Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1840-10-15

Consrcss given by the Constitution to
the President |, vas designed accord.
ing 10 the opinion OF Mi Jefferson, in bis
advice 10 President Washington on the
occasion Of The first charter OF the bank
OF the United Stsieyl asa 1irid 10 pro
tect the other departments Of the iedeIai
government and the right, OF the States
and State governments, against invasions
OF The federal Legislature as a check up'
on TASTY, ambitious. corrupt. and cisar-
iy' unconstitutional legislation. Wash
ington interpreted hIs NEGATIVE only OF
one occasion that we remember. namely:
on the first act Tor apporiioniny repre-
sen'1'Ives IA Congress, whereby the Pc.
pulation'oi the States was amalsana.ed
into one mass. Madison exercised The
Executive veto bat twice m cases which
involving no material consequence. need
not &c paftlculariZed. The use. or rather
the abuse, Of which this power was capa-
bic. was never understood. until ptcsi.
dent Jackson exeried il so frequently. on
such diverse occasions and IN such va.
ne'y nj forms. as 10 make Il quite appa-
rent, that this qualified negative i caps.
bic OF being converted into On instrument
10 direc, and control the whole action OF
Congress; 10 make federal legislation. IN
truth aud effect the expression Of the Ex-
ecu,ivc Will. dictated To Congress and
embodied into form OF law, instead OF be-
ing the expression O: the vii, of the re.
preseniaiives OF the people and uf the
States lie went 50 far. in his veto on
the bill FOR roChaTicung the bank OF the
United States, as 10 suggest. that Con-
gross ough. 20 have consulted him before
they proceeded TO act on the subject. in
which case he would have given them the
scheme OF national bank 10 which be
would have given his approval.
We call the attention Of our fellow -ci.i.
zens 20 a signal instance OF the exercise
the veto power by President Jackson be-
cause 1t IS remarkable in i'self both IN
respect 90 the subject 20 which II was ap.
Piled and the manner OF is application,
AID because il j. one in which the hd-
mInis.fa,ion of President Van Buren is di-
rectly implicated with that of his pre6c-
cesSor. Dufing the recess Of Congress IN
1876. the Secretary Of the Treasury, by
the directions Of the President. issued an
order, commonly called the specie circu-
i0r,l instrucjIng the receivers of moneys
arising from tie sales OF public lands. 20
demand and receive gold and silver only
from all purchasers. The measure was
/ IN fact, an alteration - an existing prOyI.
sion Of the laws, which authorized the re-
ceipt and payment OF The notes OF specie
/ paying banks and like alteration had
been proposed at the preceding session Of
Congress but met with no couricnancc.
|, was OF his own Independent authority
tina! the Presiden, thought proper 10 d..
rect the specie circular At The following
session of lS3G-7, an act Of Congress
was passed, Cautiously framed however
10 avoid giving offence 10 the President }
the purpose OF which was, and the effect
would have been, 10 snnul the specie CIR
| cuilr. The act was prescnted 10 the Pre-.
sldent within ten days, next before The
termination OF the session OF Congress,
and Of bis own term OF office but he
would moi act upon i, all: he applied one
OF his peculiar forms of executive veto
and pooksfsd The act. President Van Blu.
rem succeeded and though thus distinct
ly arprised of the opinion and the vii. If
Congress on the subject "a subject IN is
nature, peculiarly, II not exclusively,
proper Tor legislative consideration be
/ del'ba,a,eIv f9,eborc =, root. Tho moi,
c;,l,L,r a. nc,.;.,.I T., ,I.scy.r,.,.'., ~,
~ 4, N, orJc, lad n,;,i,,li, Leeo =.
sn.I ., The ,ut,o,;,y az tbr cvern,,y,.
,Io,o :, 40. !, he 80, :, riot, ~ -,
at any tine and !, was his duty 20 revoke
/ II 10 difference - the dcCAred opinion OF
I Corrre.s Hu, IN n, foe..,se - C,,.
s,e.s a, he 90, .s..;,, "a 9.,,c,,,br,
/ Is37 Ni,hsnt Ir,gning 4, nolicr lie ac,
which ,bey lad rs...d and n. ,,,rdeee,
sct had .n,,rned he c,.llv -. C,,n.eI Con
rrsss al =. ,,,r,,ve5 ,od t,l ,sr.,.,sd
IN lie or5er q. ssi5- "Tbe ,eyeonc
from land. rad bceo ar .orctirr.c a., c.l.
I.cted. m, sneli.1 .,unler tbc ODD, /.
ssed by tie directions Of nv YeJeres.or.
The effects II tb,, order mad becn "a.
ilutary and IL. forecast IN rc,,rd 10 The
iocrcasins ,,seruf,iv oC mt r,r.r L,I
become SO asn,re,i that even before lie
caiasirsphe" .be su.peo.;5n of specie