Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1841-03-11

applied, IL may be overcome by ave To OF two
funds oi both houses uf Congress. The
negative upon the acts oi the Legislative, by
the Executive sui.mrliy. aud that ~ The hoads
Of one md, Iduai, would s,'m 10 be OIL IA
r5ngrulty ~ our system. Lake come o'hers
oi a similar character however, appears 20
be- highly cxpcdWni, aud II used only with
the ioibraruncc. and IN ihs spirit wh'ch was
intended by its authors, II mny be- productive
of great good, nHd be found one vt thc best
suiegun rds 10 the Union.
Al the period OF the foundation of the
constitution, the principle does not appear to
have enjoyed much favor IN The state govern
incnts. IL existed bat in two, aud IN one o'
these There was plural Executive. II w.
would search .ur the motives witch operated
upon the purely patriotic and e"hghWhto
assembly which framed the constitution, Tor
the adoption at provision 50 apparently re-
pugRant TO the leading democratic pruclpl',
That the niai Irity should govern, VIC must re-
Jet ,h" idea thai lhcy anticipated from II any
hrneft Ia the otuusry r0uIse of legislation.
Thcv knew too welt thr high degree OF IN
irlliLetce which existed among the people.
and the enlightened character Of the state
Legislatures, not TO have the fullest conf.
deuce ihat the two bodies elected by them
con,,ucnts, aud, OF course, that they would
require no nd IN concciying and maturing
the measures which the circumstances oi
The country might rcqrlre. Aud It - pre-
pus,crous To suppose that thought could for
moment have been entertained that the
President, placed at the capital III the centre
vi the country, could better understand the
wants aud The wishes of the people than
their own immediate representatives, who
,prnd part oi every year among them.
living with them, often laborlng with them.
ond bound 10 them by the triple TIC Of IN
tcresl, duty and uh ctIOn.
10 assist or control Congress. then, ~ IT.
ordinary leg'laioD, could not, CONCEIVE,
have been the motive for cOncrrng the veto
power on The President. This argument ac-
urius additional force from the fact OF IT.
never having been thus used by the first SIX
Presidents, and two OF them were mem
b,rs of The Convention, ono presiding over
its deliberations, and the other having lar
ger share IN communicating the labors OF that
august body Than any other person. But 1t
bills were never returned To Congress by
either of the Presidents above referred 10,
upon the ground of their being incxpcdient,
or not as well adapted as they might be To
the wants OF the people, the veto was applied
Upon that OF want II conformity 10 the Con-
riitutlon, or b, cunse errors had been com
united IRON n too hasly enactment,
There is another ground for the adoption
Of the veto principle, which had probably
more influence IN recommending Il To the con-
yrntIon than any oi her; refer 10 the secu
rty which 1t gives Ia the just and equitable
action of the Legislature upon all parts OF
the Union. ltcuuld not but have occurred
to the convention that, ~ country so cx-
trEsive. embracing so great variety OF soil
and climate and consequently OF products,
and which, from the same causes, must ever
exhibit great difference IN the amount OF
the population uf its various sections, cal
lIng Tor great diversity IN the cniploymcnts
Of the people, that the legislation OF the
mnjoIiiy might not always Justly regard The
rights and interests OF the minority. And
that acts o: that character might be passed,
under an express grant by the words OF the
constitution, aud, therefore, not within The
competency of the judiciary 10 declare void.
That however enlightened and patriotic
they might suppose, from past experience,
the memb,rs ot Congress might be, ana
how,ver largely partaklug IN the general, OF
The llbsral feelings OF the people, 1t was IN,
possible to expect That bodies so constituted
should not sourtIme be controlled by local
interests and sectional feelings. Ii was pro-
per- therefore, Ia provide some umpire from
whose situation aud mode Of appointment
mnIe ind,peld. nee and freedom from such
influences might bc expected. Sdch one
was afforded by the Executive Department,
constituted by the constitution. A person
el, ctcd to that high office, having his con.
s,ilucnis in every section, state and sub dl-
Al. T,t, tI,sr hlInsnlt
bound by the most solemn sanctions, to-
Qusrd, protect, and defend the rights OF all,
aud OF every portion, great or small, from
the injustice and oppression OF the rest.
consider the veto power, therefore, gwen
by the constitution to the Executive oi the |
United States. solely as conservative power.
To be used only, Ist 10 protect the conSil'
tuition from violation 2dly, the People from
the fleets OF has,y legislation, where their
will has been probably dlsrcgnrdcd or not
well under.toud; and, 3dly, 10 prevent the
effects of combinations voatiye OF the rights L
ut minnrics. In reference TO the second oi
these objects, lmay observe that consider
/, the t,2ht aud privilege OF the People TO
dec lde disputed points of the constitution,
arising from the general grant oi power to
Congress to carry u,o effect tile powers cx-
prvssly given. And | believe. with Mr..
Madison, "lhat repeated rccogntlons under
varied circumstances, III acts ui The lesnla-
i've, excru,iyc, and Judicial branches OF the
Government, accompanied by Indications III
different modes ot the concurrence of the
general will Of the nation as aitordIng 10
the President sufficient authority Tor his con
sdering such disputed points as settled"
Upward OF half century has claspcd
since the adoption Of our present form OF
government. 1t would be an object more
highly desirable than the qualification Of the
curiosity of speculative statesmen, IT It's pre-
CIse situation could be ascertained,a tair
exhibit made Of the operations of each OF
ils Departments, Of the powers which they
respectively claim aud exercise, Of the COLI
sioDs which have occurred between them, or
between the whole Government aud those OF
The States, or either of them. We could
ihen compare our actual condition, after fifty
wars trial OF our system, with what II was
M the commencement OF lis operations. and
ascertain whether The predictions ot The
PAIN vbo opposed lis adoption, or the con-
hdrpi huprs of lis advocates, have hecn best
nsli1cd. 1hc great dread of the former
sr,n,, to hny" been, that the reserved pow
era Of the States would be nbsnrbod by those
ci he frGrrai Government, and a consolI-
fupd INN ar C-iuhlI- he'd. leaving tD The States