, 1842-07-23
VETO MESSAGE.
the House of REPRESENTATIVES

VETO MESSAGE.
To the House of Representatives.:
| return the bill which originated
in the House Of Representatives en-
titled, "An act to extend for a limi-
ted period the present laws for laying
and collecting duties on IMPORTS"
with the following objections:
1t suspends, in other words abro-
gates for the time, the provision Of
the act of 1888, commonly called the
Compromise Act. The only ground
on which this departure from the SOL
emn adjustment OF a great and agitat-
ing question, seems to have been re-
garded as expedient, is the alleged
necessity Of establishing by legisla-
tive enactment rules and regulations
for assessing the duties to be levied
on imports after the 3Oth June ac-
cording to the home valuation; and
vet the bill expressly provides that "if,
before the first OF August, there be no
further Legislation upon the subject,
the laws for laying and collecting du-
ties shall be the same a though this act
had not been passed. In other words
the act of 1888, imperfect as it is
considered shaU. jp that Gesf- GsHHW
under such rules and regulations as
previous statutes had prescribed, or
had enabled the Dxective Department
to prescribe for that purpose-leav-
ing the supposed chasm in the reve-
nue. laws just as it was before.
| am certainly far from being dis
posed to deny hat additional legisla-
ton upon the subject is very desira-
bic. On the contrary, the necessity,
as well as difficulty, of establishing
uniformity in the appraisements to be
made in conformity with the true in
tention of hat act, was brought to
the notice Of Congress in my Massage
to Congress at the opening of its
present session. But, however sem
sible may be Of the embarrassments
to which the Executive, in alb
sence of all aid from the superior wis
dom of the Legislature. will be liable,
in the enforcement of the existing
laws, | have not, with the ~sincerest
wish to acquesce in its expressed will,
been able to pursuade myself that the
exigency of the occasion is so great
as to justly me in signing the bill in
question, with my present views OF
its character and effects. The exist
ing laws, as | am advised, are suff-
cient to authorize and enable the COL
lecting officers, under the directions
of the Secretary of the Treasury, to
levy the duties imposed by the act
of 1888.
That act was passed under peculiar
circumstances to which it is not ne
cessary that | should do more than
barely allude. Whatever may be in
theory, its character | have always
regarded as imposing the highest
moral obligation. 1t has now exist
ed for nine years unchanged in any
essential particular, with as general
acquiescence, it is believed, of the
whole country, rs hat country has
ever manifested for any of her wise.
~ established institutions. lthas en-
sured to it the repose which always
flows from truly wise and moderate
councils--a repose the more striking
because of the long and angry agita
tons which preceded it. This salu
t tary law proclaims in express term:
the principles which while it led tc
the abandonment of a scheme Of indi
f rect taxation founded on a false basi,
and pushed to dangerous excess, jus
= titles any enlargement Of duties tina
may be called for by the real exigen
cies Of the public service. 1t provide
$ "that duties shall be laid for the pur
pose of raising such revenues as ma,
Y be necessary to an economical ad
ministration Of the Government" |
b is, therefore, in the power Congress
}, to lay duties rs high as its discretion
may dictate. for the necessary uses O
the Government, without ~infringin,
. upon the objects Of the act Of 1888