Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-04-03
COMMUNICATIONS.
,,,-,,. FOR TIE E-NRTTRER
MISCELLANEOUS REFLECTIONS Of TIE APOsTACY OF


WILLIAM c. RlVES.
Deatcdtcd to The Democracy Of prginia-tNo. .
bu! the most remarkable and ridiculous accusation
which this aposta,e has been pleased to prefer against
'he PRESIDENT is that wherein he dcnounces him with
ont rhyme reason, for having declared that ''the
Executive forms component part of the legislative
power Now here is doctrine not only uneXcep.
lionahle, but which is positively and undeniably con-
tanned in the Constitution; and one bat
pnious and hothcaded renegade would have stopped to
The shallow and shameless bubbles which William G.
itives has invoked in this behalf. Let u.s. however,
listen to him for moment: "Wherc can the President
md any l',hs Il give color TO dangerous dogma
The rcry first line of the Constitution of the IT, s de-
c'slvey repudiates il by expressly declaring, that all
legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in the
Congress OF the L. s., which shall consist of Senate
and House of Representatives. sWill the President
endeavor TO find some sanction to this bold pretenson
IL that prorison 81 TIC Constitution nchich directs that
"a bal has passed the two Houses of Congress,
it shall be presented TO the President fer his signature
aud he refuses TO sign it, he may return it with his
objections to the House in which it originated, &c,
&c. To all this rgmaroe statement we might reply,
LIST. That the Executive certainly forms component
part OF the Legislative power, account Of that p0Src
provision in the Constitution which subjects al laws
he qualified negative of the President Can any thing
become law of the land wthou: the assent of the
President, unless n majority of twoth-as, (Which in
practice be but seldom obtaned,) shall override
this necessity; Is it no., Een, uicnabe and selfev-
DENT that, according To the Constitution and under
ccItatH c@::1U0nS, the Executive constituent part
of the iommasine power: 2ndly. That this alluson
to the first line of the Constitution is mere quibbe
because II is here the shape of vague and general
rule, subject, however to the restrictions and specific
purposes which clearly defined in other parts of the
same instrument. And the limitation to this vague
principle of the jS Ge Of re Constitution ound
in section 9TH and lst article of the same by virtue Of
which, the President is declared with some restrictions
and corain cases part of the law making ro."tr
:dly. That this doctrine, far ron being ne W. dan
gerous and extraordinary, a. his disappointed politician
would have to believe, has, on the contrary been
repeatedly and substantially affirmed heretofore by
some of our public men, without its being INA
Cned that ii involved the least possible danger a~nnst
the Republican theory of Government or the pre-
scrvaton o our free Institutions aad, among other in
stances in which it has been promulgated now recollect
one which Will here receI ailude 10 the famous Pro-
:cat of Gen. Jackson in 1884 in which document this
Identical! doctrine IS asserted and maintained in
paragraph, wlo:" Gca Jackson says that ''te
Legislative pv"cs s"Jsd TO the qualified negnse q
die FrcSid,Al, is vested ~ - C@asrrss "r tie United
States, &c and again, where he says "But although
for the special purposes which have been mentioned,
there is az OccaSVnai Ht,,G-,.~c IF The pot5crS 0t the
difcrcnt dcpartmcpts, &c, &c. And, yet wondc7!;.!
to say this Protest advocated and approved cf i"
William c. Rivcs at that time, without urgng SIN
&c solitary objection or comnlairt aranstIt Surely
surely the patriotism exhibited by this individual
Ie and unprecedented kind; it would
appear that principicS are nothing to him-and men
every thing: since III his opinion the doctrines
dangerous and atrocous, if proclaimed by man,
but they TO be suc, and entircy harmless if
grrcti$rd by another Ecn, BIZ: the IS not all
AT Il time when the whole Wing party were thunder
ing their anathcmas and dcnuuncing dcspotic the
frequent exercise Of this Veto power By Gen Jackson,
arherc, ask, tins ''eevcnth hour patriot" Will
liam c. Rives, who affects to entertain such deep
jealousy concerning tins power when III the HANDS Of
prudent and temperate Chief Magistrate,
YER EEsoRTEp TO IT ~ SINGLE INSTANCE: Will tell
iEafrou MIv R ! s%as ,Hsq Lbs f"s battling
the Veto, which he rccklessy and unworthly IN
vokes to his aid! ica he contcnding for and de-
Tending the almost annual exercise of this power by
Gen Jackson, which, however, lie now puritanica!!y
hectares 10 be s'lhc crrGMc remedy, ana which 0ugE
not 10 become "thc daily food OF the Constitution.
