Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-08-13
rwENrY-sEvENru CONGRESS-.
HOUSE OF REPREsENTATIv
WEDNESDAY,, Angus, 10, isi2.
THE VETO.

House. with his objections the bill to provide re
venue from imports, and to change and modify
existing laws imposing duties on imports, and TO-
other purposes; the pending question, under thu
following provision of the Constitution OF the Uniiec
States. being on the reconsideration Of the vote by
which the bill was passed, and on passing l., the
objections Of tho President to the contrary noiwth-
standing;
Constitution of the United States, Art. LIST, Sec
EVERY bill which shall have passed thetiouse
al Representatives and the Senate, shall, before II
become law, be presented to the President OF the
United States; II he approve Re shall sgn IT. but u
not no shall return it, with his objections, to that
House in which Il shall have org mated, who shall
enter the objections at large ON their Journal, and
proceed TO reconsider IL. IT, aftor such reconsider
nten, two-,hrds of that House shall agree to pass
the bill, 1t shall be sent together with me ooJee-
lions to the other House, by which II shall likewise
be reconsidered, and IL approved by two-thitds of
that House, IL shall become a law. but IN oi sueh
cases the votes OF both Houses shall be determined
by yeas and nays, and the names oil the petsons
voting for and against the bill shall be entered on
the journal OF each House respectively"
Mr. ADAMS said that in some observations he
had submitted TO the House on Friday and Satur-
day last, particularly on Saturday, he had requested
the indulgence OF the House 10 postpone tho sub
iect then before the House, in the hope that
circumstances might uanspre between that time
and the Monday morning following, which would
relieve tho House from the gre,tcr portion oil what
he should otherwise feel II his duty TO submit
That contingency was the possibility Ia possibility
he had been most reluctant 10 relnq ush) that the
dissension and discord existing between the Execu-
tive and the Legislative branches OF the Govern.
ment might within eight and forty hours, be entire
ly removed. II was his opinion then, and he repeat
edit now, that II had been the pleasure OF the
President TO effect entire reconciliation Of the
Executive with Congress, he had nothing more TO
do than TO put his name, accompanied by the word
approved" 10 an act which had been submitted TO
hun, and which was of Infinite Importance To the
honor. the credit, and the prosperity of this nation.
tie had thought 30 then; he thought SO now. He
did most believe that if the name OF
the President, with the word approved" had but
been affixed to the tariff BILL that both Houses OF
the Legslature-he thought ne might safely speak
for a ms jory nj least, of both Houses would
have forgotten and forgiven all that had happened
before and the country. instead oil remaining in that
state of prostration and distress in which 1t was
now found, would a, once have risen 10 a condition
of comparative peace and prosperity, and credit and
honor would have taken the place OF the disgrace
and calamity which now unhappily PREVAILED
The nero reeoncilement of the two branches OF the
Legislature with the Executive head, would, OF IL
sell, have been hailed by universal burst OF Joy
throughout this Union as the harbinger Of happy
and prosperous times. Tha, hope had been blasted;
and now, by tho paper before the House, the
Executive aud the Legislature had been placed in
state OF civil war, for which, henceforth, there could
he remedy but that which the People would
take into their own hands.
say, sir, exclaimed Mr. A., the war is now de
clared, and admit that the Executive can no long
er retreat without disgrace, as also hold that
neither this nor the other House OF Congress can
without the same consequence. Tho position has
been taken both sides: the issue has been offer
&c and accepted; and now nothing remains but that
an appeal he taken TO the People, or-which may
Heaven IN It's Infinite mercy preyent!-an appeal
he bad to the God of battles. Much sensation in
The House, laughter, and cries of "Oh, oh !"-"ihs
God Of battles, indeed-only hear that."I
Now, said Me A. while have contested, and do
s contest, the truth Of the position OF my colleague
over the way, (Mr Cushins) that il is the destiny
OF this Congress to accomplish the pros,ra,on of the
country, still concur with him 10 the result al
which he arrived and put, as he did, the question,
70 whom IL its prostration, If finally Frustrated it
shah be- to be attributed2 He has already said that
1t will be justly charged upon Congress, under
standing him, as do, thereby to mean the respec
tive majortes in the two Houses.
