Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1841-09-22
C @ N G. R Z s s.
VETO MESSAGE

VI WC Il ICcGUCUI O'0 tfGC Il tSO"L OUfCfG
Bill, delicered to both Houses Of Con-
gresS September 9h, lo4l.
The President on Thursday morning
sent in to Congress the following Veto on
the Exchange Bank Bill.
To the House Of Representatives. Of the
United States:
1t is with extreme regret that | feel ny-
self constrained by the duty faithfully to
execute the office of President of the Unit.
ed States, and to the best of my ability
ITO preserve, protect and defend the Con-
stitutlon of the United States" to return
to thu House in which it originated the
Bill ito provide for the better collection,
safe keeping, and disbursement ofthe pub
lie revenue by means of a corporation to
be STYLED the Fiscal Corporation of the
United States'' with my written objec-
| tons.
In my Message sent 10 the Senate on
the 10Th day of August last, returning the
Bill "to incorporate the subscribers to the
Fiscal Bank of the United States,"I dis
tinctly declared that tiny own opinion
has been uniformly proclaimed to be
against the exercise of the power of Con-
gress 20 Great a National Bank to opera
per Sc over the Union" and entertaining
that opinion. my main objection to that
Bill was based upon the highest moral
and religious obligations of conscience and
the Constitution.
readily admit, that, whilst the quail
fed Veto with which the Chief Magistrate
is invested ,should be regarded. and wa:
intended by the wise men who made it q
part of the Constitution, as a great conser
va,ive principle of our system, withou
the exercise of which. on important occa
sions a mere representative majority
mig 1T urge the government, in its legisla
} ton, beyond the limits fixed by its fran
t ers, or might exert its just powers too has
$ thy or oppressively, yet, it Is a powe
which ought to be most cautiously exert
ed, and perhaps never, except IN cas-
: eminentIy involving the public interest, 0
f one in which the oath of The President
acting under his convictions both menta
and moral, imperious y requires its exer
' else La such case he has no alterna
y tive. He must either exert the negativ
j power entrusted 10 him by the Constit,
ton chiefly for its own preservation, pre-
lection and defence, or commit an act {
j gross moral turpitude Mere regard
r the will of majority, must not, in Coz
n stitulionaI Republic like ours, control th
sacred and solemn duty of sworn off
GER.
s. The constitution itself | regard or
e cherish as the embodied and written wi
= Of the whole people of the United State
; 1t is their fixed and fundamental lay
y WHICH they unanimously prescribe to Il
81 public functionaries, their mere truste
r, and servants. This their will, and Il
" law which they have given us as the ru
., of our action, has no guard, no guaran
tof preservation. protection, and defenc
us but the oaths which it prescrlbes to pa
6: lie officers, the sanctity with which tn,
of shall reIigiousIy observe those oaths, al
:, the patriotism with which the people shi
If shield it-by their own sovereignty, whi
has made the constitution supreme.
Y; must be exerted against the will of a me
as representative majority or not at all.
cir is alone in pursuance Of that will that a
:, measure can ever reach the Presidel
" and to say that majority 10 Congr
DC have passed bill the President shol
I'm therefore sanction it. is to abrogate
power altogether, and TO render its lbs
ton in the constitution a work of absol
ou supererogaiion. The duty is to guard
fundamental will of the people themsel
lev from-in this case | admit unintentio
Sc change or infraction by majority
), Congress; and in that light alone d.
" regard the constitutional duty whici
as now most reluctantly discharge.