The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-01-31
From the Chicago Democrat
EXTRACT FROM THE ADDRESS OF THE
DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION TO THE PEG
PIE OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS

DEMOthAlIC CONVENTION 10 The ffO-
PIE OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS.
Thanks TO that wise and overruling Providence
who accomplshes his own good purposes at his own
good time; who inspired the President with enough
OF trmness to place his veto the passage Of the
bills TO establish National Bank, not by that name
but by the name, in case Of " Fiscal Bank,
and in the other of Fiscal Corporation to collect,
safe-keep, and disburse the public moneys both ha-
wing power TO issue bills as money, TO deal in ex-
changes, and discount notes in disguise, and of
course TO buy up members of Congress and the oii-
GERS Of Government.
For this act of the President, he is now denounced
in the most unmeasured terms-his effgy burnt by
his former friends-the demons of dlscord aroused,
and their fury directed at that most sautary and con-
servative provision in the Constitution yesting the
Executive with the power to nterpose and arrest the
passage of any law he may deem at war with its pro
visions Yes, fellow-citizens infuriated have they
become, that they would, in their phrenzy, destroy
the system of our Government ITSELF and convert II
into Congressional despot SIN, with no power to
check its headlong career, whether urged on by folly
venality wickedness, mad ambition. Our sys-
temof Government is Of checks and balances
one house of Congress being check upon the other,
and the Executive, the representative OF the whole
people, check upon the excuses Of both. What
is this Veto power' 1t is entirely negative in its
character, it cannot enact any law, and operates
only so far as to permit the laws to remain as they
| are, without any change, until the people can be
heard. Should difference of opinion occur in re-
gard to any measure between the Executive and Con-
gress he is not required to surrender to that body his
opnion-he has right to act according to the die
tates of his own judgment and by exercising the We
to power he merely declares that in his opinion the
bill ought not to become law, and the subject IS at
referred to their constituents the people.
Ii they approve the law they will displace the p es
dent if they agree with him and disappsove 1t, they
will dspace the Congress Totake this power away,
would bring the Executive and every other depart
ment of the Government under the control OF Con-
gress and would destroy the symmetry and beauty OF
system, fashioned by the fathers of the Republic
and which has extoried the admiration Of the world.
Yet fellow citizens, is it seriously designed by the
party in power to change the Constitution to gel
rid Of this clog upon Congressional action in order
| that bare majority may enact such laws they
please in order that they may rule with undivided
pire, and without let hindrance, arbitrarily dispose
Of all your constitutional rights Will you consent
to this rather will you not raise your voices against
it, and pray increasingly that the day may never come
to this Republic when desnes shall be committed
to bare majority of Congress? When il shall come
then the instant must there be separation Of this
glorious, and now happy Union-then will IT be rent
in pieces, and its fragments become the sport of the
world. This result inevitable from the very nature
| Of things-there will not then be- now any power
representing the interests of the wi ole Union, ca
pabe o! protesting the weaker portions OF 1t against
the assaults of the strong and upon principles OF self
defence, they must separate. lie very moment this
great protecting power Is taken ron the Executive,
that moment the Of this Union sets in dark, in
chefrless, in eternal night. The Senate would be no
sufficient protection the weak States although they
equally represented there there may happen in
equality, ftheie should not and it should be OBJ
sacle in the way ofthe action of the House, then the
step will be to abolish the Senate and leave the
states at the mercy Of majority of single house y
No, fellow citizens suffer not your Constitution to be
touched by such imptous hands If they make
breach in in this particular, they may by one
demollsh all It's deences provided for your safety ant
protection, until at last, Undermining The very wal
itself its fall will bury your Liberties in It's ruins