 {
dues and pay It's debts in gold and silver, ho says :
very Significantly, that its example IN 80 dong,
would serve as "a rsllying point by which our
~hoie eoanfyy may lac brought tack TO that safe !
and honored standard" Now this certainly sounds :
very much like an exclusive hard money curtency. q
II is lriic that the President, in another peri OF bis
Message, SAYS, that in a country 50 commercial
as ours, Banks, in some form, will probably always
exia:'' but ii 10 evident, from what he says. IN the
same coBiiection. that he means 20 ssclude Tanks
OF circulation. as now existing. AID il ee have Banks
a, all, they are 10 be Banks of derosiis, confined in
their operations 10 their specie basis. o something
Of thai sort, which would virtually operate, - all in
tents and purposes, as an exclusive hard money cor
rency.
Ny pur pose now is NOT 10 disrnss ihcss exfraordina
~ opinions aid recommendation Of The President,
OF to point out the ruinous Consequences which SO
total a revolution in The monetary systein OF the
.,. 1890 L.f.a ustt. - "a. "a. eiass At sOrlf- |
~. creditors, and sslat,rd officers. as have bef,te
remarked, alone excepted. THIS has been done
With far more ability than I can pretend 10. by one
10 The nbleet and most distinguished wIiiers on po-