The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-08-27
From the Louisville City Gazette.

dams to date from May 9th, 1886.
/ From, the Louisville City Gazette.
JOHN O. ADAMS'S SPEECH ON THE VETO.
/ This veteran politician and eminent statesman oc-
cupied an hour in his remarks the Veto Message,
His speech has been given to the public through the
Clay presses Of the country, and is pronounced a
ImasterIy effort AS speech upon the Veto, the eff
fort of Mr.. Adams. is beneath contempt-barren, je-
Iune, naked. Our own honored Representative could
beat it to death, and we would stake our last dime on
the result But Mr.. Adamss speech is not to be re-
garded as discussion of the merits Of the Veto Mes
| sage 1t is the effort Of lawyer, and species Of
special pleading, designed to present to the country
for trial. an issue formed between the Executive and
Legislative Departments of the Government. Thus
regarded, Mr. Adamss speech is important, as exh-
biting the questions to be presented to the country
| by the Clay-whgs- cleuer, selecting the best
grounds upon which to justify the course OF Con-
gress-and acute, throwing out of view two points
-ls all the mertorious acts of the Administration
which have ripened into law; 3D. avoiding the obnox
ious points in the OF Congress by proteando
as the lawyers call it, by confession and avoid
ance. How true our description of it is, will be
more manifest by examining its parts for a moment
The close of the exordium the position Of
parties thus-"by the paper before the House (the
veto) the Executive and Legislature had been placed
in state of civil war; for which, henceforh, there
could be no remedy but that which the people would
take into their. own hands" MIR. Adams proceeds to
thus: The position has been taken Oh both sides
the issue has been offered and accepted; and
thing remains but that appeal be taken to the peo-
pie Or-which Heaven in its infinite mercy prevent
| AN appeal to the God of battles" The last sem
tence derives great additional weight because it is
| spiced with the odor of little gunpowder-a new
edition of I" the ballot box-the Cartouch box - but
we presume that Mr. Adams and his coadj utors have
little idea of any appeal to the God of battles The
peaceful trial. instead of the "wager of battle will
ofiofu fhoiro OhQ
as the diplomatists call it-aid down. The position
taken--the issue offered and accepted-the parties
defned-and the tribunal for final trial selected MIR.
Adams, in the methodical way of an acute lawyer,
next goes to state the questions which form the
issue. Thus: it admitted the country is PROSTATE
This is the crime TO whom is the result attribute
ble' He is culprit So says the venerable logi-
| clan and pleader.
fbis brings the speaker to comparison of the.ACTs
of. Congress and the Executive. lie thus cassIhes
| them, and now observe his art
Is The bankrupt LaD.-This measure, he says,
is to be thrown out Of view in the trial. because when
Congress passed it the Executive approved 1t, and
both are equally entitled the merit of the act Now,
we wonder if 10 according positive merit to Mr. Ty
Ter for his approval of act of the Legislature, r
Adams did not perceive that he was making fatal
thrust at those who condemn the President when he
dares to disapprove of an act OF the Legislature Ii
his powers of to be exercised and his udg
ment is to be appealed TO- that he shall have equal
credit with Congress when he approves the Bankrupt
| law, how do you justify the denunciation Of him
when by the exercise of the reason, and the
dictates of the judgment he disapproves of the
| Distribution clause in the Revenue bill But this,
the old lawyer, who has made up the issue for the
partisan opponentssof Mr.. Tyler, did not observe
On the Bankrupt bill, them MIR. Adams says there is
no difference to be made between the Executive and
Legislature, and therefore 1t forms no part OF the
| issue.
| Cd The U. s. Ba,,k.--Ths Mr.. Adams calls the
leading feature of the Wing policy and says the pas
sage Of it was Of the conditions on which the
Wing party came into power! He declares that
Congress- true to its professions, passed the Bank,
and the President false to his professions, vetoed It,
Here, then is point in the issue formed. While
we cannot but contemn the faIsity of the assertion
! made by MIR. Adams, that the establishment OF
Bank "was one Of the conditions on which the
Wing party came into power" cannot but
wonder at the holiness with which the issue
is now presented the country. First, then,
the Clay so to the country upon the Uni
ted States Bank, as the leading feature Of their
policy They say it their understanding that the
Wings came into power pledged to establish i-that
Congress passed it, first, under the honest nEme 1t
should bear and the President violated all faFh and
he Frustrated the country, because ne put ls veto
upon it and upon the soundness of the policy as welt
as upon the facts declared they are again wiling TO
go before the people for trial.
3D. The Fiscal Corporation This, Mr.. Adams
saws was but a dishonest name for United States
Bank and the attempt to pass it involves the same
policy as the issue No 2, above alluded to.
No. 4.-R.trenchment. Upon this, as one OF the
conditions on which the Wings into power,
Mr. Adams also comments. Here the art OF tue spe-
cal pleade is evident He says it is true the Repre-
senatves have mainly carried out their pledges OF It
lrenchment by cutting Off few pages OF paper and
few punches of quilts allowed TO the members of Con-
gress or stopping the perquisltes of the man who
makes their fire and brings water, but then Congess
has proposition before 10 to reduce the Army and
Navy appropriations He says Congress may, before
tlu In
duce the Army and Navy, and in thus il certainly has
the Advantage of Captain Tyler and General Scott
BOTH for they proposed to increase these arms OF the
service and upon this retrenchment question the
Wings in Congress have decidedly the advantage tor
while the President proposes 10 increase, Congress ac
tuaIy proposes to retrench, in the Army and Navy
and actually does rerench in oil, quiIIs giltedged pa
per and Congress knives.
No. 5--Ihe Apportionment Blu. This bill, Mr..
Adams SAYS is supplement to the Consti uton, and
in prohibiting the General Ticket system in the
States forms of the most brilliant teats of the
Wings in Congress. The Executive has, in fact,
pu, this bill by his protest while he wore the
mask of friend. And here is another subject on
which the people may judge between them, To the
policy of the Apporlionment bill and to the soundness
Of that exercise of power by Congress which inhibs
to the States the freedom of arranging their repre-
sen,ation to suit themselves, Mr.. Clays friends are
now willing to commit him before the country.
No 6.-Ihe Tdrif-Buls No. l and 2-Mr.
Adams polses Congress the wisdom, but says no.
thing OF the honesty of these measures. Ills issue
presented does not cover the whole case. lie claims
for Congress that by these bills they only proposed
Ito make revenue of the country equal to its ex
penditure," and that the President put his Veto on
these. How artful and how inslncerel
| Mr. Adams says that as Congress has failed to make
regulations by which the value of goods imported may
be asceraine1 the revenue arising from customs can
no longer be legally collected, and, in attempting 10
| collect under the circumstances, the President has
usurped power not belonging to him. He says it is
true the Supreme Court of the United States will
have to eide this question: and he does not like that
tribunal, because Judges sometimes err but, if it
should happen that the revenue cannot be collected