The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-11-18

tanning his original views as TO the union OF th
Judiciary with the Executive on the Veto pow
err, moved an amendment 10 the resolution
| which gave rise TO a most interesting debaIe, u
which Mr. Ellsworth, from Conn.,, Mr.. Mason
from Va, and Mr. Madison and Mr.. Gouverneu
Morris, Of Penn, sustained the views OF Mr.
Wilson; and Messrs Gorham, Gerry, ant
Strong, OF Mass, Mr.. Martin, Of Nd, and Mr.
Rutledge. of S. C. opposed them, and the amend
ment was lost. The original resolution, there
fore, was again passed.
Having gone critically through with the report
of the committee, the various resolutions which
had been agreed 10 were, on Thursday, 26th
july. referred to Committee Of Detail, 10 report
on Monday, August 9th. draught of the Con
stitulion This committee, of which Mr.. Rut
ledge was chairman, reported on the day as
signed. and the Veto power was conferred by
the 18th section of the sixth article. This para
graph, as reported by the committee, came un-
der discussion on Wednesday, 18th August
when Mr.. Madison moved an amendment which
revived the previously agitated question OF uni
ting the Judges of the Supreme Court with the
President in his revision and rejection OF laws
passed by Congress. Much debate followed
Mr. Wilson and Mr.. Mercer supported Mr. Ma
| olson, and Mr.. Pinckney opposed. The amend
ment was lost-lhree States voting for il, and
eight against it, Having thus surveyed the sub
ject in all its bearings, the Constitution, amend
ed, altered, and perfected, was, on the 18th Sep
TENDER, 1887, signed by the Convention, and
constitutes TO this day the basis Of our Govern
ment. The Veto power in this Constitution is
thus expressed, article l, section u
EVERY bill which shall have passed the House Of
Representatives shall before becomes law, be pre-
sen,ed to the President Of the United States; II he
approve he shall sign but if not, he shall return y
with his objections to that House in which II shall
have originated who shall enter the objections al large
| ,ha md raqd In slider IL
The first use of this constitutional power vas
by Washington, who, on the 5th April, 1879,
vetoed the Representation Bill" which orig
mated in the House of Representatives. As
this, from its priority is an event worthy OF ex-
tended notice, we give the circumstance Of the
case, as briefly related by Jefferson, then Secre-
tary Of State:
"Apra 6h.-The President called me before
breakfast and first introduced other matter, then
fell on the Representation Bill which he had now ia
his possession for the 10th day. had before given
him my opinion in writing that the method Of appoint
ment was contrary to the Constitution de agreed
that it was contrary the common understanding Of
that instrument, and TO what was understood at the
time by the makers of IT. that yet would bear The
construction which the bill put and he observed that
the for and against the bill was perfectly geoga-
phca- Northern against Southern vote--and he
feared he should be thought to be taking side with
Southern party | admitted the motive Of delicasy,
but that it should not induce him to do wrong, and
urged the dangers which the scramble for the fr,c-
tionary members would always lead lie here e1-
pressed his fear that there would long be seIa
ration of the Union that the public mind seemed
dis atisfed and tending TO this He went home, sent
for Randolph, the Attorney General, desired him to
get Mr.. Madison Immediately, and come to me- ard
if we three concurred in opinion that he would neg,
tive the bill He desired to hear nothing about
it, but that would draw up the instrument for him
to sign. They came-our minds had been before
made up-we drew the instrument. Randolph car
ried il TO him. and told him all concurred in it,
He walked with him to the door, and, as if he still
wished to get of, he said; And you say you approve
| Of this yourssfl Yes, sir, says Randolph, i do,
upon my honor He sent il to the House Of Repre-
sentaves instantly. few Of the hottest friends Of
the bill expressed pas ion, but the majority salts
fed and both in and Of doors it gave pleasure to
have at length an instance of the negative being
ercised. Written this the 9th April"
| This was in Washington's first term. Again
elected he again, on the LIST March, 1897, We
toed the bill Of the House of Representatives
for military establishment. Neither the elder
Adams nor Jefferson employed it, President
Madison vetoed the following bills, all but the
bank bill originating in the House:
February 81, 1911 Church in Alexandra.
February %, 1911. Baptist Church.
April IL, 1912. Judicial Bill.
November 6, 1912. Naturalization.
January 90, 1872 United States Bank.
| March 3, 1927. Bonus Bill.
President Monroe, on the 4th of May, 1922,
vetoed the bill of the House of Representatives
.for the preservation and repair Of the Cumber-
land roadn
| Following on the views of President Mon
roe in his Veto, President Jackson also put his
| first Veto May 81, 1890, on the i" Maysville
road b' from the House. Also, on the 3lst
May, 1881, Gan act to authorize a subscription
of stock in the Washington Turnpike Com
pany"
December 18th, 1s3l-"An act making APP
preparations for building lighthouses, light
boats, beacons, monuments, placing buoys, and
for improving harbors and directing surveys"
"An act to authorize subscription TO stock in
the Louisville and Portland Canal Company"
July 10th, 1S32.-"an act to modify and con-
tinue an act TO incorporate the subscribers to the
Bank Of the United States"
December 9th, 1S32.-"An act providing for
the final settlement Of the claims of States, for
interest on advances made to the United States
during, the late war" The same day he also
vetoed the Harbor bill.
December 9Th, 1s33.-"An act to appropriate
for limited time the proceeds of the sales of the
public lands of the United States, and granting
lands to certain States"
In Isaiah act for making an appropriation
for improving the navigation of the Wabash
river"
June 9th, ls36.-A bill fixing a day for the
meeting Of Congress.
And on the Sd March, 1897, virtually vetoed
the Currency bill Of the Senate.
President Tyler vetoed, August 18th, 1s4l,
the Fiscal Bank bill, and on September 9th,
1S4l, the Fiscal Corporation bill.
Such is plain history Of the Veto power. As
il respects the several States, the Executive in
some have the power, in others not. Those
which possess the negative power, such as is
given to the President, are New York, New
Hampshire, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Geor-
gia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Maine.
The other States do not have il at ALL or the bill,