The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-08-20

hEPOHT " TI18 ALNORltu-
The undsrviGpsd. asnbsss a che sssses Co1-
mittes 10 wAom tAs rr1siaents .snSs referred
submit, brief and hsssy protest. against Ne sisba'
rate report Of the majority.
Free Government depsads constitutional cAscks
otherwise, Democracy b dssPot,an- Each House Of
Congress has an absolute negxtive upon ths oshas
The American Judiciary exercises power to snnul
laws. The Union and tho Sssiss, respectively, m
80 nc instances nullify each others esslstson tbs
sovereign arbiter being the pe0ps, yet IN sn"r
than fifty years Of prosperous expsrsence, failing 70
interp0se their political omniposenee, psaceably m
telligibly and for the general welfare IL sddiuou
to these fundamental principles, which arc the con
sentative bases Of free institutions the Constu
ton of the United States requires the Executive Ma
glstrate if he disapproves act Of Congress, to re-
turn it, with his objections, to it, authors, and call
upon them to reconsider before it can become law
There is no veto, is too often supposed, either IN
the word the spirit of the Constitution put mere
authority for Executive reference to legislative recon-
sheraton. Unfounded resemblance has been igno-
ranty supposed between this American provision for
delberation to prevent OF passion and precPi
fancy and the absolute inhibition OF the Roman, or
tho modern royal veto. There IS no resemblance
whatever between them. They as unlike as
free and absolute Government; unlike as the Po-
hsh veto, which allowed every member of a single
branch Legislature without reason, to repudate any
of its proceedings by his single and solitary voice
Equally unfounded is it to suppose, as ignorance OF
their operations frequently Does that the monarchs OF
France and England are not absolute enough to use
the veto. They it every day, one OF Them III the
exclusive right of initiating all legislation and both
of them by the vaster of Executive influence.
What has been passionately stigmatsed as the one
man power in this country is, in principle the same
thing as the separation of Congi into two bodies,
to correct the errors of each other though much
less powerful because the power OF majority, by
single vote in either House is absolute while that OF
the Executive is merely suspensiyc and subordinate.
Had all the members of the House of Representa-
tyes voted on the tariff BILL itwould have been either
carried lost by VOTE and that the casting vote
of the Speaker. There is much of one-man power in
all free government.
The majorities in Congress in l774, on all the es
sential points and principles of the declaration Of
rights, were but one, two, three. All the great
critical questions about men and measures from l774
to l776, were decided by the vote Of single State,
and that often by the vote of one individual. The
Declaration of Independence itself was so carried
The English revolution of 1888 was determined by
or two votes in Parliament. The King of France
was condemned to death by a very few votes. JEFF
ferson elected in place of Burr after thrty-seven
trials, by one vote. The expedition in HAS, from
New England, against Cape Breton, which gave peace
to the world was carried in the House of Represen-
tatlyes of Massachusetts by a single VOTE Most of
the acts Of Congress, in the memorable session OF
l794, were carried by the casting vote of the Vice
President. The vote Of New York, which finally led
to the convention for forming the present Constu-
ton, after the failure of the Virginia attempt, by
which only the States were represented at Annapo-
lis was carried by one vote. The first Bank of the
United States failed to be rechartered by the casting
vote Of the Vice President. The late Bank OF the
United States negatived, when first proposed, by
the Speakers casting VOTE This instructive enume-
ration might be much enlarged, teaching that the re-
sponsibility Of one has often saved States and
changed constitutions. Such salutary executive au
thorty has been exercised from the outset Of Amer
can Government with marked approval by an intel-
gent people, wisely approaching in the Chief Repre-
sentative the inestimable value OF rm and Judlc-
Gus nterpositon of this conservative and ndispensa
BILE relief. For the first time in the annals of the
United States this immediate emanation OF the Con-
stitution is subjected the motion of Ex-Presi
dent the chairman Of this committee to the obstruc
ton of the mere techncalities OF legislation The
Constitution commands to journaize the Presi-
dents objections, and then vote on them The
House did so on his premonitory objections to like
bill, but sent him another Had power to do so !?
Were not the functions Of the House exhausted by
the previous proceeding' Can they reterate upon
the Executive bill which he has returned, and the
House cannot carry' No such attempt was ever
made before. The undersigned feel it their imperi-
duty to protest against and resist it by the only
means left to minority preventive of the unconst
tutona acts of angry majority, believing that the
time is at hand when they will themselves most
regret, all will condemn, the innovation.
The succession of the acting President to the Chief
Magistracy unavoidably followed by collisions be-
tween him and the party who selected and elected him.
because he suffered himself to remain in the hands of
their advisers instead of his Those whose po-
cal sympathies the undersigned enjoy are in no re-
spect answerable for this strife which they have uni
formy treated with moderation, adhering, however,
to the faith of their own politics. We neither made
aggravate the quarrel, but calmly and consclen-
tiousy, with all due respect to maorities nexoraby
ruling in both Houses, stand upon our rights, and
into alvin The
people to and restore whatever may be amss
as they have been doing with alacrity since the
disastrous commencement of the untoward legislation
of sessions of Congress which have now endured for
nearly twelve months of the last fifteen. All tire
elections since afford unquestonabe proof, that if
there is any wrong in the Federal Government,
the constitutional means of restoring right are
in full and active operation. While thus abiding
their time the minorities of the two Houses of Con-
gress abide by the principle that the First Magistrate
of great people is entitled to respect and even by
opponents should be treated with decorum. We
know no difference in language and feeling towards
the President and those which we use toward each
other in Congress His not being personally present
u.s. in our opinion, reason for maligning his mo-
tives, traducing his character vilifyng his admin
istration. The most strenuous, inhexible and sue
cessful opposition, consists with the language and
spirit of moderation and if the people are the in
telligent sovereignty supposed by our Institutions
woule be more popular than indignation, violence
and obloquy The President has communicated his
objections TO act of Congress, against which
bers so large in both Houses voted as to prove be-
yond doubt that it IS extremely Objectionable, and
which we in common with every one Of those large
numbers, representing, as we have every reason to
believe, the wishes of large majority of The Ameri-
people, conscientiously deem unwse, unjust, and,
as many think, unconstitutional The Presidents
objections contained in respectful message tenn
perute in tone, persuasive in argument and develop
ing topics which we believe will meet with popular
acceptance. Of the several messages of the same
kind, drawn from Mr.. Tyler by this Congress, can
dor and history will acknowledge, think that the
last is the BEST in all the merits of reason dcton
and temper. The Constitution gives him the right
which his conscience enjoins him TO exercise AL
President is entitled to- and has enioyed on such oc-