Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1841-06-02

rency OuI the Executive pre)uulceS were OOuu-
rate. At the beginning of this session his
views were unchanged. So late as the 9Th Of
April, when he vetoed the Reform Bank Bill
he still professed hostility to small notes even
to limited amount, and made this one of his
objections 10 that measure Of salutary regnla-
ton. By his recent veto it however appears
that within short time the Executive on this
subject has changed his ground, and that in
fuenced by considerations which he has not
indicated and in relation to which in charity we
will not pretend to speculate, be TOO is in favor
of this mode of relief to the community We
apprehend that the people will appreciate the
sincerity of his past professions and feel due
gratitude for his late acquiescence in their
wishes.
Not discouraged yet but anxious TO preserve
the public credit at all hazards, in order to save
the Executive from the stain which must rest
Oh him, and on him alone, if by the course he
has thought fit to pursue the Legislature were
forced to adjourn without definite action, still
perplexed by The obscure intimations of his will,
and sympathising deeply with the suffering peo
pie, the undersigned determined TO act on their
own responsibility, and accordingly passed the
If public gratitude be due, no share of 1t is due
to the Executive.
1t is measure of compromise to which we
ask the cordial and generous consideration of
the people. tits measure of necessity amidst
surrounding difficulties. Ii is measure which
gives relief and deserves the popular approval.
Such has been our general course of action
on the great measure of relief and reform-and
to that action thus thwarted and perplexed, we
confidently invite your candid and generous
consideration. Could the Governor have been
induced to depart from his oracular reserve, and
appealing to the impartial judgment of the peo-
pie, reliance which never fails, frankly have
indicated his views or expressed his willing
ness to take counsel, free and honest counsel,
with the Legislature on such subjects, much
time and expense might have been spared and
long ago might we have returned to those who
sent US hither and told them that counsels of
patriotism had prevailed, popular necessities
been relieved and wholesome reform enforced.
If the result had been different, the response
biIity would not be with US. If we had left
the people without relief. we should have left
them in the hands of the Executive.
But this engrossing subject is not the only
one for which legislation was needed. Nor
is it the only one in which the wishes of the
people have been frustrated by the unstable and
perverse will of the Executive.
At least ten Executive vetoes disfgure the
Journals of this session, and in but one of them
has the Governor pretended to indicate other
than considerations of local expediency of which
the Representatives of the people believed they
were the best judges. And in the single ex-
ception, strange as it may seem to our fellow
citizens, so few of whom are ignorant of the
provisions of the Constitution under which we
live, the Governor founded his objections on
clause in an obsolete Constitution which more
than two years ago was abrogated by vote of
the people. Nor had the Executive the man.
illness either TO admit the error, if error it was,
or assign the true cause of the misrepresenta-
tion until it had been discovered and rebuked
by the vigiant action of the Representatives of
the people. For proof Of this assertion, now
made with regret but from a sense of Justice,
the undersigned refer to the Journals, where it
will be seen that in a Message on the 10th of
February last, the Governor quoted as in force
the old Constitution as iustifying his negative
to an important bill, and that on the 18th, not
however, until after the mis-quotation had been
detected in the House of Representatives, he
acknowledged it in supplemental communica-
ton and attributed it to a mistake in transcrib-
ing No one can read the passage with the
context and believe that it was an accidental
error We ask the people to examine the Jour
mails and then Judge for themselves.
This is the solitary instance in which the
Governor has frustrated our Legislation on ac-
count even of pretended constitutional scru-
pies. A few instances of his abuse of the
power the constitution has conferred on him
are fresh in our recollection. They will show
to the people how the public time has been
wasted by the constant and frivilous Executive
II become necessary to supply the omission
of Prothonotary in Huntingdon county 10 no.
dce the record of deed barring an entailsd
estate. petition was presented, referred and
examined, and bill to the effect required was
passed inlo a law. No remonstrance was pre-
sented though ample time was afforded. No.
public policy was affected The bill passed IN
Od-l