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

tive or independent legislation; well KNOWN
that in its then distracted state, the continuanc
Of this individual Veto, would be, as Il provet
destructive to harmony Of action and unity
design, aud the Me Pozpdiam Of the Polis
representative has been but an apple OF discor
TO that noble but suffering people.
Upon the proceedings Of the American ooic
NAL Assemblies, there existed double nega'iss
| or Veto; one vested in the royal Governor, IN
other in the King. BY the Royal Governor
the right was often exercised, and the King IRE
auentIy signified his disallowance OF acts which
had not only passed the Colonial Assemblies
but even been sanctioned by the Governor. Thu
| feature was one strongly set forth as prim
grievance, in recounting the injuries and usur
pations of the British Monarch, in the Declare
lion of Independence, and its exercise was high
w repugnant 10 the interests OF America
Dr. franklin, in the Debates Of the Fedora
Cony ention, thus shows the influence OF thu
Veto power under the proprietary Government
Of Penn.
"The negative Of the Governor CONSTANT,
made use OF to extor money. No good law whatese
could be passed without private bargain with him
An increase Of salary, some donation, was Away
made condition TILL at last, it became the regular
practice have orders in his favor on the treasury pre-
scented along with the bills TO be signed SO that nc
might actually receive the former before he should sigr
Western people, and notice Of Il arrived, the concur
renee Of the Governor in the means Of self-defence
could not be got until il was agreed that his estate
should be tempted from tar alton that the people
10 fight for the security of his property whilst
he was to have no share of the burdens OF taxation
At first sight, then, il appears strange that
the trainers Of our Constitution, when they
were originating a new Government, which
should combine the experience ofthe past, with
ns,s hs.rr strx NJ ito Apf
in such power, the operation of which had
proved SO baneful, and which had already been
so strongly reprobated. But such was the fact.
The war OF the Revolution over, the Articles OF
Confederation alone bound the States together,
and the reaction which took place in several
places urgently demanded some new form Of
compact more adequate for the purposes Of Gov
eminent, and more consonant with the altered
condition Of affairs. Upon the 18th May, 1877,
the Federal Convention met in the city OF Phi
ladelphia. Having organized themselves by the
choice Of proper officers, and the adoption OF me-
cessary rules, Mr.. Randolph, of Virginia, open
ed the business of the Convention by proposing,
on the 29th May a series of resolutions embo-
dying his views as to what the crisis required /;
and on the same day Gen. Charles Pinckney, of
South Carolina, laid before the Delegates the
draught of Federal Government, TO be agreed
upon between the free and independent States
of America. The Veto power entered into the
schemes Of both these gentlemen, though cen
tired by them in different points. The 9Th reso-
luton Of Mr. Randolph says:
"Resoiped, That the Executive and convenient
number Of the National Judiciary ought to compose
Council OF Revision, with authority to examine every
act of the National Legislature before shall operate
and every act Of particular Legislature before ne
gave thereon shall be final and that the dissent OF
the said council shall amount to rejection, unless
the act of the National Legislature be again passed,
that of particular Legislature be again negatved by
. Of the members Of each branch.
The article embracing this feature in the
draught of Mr.. Pinckney reads thus
every bill which shall have passed the Legislature
shall be presented to the President Of the United
States for his revision; if ho approve it, he shall sign
III but If he does not approve it, he shall return il,
with his objections, to the House it originated
which House, if twothrds Of the members present,
notwithstanding the Presidents objections agree to
pass it, shall send 10 the other House. with the Pre-
sidents objections where, If two-thirds of the MEM
bers present also agree pass it, the shall be-
come law And all bills the President and not
returned by him within --- days, shall be laws, un-
less the Legislature, by their adjournment, prevent
their return, IN which they shall no. be laws"
Mr.. Randolph's views were evidently based
on the suggestions of Mr.. Madison; for that
gentleman, in a letter to Mr.. Randolph, few
weeks previous, urged the same idea of mega
tive by the National Government, Sin all cases
whatsoever, on the legislative acts of the States,
as the King of Great Britain heretofore had"
The resolutions of Mr.. Randolph became the
basis on which the proceedings of the Conven-
ton commenced, and as Mr.. Madison says, "to
the developments, variations, and notifications
Of which the plan Of Government proposed by
the Convention may be traced.'
Let US, then, follow out the discussions of this
body until the suggested JOINT revision by the
Executive aad Judiciary became altered to the
single negative of the President. On the 4tt
Of June the first clause of Mr.. Randolph's
eighth resolution was taken up but Mr.. Gerry
from Massachusetts,, doubling whether the Ju
dietary ought 10 have anything TO do with it,
moved to postpone the clause, and introduced
the following amendment:
"That the National Executive shall have a righ
to negative any legislative act which shall not after
wards be passed by - parts of each branch of thu
National Legislature"
Rufus King, from Massachusetts,, seconded
the motion, and the proposition of Mr.. Gerry
was taken up. Mr.. Wilson, of Pennsylvania
and Alexander Hamilton, Of New York, wish
ed TO strike out the latter clause, so as TO give
but, though supported by these gentlemen, il
was opposed by Dr. Franklin, Roger Sherman
of Connecticut Madison, Butler, of South Ca
rolna, and Mason, of Virginia; and was there
fore negatived.
Mr.. Butler and Dr. Franklin then wished te
give a suspending instead OF a negative pow
er but this was overruled, and the blank Of Mr.
Gerry's resolution was filed up, sub siientio
with f1oo-hirds and the question being taker
on the motion, as thus stated, il received thu
votes Of eight States, Connecticut and Mary
land voting in the negative. On the 9th June
according TO previous notice, Mr.. Wilson ant
Mr. Madison moved TO reconsider the vote, ex
GLIDING the Judiciary from share in the revi
sion and negative of the Executive, with III,
view Of reinforcing the latter with the inauenc,
of the former. But though Mr.. Madison urgec
the plan Of associating the judges in the revi
e Il IL L.