We were told yesterday by another gentleman,
(Mr Marshal) that though he did not concur in the
Impuiaton OF this p'osirnton-which he also fore
told-to Congress- and although by the force of an
esprit de corps, he should be found with the House
and with Congress on that question, we should have
great battle to fight in oder to place the respon-
sibilI,y on the right shoulders where il Justly be-
longs, and TO cast it off from ourselves. Now as
Stunning a position conceded, that nothing further
is to take place between the Executive and the
Legislature on this question, which | say can.
not take place without disgrace on the side or
on the other have Few observations TO offer upon
the inquiry 10 whom this prostration OF the country
Is 10 be attributed.
shall not have time TO eater into the details OF
that comparison which il will be necessary for the
People to institute between the proceedings Of On
gress and the acts of the Executive since he has
cone TO the occupation Of the chair shall there.
fore simply alude 20 the points from which conclu.
Sons will be drawn IN comparing the one with the
Other, beginning with the commencement of the
present Administration.
And 10 refining TO the action Of Congress, II is
aF7afn fhnFI ~.
respect 10 very great portion Of them, the razor
Of party spirit has had no place; and that in regard
70 some Of the most important acts OF the National
Legs atufe, We have had the benefit OF the aid of
those who call themselves the Democratic party in
this Hall, who have contributed nearly as much as
tie majority, TO the passage Of the acts which
shall now proceed 10 enrmsrate.
And the first act which distinguished the presen,
Congress was the general bsnkrup, law, q measure
which has extended relief 10 most distressed por-
me 70 say TINT IN regard 70 the expedency Of that
net this House did not differ from the Executive,
for Il sanctioned by his signature and approval
How far his doing may have given satisfaction
10 that portion ofthe community on which his hop pes
must ultimately rely, shall not inquire The act
vas the act Of the majority in the two Houses Of
Congress, though perhaps they might not have
been able TO pass without the aid Of small por
ton Of those on the other side Of the question. Ii
is the majority Of Congress, and to certain extent
n majority oil both parties IN that body, who car
RED through this important measure against the
most formidable opposition. This, then, is not one
among the of the existing difference nor is
~ a measure for which Congress will sustain res
possibility peculiar TO ITSELF and 10 which the Exc
euiive has no share.
The next measure, proposed as tie first and most
Immediate remedy FOR the fororn condition to which
the nation bad been reduced. was the establishment
OF the National Bank. That was one Of the con.
ditions on which the wing party had come into
power. What did Congress dot IL passed nm uct
ESTABLISHING a National Bank. And what did the
Executive DOT lie ve;oedi.
What next did Congress dol II pa ,sed "A second
act TO meet and to remedy the Presidents obiec
ton against the first, and that und.r the universal
impression OF a formal pledge, (5uch as any honest
man in the like circumstances would have consider
ed himself as having gIven;) and how was this re.
ceived2 IL was vetoed also. Here was "veto and
ditto"
Now the Administration Of Government has
for It's FIRST object the welfare OF the People; and II
was the honest, the conscientious conviction of "a
ma ortY 10 the two Houses Of Congress, that the
bank bill was one Of tho most important mud most
vital measures that could be devised for the relief OF
the People. vii! my colleague, mir CushngJ or
will the gentlemen who told Us Of the Formidable
and TERRIBLE battle shall have to fight before the
People, tMr mdrshall,l will they say that this
vas one Of the measures calculated 10 PROSTATE the
cOuniryl No, SIR, they will not say that. | 70
collect that the latter gentlemen and myself both
voted against the first Of the Two bank bills on the
express ground that IL had been too much accomo
dated 70 tho prejudces, may say to the passions,
Of the Executive head; that too great sacrifice had
been made TO suit Il TO tie will Of the Chief Magis-
ttate, who was TO sign 1t. On that ground the gen
tleman. as we'll as unvself. both snoke and voted