Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa Territory [Iowa]) 1840-1846, 1842-08-27
GTThc Convention question has been
lost in Illinois by a large majority.
Veto Message.
From the Nladisonjan. Extra |

~ ILL HOUSE OF RE1l' IlE.SF.lN "a
TlVES OF THE UNITED STATES
1t is with unfeigned regret that find
myself under the necessity Of returning
10 the House Of Representatives with my
objections. bill entitled San act to pro-
vide revenue from imports, and to change
and modify existing laws imposing duties
on imports and for O her purposes" Moth
ing can be more painful to any individual
called upon to perform the Chief Exccu-
tive duties under our limited Constitution
than to be constrained to withhold his as
sent from an important measure adopted
by the Legislature; yet he wnll Meth
CIR fulfil the high purposes Of his station.
the true interests, or the solemn will Of
the People, the common constituents Of
both branches Of the Government, by
yielding his we'll considered, most deeply
fixed, and repeatedly declared opinions
on matters Of great public concernment to
those Of a coordinate Department, with
out requesting that Department seriously
to re-examine the subject Of their differ
ence.
The exercise Of some independence Of
judgement in regard 10 all acts ollegisla-
ton, is plainly implied in the responsible.
OF approving it. At all times duty-it
becomes peculiarly solemn and imperi-
tive one when the subjects passed upon
by Congress, happen to involve, as in the
present instance, the most momentous is
sues, to effect variously the various parts
Of a great country, and to have given rise
in all quarters to such conflict Of opinion
as to render it impossible to conjecture,
with any certainty, on which side the ma
jority really is. Surely il the pause for
reflection. intended by the wise authors
of the Constitution by referring the sub
ject back to Congress for reconsideration
be ever expedient and necessary, it is pre-.
cisely such case at present
On the subject Of distributing the pro-
ceeds Of the sales Of the public lands, in
the existing state Of the finances, it has
been my duty to make known my settled
convictions on various occasions during
the present session Of Congress. At the
opening Of the extra session, upwards Of
twelve months ago, sharing fully in the
general hope Of returning prosperity and
credit, recommended such distribution;
but that recommendation was even then
expressly coupled with the condition that
the duties on imports should not exceed
the rate of 90 per cent. provided by the
Compromise Act Of 1888.
These hopes were not little encour-
aged and these views strengthened by
the report Of Mr. Ewing, then Secretary
ofthe Treasury, which was shortly there
after laid before congress, in which he
recommended the imposition Of duties at
,he rate Of 90 per cent. al ralorem on all
free articles, with specified exceptions,
and stated, elf this measure be adopted,
there will be received in the Treasury
from customs, in the last quarter Of the
present year I841,) $4,3OO,OoO; in all OF
the year 1912, about 1922, 800, 900; and in
the year 1913, after the final reduction
under the act Of March 9, 1888, about
sec, 8OO,OOO;" aud adds, sit is believed
that after the heavy expenditures required
by the public service in the present year
shat! have been provided for, the revenue
which will accrue from that or nearly
proximate rate Of duty, will be sufficient
to defray the expenses of the govern
ment, and leave surplus to be annually
applied to the gradual payment Of the ma
ttonal debt, leaving the proceeds of the
public lands to be disposed of as congress
shall see fits
was most happy that congress, at the
time, seemed entirely to concur in the rec
ommendation Of the Executive. and, anti
cipating the correctness Of the Secreta-
ry's conclusions, and in view Of an actual
surplus, passed the Distribution act Of the
4th ofSeptember last, wisely limiting its
operation by two conditions, having ref
erence, both ofthem to possible state Of
the Treasury different from that which
had been anticipated by the Secretary Of
the Treasury, and to the paramount ne
necessities Of the public service. II or
dained lhat''ifat any time during the exist
ence Of that act, there should be an impo-
siton Of duties on imports inconsistent
with the provision Of the act Of the Cd
March, 1888, and beyond the rate Of du-
ties fixed by that act. to wit 90 per cent
on the value of such imports or any Of
them, then the distribution should be con-
tinued SO suspended, until that cause
should be removed" BY previous
clause it had, in a like spirit Of wise and
cautious patriotism, proved for another
case in which all are even now agreed
that the proceeds Of the sales Of the pub.
lie lands should be used for the defence
Of the country II wasenacted that the
act should continue and be in force until
otherwise provided by law, unless the
United States should become involved in
war with any toreign power, in which
event, from the CONNIE ncement of hos,il-
tiles, the act should be suspended until the
cessation of hostilities.
Not long after the opening Of the pres
ent session of Congress, the unpreceden-
ted and extraordinary difficulties that have
recently embarrassed the finances of the
country, began to assume serious as
rect. 1t soon became quite evident that
the hopes under which the act Of 4th Sep
TENDER Wos passed, and which alone ias-
titled il in the eyes either Of Congress who
imposed or of the Executive who approy
ed the first Of the two conditions Just rcci-
ted, were not destined to be fulfilled. I'm
der the pressure, therefore, Of the embar
easements which had thus unexpectedly