The Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1841-1843, 1841-08-31
THE VETO MESSAGE.

| THE VETO MESSAGE.
After two successive dlsappolntments on
previous days, from votes to postpone, the
| question at last came up, at II O'Clock, on
| considering the Executive communicated con.
| tanning the Presidents objections to the bill
| chartering a Fiscal Bank.
Mr.. Clay addressed the Senate in q very
| eloquent speech in vindication of the course OF
| the Senate in relation to the bill, and particu-
/ larly that in respect to the 9th or compromise
| section, against which the objections of the
President were expressed with peculiar empha-
sis.
Mr.. Clay said-The bill which forms the
subject of consideration at this time, is return
ed to US from the President, after having re-
ceived the constitutional support of the tw o
Houses of Congress. The question is-shall
this Bill pass by a majority of two thirds, not
withstanding the objections of the President.
1t would have been agreeable, to me, said
Mr.. Clay, to have given a silent vote upon
the bill before the Senate, and | certainly
should have done so, had not q vindication of
my own course been made necessary by the
language of the Message. Considering the
comments of the President-the importance
of the subject-the provisions of the Bil-the
relation in which he misunderstanding all
this, / feel impelled to vindicate myself in re-
spect TO my own honor and independence-:o
vindicate myself for what has been done.
/ came to Washington, said Mr.. Clay, at
the commencement of the present session with
buoyant hopes in reference to the common
good of our common country. Towards the
Chief Magistrate l felt then, and feel now,
sentiments of the most profound respect, both
personally and in an official capacity.
In whatever l may say, therefore, / shall en-
deavor TO give no offence in language or in
feeling to the chief magistrate of the Union.
Knowing him, as | have, long and we'll, and
upon terms of intimacy, as | have been l
certainly have great respect for the President,
and trust that our intimate relations will never
be disturbed.
Mr.. Clay referred to the death Of General
Harrison upon the 9TH of April-the appear
ance Of the President here on the 9th the
gloom in which he found the city-and the
pledge which he made to the American Peo-
pie in On address, patriotic, eloquent, noble, and
which made every Amefican heart boat high.
Before the address, he, in common with some
others, had had some doubts as to what course
the President would pursue, but the address
d~ispelled all doubt. 1t was a Wing paper
throughout, and in it the President in the
spirit of patriotism and good feeling referred
to the fathers of the Republic whose wishes he
desired TO carry out.
Mr.. Clay proceeded TO the consideration of
the bill before the Senate. He had come here
in the spirit Of Cancellation and compromise,
and had acted in that spirit in every move.
ment he had made.
The name" Fiscal Agent"-he objected
to, but be was not disposed to be particular in
regard to o name, and yielded his objec-
tons.
In regard to the place, he yielded all his
opinions of convenience to others. He be-
lieved the city of Washington was the last
place in the Union where . Mother Bank
should be placed.
In regard to the compromise provision Of
the Bill, he and many Of his friends yielded
very much in consenting to such a negation of
a Banking power as was contemplated.
Mr.. Clay then referred to the remarks in
the message in reference to the conflict Of o.
pinion in regard to the Bank of the United
States. The President states the question as
though there had been a balance of opinion
between the Executive and Congress. Mr..
Clay thought the Executive was Mistaken
Washington had approved a Bank-Madison
had approved a Bank-Monroe had approved
a Bank, and Jefferson with him-the last, too,
by the establishment of the Branches of the
Great Bank. Five Congresses, too, had de-
clared themselves in favor of the Bank, and
not one against the power.
The President, too, had said nothing of the
Supreme Court-although the Judiciary of the
Country had sanctioned the Constitutionality
of such a Bank, the President had made no
~allusion to this high power in speaking of the
conflict of opinion on the part of the higher
powers of the Government.
MIR. Clay next proceeded to comment mild
ly upon the strong opinions expressed in the
message Of the President upon the Bank bill.
He considered them as too glowing and ex-
agggerated-t that he had painted them too
highly.
Mr.. Clay here dwelt upon the conduct of
Mr.. MadiSon-at a great and trying time in
his own history-of his change of opinion, or
yielding Of an opinion. Such a precedent he
thought might have governed the conduct of
the President of the United States. -No one
could or would doubt the patriotism of the
President.
The last part of the message commented
upon was the comments in reference to the
10th fundamental rule of the Bank bill presen-
| ted to the President. He considered the com.
ments of the President harsh and uncalled for.
The clause was inserted by compromise, and
conceived in the spirit of Cancellation. II
received his reluctant assent, and the reluctant
assent of many of his friends. 1t was brought
forward in the hope and expectation hat il
would meet the objections Of the President,anC
the objections of some of his friends.
MIR. Clay said the clause was intended as a
peace-offering, and it was not received in the
same spirit in which it had been offered. A
principle in which much had been yielded tc