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

States, just as do the members of either
House of Congress. They are both repre-
sentatives alike of the people of the United
States. Will the Senator say that the Ex-
ecutive is to be subservient to the Legisla-
tive Department of Government We have
heard much of Executive dictation, howev-
er little we have seen of it, since the inau-
guration of the present Chief Magistrate;
yet, if the doctrine of the Senator from
Kentucky is to prevail, there will spring up
astanding Legislative dictation and suprem-
acy No, sir, no. The President never
was meant to be the mere tool of Legisla-
lative will.
[Mr. Clay here intcrposed. l am very
sure the honorable Senator cannot intend
to present an erroneous statement of my re-
marks; yet he is undera great misapprehen-
sion of them. did not say that the Presi-
dent ought to resign. | said that there were
before him two other alternatives besides
the veto. | said that when his constitu-
ency in Virginia required him to give a
vote which was, in his view, incompatible
with the Constitution, sooner than comply
with such a requisition, he resigned his seat;
that, now, his constituency were the people
of the United States, and he had good evil
dence that it was their opinion he ought to
sign such bill, and he could not do it; then,
if he resigned rather than disobey the Peo-
pie of one State, he ought upon his own prin-
ciple. yet more readily, to resign rather than
disobey the people of twentw-six States.
Mr.. Rives. The argument of the Sena-
tor, as he now puts it, BEGs THE QUESTION:
In the case of the Legislature of Virginia
and Mr.. Tyler, as Senator, the instruc-
tons came from the true CONSTITUENT
BoDy-the Legislature of the State. But
where are the instructions in this case from
the CONSTITUENTS of the Presidency! Will
the Senator tell me that the two Houses of
Congress are the constituents of the Presi-
dent, to whom he is responsible!
Mr.. Clay. No, no; certainly not.
Well, then, if the Presidents constituents
are the whole people of the United States,
to make a case analogous TO the Instructions
Of State Legislature to Senator chosen
by them, the instructions of the President
must come from the original source of pow
er, (he People by whom he is chosen) and
not from the Representatives of that power
in Congress. Congress may enormously
represent the wishes of the people. The
people themselves, and they alone, are the
constituents of the President. When Mr..
Madison, in 1915, vetoed bank bill which
had passed Congress by vote of three to
one, was he to consider himself as instruct
ed by the Representatives Of the people in
Congress, and if he could not comply with
their wishes, was he bound to resign! His
very last act was a veto. 1t was his veto of
the bonus bill for internal improvements
bill that was carried by Mr. Madison's own
political friends. Yet, in disregard to the
rule now set forth that President is bound
to obey the behcsts of the party which put
him into power, Mr.. Madison vetoed the
bill. He ought according to the modern
doctrine, rather to have resigned his high
office. with all its solemn responsibilities
Mr.. Madison was Of all men the most mild,
moderate, and self denying in the exercise
of power, and yet he did not hesitate to APP
ply the corrective of the veto in half a doz-
en- instances during his administration. and
that in several cases, when there were most
imposing majorities of Congress in favor
of the measures he returned to them with
objections General Harrison, under whose
banner we all rallied in the political contest,
declared himself that the VETO was the con-
sentative power of the Constitution provi-
dcd for three cases; first, where there was a
violation of the Constitution; second where
the rights Of the States invaded; and, third,
where legislation has been hasty, and with
out due delibcration. All these three con-
siderations unite in the case of this bill In
the Presidents view, it violates the Consti-
tuition, it dsregards the rights of the States,
and it has been passed without allowing
time for a sufficient manifestation of the
popular will. But go further; ask, has
the bill received the sanction even Of ma
iorty Of the Representatives of Congress
on that characteristic feature of the bill
which the President complains of? say
that, 50 as that particular cause-the dstin-
gushing one of the measures concerned,
the bill was passed by a minority of the
whole number of members of either House.
Now, if other Presidents have been sustain
ed in rejecting measures which passed by
ndisputable and overwhelming majorities,
shall President Tyler be condemned for We
TONG bill which has not even the appro-
baton of a majority of either House of Con-
grcss!
! trust | have shown that there is no
ground for imputation or complaint against
the President in the high constitutional duty
he has performed. The Senator from Ken
lucky thinks the President looked too much
into his own heart in that case; but where