And in his speech the removal Of the Dcpositcs t'.
fnusium nomen) he took occasion to reply TO some oi
Mr. Cay's bitter dcnuncations against the frequent
exercise OF the Veto b. Cen Jackson and the follow
ing is an extract from the same:
fItroet from Ha,. C. Rres's Speech 81 1924.
srhe honorable ~, with deep and ''o"ntn pa
hos that in the midst "l revolution agree VIII ma
sir we are the midst cyoutnn-u happy and suspicious
reroluo like civil revolution OF $780, which according 10
Mr. Jefferson rc" revolution in the principles, as that Of
lion in the principles Of the have
pscd during the last five years Of its administration In il,
the Government brought back 10 lis Ike
publican tack from the esiatinn~ Of power INTO
co,rup, system Internal improvements Under the patronage
Federal authority arrested and those great local interests r"ed
we have seen the Rank tie frstborn usurpatons,
efforts IL peciate lis existence, and !" confirm ITS
triumph the sancy "i the t"n>titoIwc nave SEEM u
nally the american Sy.ra ~ The Senator from Ecuchn 3isa
which Of the south have I"lt I" hG nc, no, ct roc
linn u If opprn. that, partially
;irnwi abandoned lIrrr inccd is apf! ' oTis re-
volunu VIII" have cherished the cardinal principles "i
limited constitutional construction, :" freedom ., ,n.s,!, :"
equality public hl: Aud for these treat results we are III
who p.ides "ver The administrator Of The 'o''f!eh-
sustained =, ~" v'rruus confidence Of = fee People
have, the a,cniic and positive declaration Of u Sc
major from kentucky himself made this floor during the last
SESSION. il the known ana determined Oppose
il was would be- by an increased popular support III the
preset; Congress, that the Hon Senator consented 1" Yield what
did the compromise of last winter The other
great national policy hay" been accomplished by the III
agency Of that h "%e .n % s @ "",n " Ii f.,
protection just rights Of the States and which he has ilt
fully and firmly welded for that object Used Sir rs that power
has bern cannu; Syp,hizc in the sentiments of indignant
prollton which its exercise has been denounced ny the &c
major from Kentucky. is Sir which has been cNeed
in the best constitutional England and of country
England William the Third "a venera"n for whose memory
pronounced by late writer on the constitutional history :"
England 10 of English Whssm,l exercised ian
rendered necessary aud Justified we ere told ny o
historians of the times by The existence OF - strong ra! III
the Of Lords who entertained deep dtsis's orr own
Conscientious more ser.pnouS ~ w, use ., p"., wv M
yicr discharge Il" duty did not hesitate 10 exercise H.
The limited opportunities Of research have % scd no less
than half instances in which he rcsorrd 10 the tElo-
of those during The irs' tern OF ms rissifsny, M" %
yey last his public life thus rendering an appropriate ana
impressive homas5 ;oic Constitution, ." rns nom ~ aes
chief Magistrates of alarm for the liberties OF the con
uy." :
iih. e. Rires at time when the Veto power had been
frequently almost an"naAD exercised by Gen !'ck'
SON Nay he went far a 10 cite English presidents
in favor Of its frequent exercise In the face OF these
facts then who there supple or so crednous as 10
believe in the sincerity Of his present pretended fears
and jealousy with regard to this reto power, when
safely lodged with President wo so iaf iio"' wish
nr to strengthen it las this tcrgvcrsator caumnlous
IL nsinuatesl is as vet innocent of its exercise in any
one instance and has Stunned its and influence al
together:
Nothing can be wicked or disngenuous, than 10
attribute TO Mr. Van Buren, the doctrine that ito the
victor beonr the spois" VIXEN is known that this IS
base faIsehood, and that he made such decla-
ration. Even admitting that Gov. Marcy declared it
as bis own maxim is it fair, honorable or just to visit
the President with he sins OF others: But&e oeaGty
of tho thnr is that this CHARGE against Gov Marcy is
Of many gears standing and VIM &. Rives kno'es that
it was urged by the Wings al time when he himself