Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-08-30

;os,;,nt;ons in the character of their population
and even, to some extent, IN their language, .ny
embrace every variety of soil, climate, and pfoouc.'os
In an enlarged view, believe their interests 10 oe III
den,cnl: although TO the eye of the local and Sec
ona pr. iulce, they always appear 10 ce cohhc''he
| In such d condition, mutual J'aioIss must al'Se'
which can only lie repressrd by that mutual '"Ios"i
anee which pervades the Constitution 10 lrglsia'e
wisely for such people is task ri extreme decacy,
and requires much selfresraining prudence ana eau
ton. In this point of view, firmly believe mat me
veto power of the best safeguards OF the mon
| By this power the majority OF the people IN every
State have decrecd that the existing laws stall remain
| unchanged, unless not only majority in each House
of Congress but the President also, shall sanction the
change. BY these wise and wholesome restrictions,
they have secured themselves so far as human pru'
dence can against hnsty oppressive, and dangerous e
| gslaton. >,
The rights of the weaker portions OF the Union WIZ
find one Of their greatest securities in the veto power
II would be easy 10 imagine interests oil The deepest
importance to particular sections which might be Sc
riously endangered by its destruction. For example,
not more than third of the States have any direct
interest in the coas;ing t-ade This trade is now Sc
cured TO American vessels, not merely oy protective
duty but BY absolute prohibition OF all foreign COM
petition Suppose the advocates of free trade run mad
should excite the jealousy Of the Senators and Repre-
sentaiives from the other twoihrds oil The States,
against this comparatively local interest, and convince
them that this trade ought TO be thrown open TO foreign
navigation. BY such competition, they might con.
tend that the price of freight would be reduced, ano
that the producers Of cotton, wheat and other articles
ought to be taxed in order to sustain such mono
poly in favor Of ship building and navigating
interest. Should Congress, Influenced by these or any
other pass act TO open this trade
TO the competition of foreigners, there Is no man III !"
fill the Executive chair who would not place his veto
upon IT, and thus refer the subject to the sober deter
ninaton of the American people To deprive the ma
ynang States Of this privilege, would he to aim dead
ly blow at the very existence Of the Union.
Let me suppose another of a much more dan
aerous character In the Southern States, winch COM
pose the weaker portion of the Unon species of pro-
perty xss which is attracting The attention OF the
whole civilized world. Thcse States never would
have become parties the Union, had not their rights
in this property been secured by the Federal Con
, stitution Foreign ard domestic ianaucs-some
from the belief that they doing God service, and
others from desire TO divide and destroy this glo
. rious Republic-have conspired to emancipate The
Southern slaves. On this question, the people OF the
South beyond the limits OF their own States stand alone
and unsupported by any power on earih except That OF
the Northern Democracy. These fanaical phianthro-
pists are now conducting crusade over the whoie
world, and endeavoring 10 concentrate the public
opinion Of all mankind against this right OF property
Suppose they should ever influence minority IN oo.h
Houses of Congress to pass law not To abolish tins
properlyfor that would be too palpaGle violation OF
The Conslluton-but to render It of no value, under
the letter, but against the spirit oil sumo one oil The
powers granted-wil any lover OF his country say
that the President ought not 10 possess The power
of arresting such all act by his veto, until the
, eolemn decision Of The people should be known on
this question, involving the life or death OF the
Union We, SIR, oil the non slaveholdng States,
entered the Union upon the express condition that
this property should be protected. Whatever may
be our own private opinions in regard 10 slavery IN
the abstract, ought we TO hazard oil the blessings oil
our free institulions-our Union and Strengthen
such a crusade against our brethren OF the South
Ought to leopard every political right we hold dear
for the sake oil enablng these fanatics to invade South
ern rights and render that fair portion of our common
inheritance Of servle war; rapine and murder:
Shall apply the torch 10 the magnificent temple OF
human liberty which urefathers reared al the price
Their blood and treasure, and permit all we hold dear
TO perish in the conilagraiion' trust not.
& II is possible that at future day the majority IN
Congress may attempt, by indirect means, to emancpaie
the .lares oil the South. There no knowing through
what channel the ever active spirit OF fanatlcsm may
seek accomplish It's object. The attempt may be
made through the taxing power, or some other express
power grantedby the Constitution God only knows how
it may be made. 1t is hard to say what means fanatl-
csm may not adopt to accomplish It's purpose. DO we
feel secure, in this hour OF peril from abroad and
peril at home as be willing to PROSTATE any of
the barriers which the Constitution has reared against
E hasy and dangerous legislation No, Sir, never was
The value Of the veto power more manifest than ut the
present moment For tie weaker portion OF the unlon
whose constitutional rights are now assailed with such
violence to think of abandoning this safeguard, would
be almost suicidal. II is my solemn conviction, that
. there never wiser beautiful adaptation Of
theory
requires orIty OF " thirds IN both Houses OF
Congress to pass act returned by the President with
his objections, under all the high responsibilities which
he owes to his country.
v Sir, ours is glorious Constitution. Let US venerate
lii-le stand by it the work Of great and good
men, unsurpassed in the history of any age or nation
Let us not assa il rashly with invading hands, but
honor 1t The fountain of our prosperity and power
Let protect it as the only system of Government
| which could have rendered US what we are IN half
century and enabled to take the front rank among
the nations Of the earth In my opinion, it is the only
form of Government which can preserve the blessings
of liberty and prosperity to the people, and at the
same time, secure the rights and sovereignty OF the
S,a,es Sir, the great mass of the people unwil-
ling that il shall be changed. Although the Senator
= from Kentucky, to whom cannot and do not attribute
any hut patriotic motives has brought himself TO be-
lie We that change necessary, especially in the veto
power must differ from him entirely, convinced that
his opinions this subject based upon faacous
theories of the nature of Institutions This view
of his opinions strengthened by his declarations the
other day as the nltable rights of the majority IN
Congress. On that point he differs essentially from
the trainers Of the Constitution They believed that
the people Of the different States had rights which
might be violated by such majority; and the veto
power was one OF the modes which they devised for
preventing these rights from being invaded
The Senator, support OF his objections 10 the veto
!, mower has used what he denominates a numerical ar
nument, and asks II be supposed that any Presi
dent will possess wisdom than nine Senators and
forty Representatives. (Thls is the number more tlnn
hare majority Of each body which would at present
be required to pass bill by majority of twothrds
To this question, my is not TO be so sup
posed at all All that We have to suppose is what our
ancestors their acknowledged wisdom, did suppose;
that Senators and Representatives. are but mortal men,
endowed with moral passions and subject 10 mortal in
frmi,ies that they susceptible ofseish and unwse
impulses and that they do not always, and under all
circumstances, truly reflect The will of their consu-
ents These founders Of our Government, therefore,
h supposed the possibility that Congress might pass an
f act through the influence Of unwise improper
tives; and that the best mode OF saving the country
from the evil effects of such legislation to place
qualified in the hands OF the peoples own repre-
f sentative the President Of the u. s., by means of which,
unless two-,hirds Of each House Of Congress should
repass the bill, the question must be brought directly