The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-09-21

REFLECTIONS ON THE VETO
| No. l.
| The selfconstituted leaders ofthe Wing party seem
determined TO urge the party itself to destruction
ther than forego the qualification of their feelings of
personal spleen. They have now openly and formal
ly assumed position, and drawn broad line OF de
marcation between themselves and the Adminis,ra-
| uon which renders it necessary for all Wings, who
are not party men. to pause and reflect deeply
whether the falure--or rather the postponernen-of
out of many is, either in the fact or the
manner of il, sufficient for this declaration Of
! an uncompromising against the Administration
whether they will rally to the support Of that Admin
istration until they convinced that is acluated by
designs and motives incompatible with the public
good "rally under the banner" waived by the Joint
committees and approved by the distinguished sena
tor from Kentucky, under which they assured that
defeat is impossible, and triumphant success ine,
table"
There might perhaps be less nducement 10 hesitate
if they accustomed and Injured TO success and
we're rallying under the auspices of leader who had
never failed to show them the way victory whose
motives on this occasion, were beyond all question
perfectly pure, disnterested and patriotic and who
pointed To cause of quarrel which would most infh
libby assure them the hearty support of the Of
the people, but after so long and arduous struggle
in which victory came at last only after change of
leaders, il is question of deep and anxious interest
whether they shall voluntarily once more upon
the field Of political strife, stripped Of the which
success had placed in hands" whether the people
will be likely TO justify them. particularly this crisis
in our foreign relations, in provoking and wagng ano
Their party Conflict OF unequaed aspertyn for the
purpose Of "plucking" the veto power fl ON the Con-
stilution and rendering the office of Chief Magis-
trate nulty, with the Interior view of being able to
fasen National Bank upon the country by the force
of simple majorities in the two Houses of Congress
The immediate of quarrel ought at least to be
one which involves no inconsistency with Wing
doctrines and professions. But is this the case at
PRESENT.
1t is true that the Wing party, during the two last
Administrations, have declared their opposition to the
exercise Of the Veto power rather, perhaps, from
the fact that il had always BEEN and was likely TO be-
until change OF parties in power, exercised against
their views than from the connection, proclaim
ed that feature of the Constitution which had been
above all others, an1iousy and thoroughly discussed
in the Convention which framed it, was in selfdan
gerous unnecessary to the welfare of the people
There wide and difference between opposition
TO President, the ground of an INSCRIPTIONS or
too frequent exercise of the Veto power and opposi
ton to the Veto power ITSELF the abstract as one of
the most important and essential features of the Fede
raj Constitution.
When some few ignorant zealols of the Jackson
party at one time suggested that the Senate a
useless body, and ought be abolished because its OPT
MONS did not happen to be always in accordance with
those Of the favorite President it thought that
their follyAnd absurdity had reached its cmay. But
the idea upon which they made this proposition
precisely and idencaly that Of the great and enght
ened statesman who now proposes to abolish the Veto
power--he idea that the General Government-the
Federal Governments bound to obey in all things,
the wishes Of the majority ofthe People represent
ed by either of those branches Of the National Legis
latnre which Immediately elected by the People
It is well known TO any who has the slightest
idea of the nature of Constitution that the Veto
power backed by one than third of either
House of Congress is the only barrier which exists
against encroachment upon the Constitution or upon
the rights Of the States by accidental maorty.in
the National Legislature. 1t is this feature alone in
the Constitution which, in point of fact and prac-
cay, affords any security that the Constitution will
retain that peculiar form which statesmen of all parties
have pretended to admire as promising the greatest
degree of efficiency and durability to the Union II
10 the Veto power alone which in fact constitutes the
third ordinate branch of the National Legislatures
II would be just reasonable propose abolish the
Senate the Veto power. Athe arguments that could
be urged in support of the proposition, would apply
equally to the other. A majority of the Senate has
~
the Representatives than the President has, by the
exercise of the Veto. The President indeed has the
better right, being chosen directly by the People
He is the barrier against encroachments the ber-
ties of the People by corrupt majoriiies in Congress
To propose the abolition of either is, in fact nothing
than proposing the consolidation of the Federal
Government certain to be followed chher
by despolic central government, or dissolution Of
the Union, The night follows the day.
No, only the Veto power, in any shape, but the
act extent Of it, subject of deep and socious
consideration with the trainers of The Constitution
and is hardly probable that any convention called
together, and animated perhaps by party spirit would
be able toamend that feature in applauded form Of
Government. The trainers Of our Constitution We're
at least free from party spirit they BIASED, at
most, by predictions for different forms Of Govern
ment- but the preference fol- free and popular form
certainly prevailed.
There siso little probability, however that any
venton be called together tor the purpose
proclaimed by Mr.. Clay, that discussion of the Veto
power is little better than idle But show that the
recent exercise Of that power by the President not
asserted contrary TO the intent and design OF it, the
following extract may be made from Judge Story's
the Constitution fthe United States