Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1841-09-25

assert any SuCn pretenSlon> But as the
question has arisen, will for one say that
the President, in our system, being alone
responsible for its official conduct, and in
peculiar and emphatic manner for the ex-
ercise of the veto power, can legtimately
acknowledge no control in these high
functions but that of his conscience.
The Senator must be persuaded that no.
thing is further from my intention than to
misrepresent his sentiments: but the Justice
| feel due to high officer, who has dischar-
ged, as President Tyler has done, a solemn
and deeply responsible obligation to the
Constitution and to his country, demands
that he should be shielded from the insnu-
alton of having acted in any manner in
violation of the claims of good faith to
these who raised him, by their voices, to
has elevated station.
The Senator intmated that when offering
his last amendment to the bill, as a cOmpr0-
mise, he believed that that amendment
would be acceptable here and elsewhere
to the President as well as his friends.
do not know whence the honorable Sena-
tor derived such an impression.
"a Mr.. Clay. The Senator again mistakes
lily IullHud1C. 1 Sdll ulu DOI hilON
whether the amendment would be accepta-
bic or not but hoped that it would be ac-
ceptable, not only here, but elsewhere.
l have only to say, then, said Mr.. R.,
that can see no adequate foundation for
such hope in any of the public procce-
dings connected with this bill.
Let me now give the history of the affair
as it appears in documentary evidence
Was it not well understood at the COM
mencemcnt of our session, that there were
serious constitutional difficulties in the Ex-
ccutive Department in regard to an old
fashioned Bank of the United States!-
Were not these difficulties plainly referred
TO in the report of the Secretary of the
Treasury! And did not the honorable
Senator himself call upon that officer for
the details of plan which should be free
from constitutional difficulties! And was
it not understood that the plan submitted
in answer to that call, contained the ultima
tum of the President, after full consulta-
ton with his official advisers! And what
was the sine qua non in that plan! Was it
not the unqualified previous assent of the
States to branches in their limits! But
the Senator will not, am sure. contend
that this compromise amendment $50 called
did provide for an unqualified previous as
sent of the States.
The Senator complains of the manner
in which the President has expressed him
self in the message. Whatever in some
passages Of that paper, may appear to the
honorable Senator from Kentucky as harsh,
or at least, too energetic, nothing, am sure.
was further from the mind of the President
than to use language which might seem
wanting in respect to this body. or any
member of it. lie knows too well the
high and dignified courtesy which should
preside over the relations of the co-Ordi-
nate departments Of the Government, to in
dulge for a moment, any feeling inconsis-
tent with that courtesy. If, in the force
and Garncstness Of his convictions, he has
used language of corresponding energy, it
must be set down to that account alone
and may plead some indulgence from the
honorable Senator in whose bold and COM
handing eloquence words are wont to bear
the impress of his own tcrvid conceptions.
have few words now to say as to the
alternatives which the Senator tells us the
President ought to have embraced rather
than to have returned this bill with objec-
tons. The first of these alternatives was
to suffer the bill, unsigned, TO become a law
after the lapse of ten days as provided in
the Constitution. And what would this be
but an ignomlnious retreat from duty, in
stead of manfully and boldly meeting the
responsibility of his high station! With all
respect for the honorable and distinguished
Senator. will say that he himself is the last,
the very last man, to practice what he
breaches. Let him point us to a single cir
cumstance in his own GLORIOUS example"
which would sanction any thing like skull
king from duty. Never, never. What are
the principles on which the Constitution is
founded Is not the Executive department
coordinate with the Legislative, and in
tended to check, when occasion requires,
an improper exercise of the Legislative au-
thority! The Constitution supposes that
such an exercise of the Legislative power
may sometimes happen. 1t takes it for
granted, that Congress may, in an unguard-
cd moment, invade the rights Of the States,
or commit other violations of the instru-
ment which defines its powers. Hence it
places in the hand of the President the We
to power, that he may stand in the breach.
and, in the language Of his official OATH de-
fend, preseye and protect the Constitution.
| am proud to say for the President that
such an alternative as letting the bill become
law by the lapse of the ten days, however
it may have presented itself to the magma
t;on - 6 thy, bnDor,I,Io Soo,,o, oo,,o, or,o