The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-08-11
VETO MESSAGE.
TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, OF
THE UNITED STATES.

under the necessity of returning to the House
of Representatives, with my objections, bill
entitled '-An act to provide revenue from i'm
ports, and to change and modify existing laws
imposing duties. on imports and for other pur-
poses" Nothing can be more painful to any
individual called upon to perform the chief Ex-
ecutve duties under our limited Constitution,
than to be constrained to withhold his assent
from an important measure adopted by the Lee
gislature; yet he would neither fulfil the high
purposes of his station, nor consult the true in
terests, or the solemn will Of the People, the
common constituents of both branches OF the
Government by yielding his well-considered,
most deeply fixed and repeatedly declared OPP
Mons on matters of great public concernment
to those of coordinate Department, without
requesting that Department seriously to re-ex-
anime the subject of their difference. The ex
ercise of some independence Of judgment in
regard to all acts of legislation, is plainly inn
piled in the responsibility of approving them.
At all times duty-t becomes peculiarly So
lemn and imperative one, when the subjects
passed upon by Congress, happen to involve, as
in the present instance, the most momentous Is
sues, TO affect variously the various parts OF
great country, and to have given rise in allquar-
tiers to such conflict opinion, as to render 1t
impossible to conjecture, with any certainty, on
which side the majority really is. Surely, if
the pause for reflection, intended by the wise
authors of the Constitution, by referring the
subject back to Congress for reconsideration be
ever expedient and necessary, it is precisely
| such case as the present.
On the subject of distributing the proceeds 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 Con-
gress. At the opening of the extra session, up
wards of twelve months ago, sharing fully in the
| general hope of returning prosperity and credit,
| recommended such distribution but that re-
commentator was even then expressly coupled with
the condition that the duties imports should not
coed the rate of 2Oper cent provided by the Compro-
mise act of 1888 These hopes not little encou
ragged and these views strengthened by the report of Mr.
Ewing, then Secretary Of the Treasury, which was
shortly thereafter laid before Congress, in which he
recommended the imposition of duties at the rate of
cited exceptions, and stated " if this measure be
C adopted, there will be received in the Treasury
C from customs, in the last quarter of the present
"year, Q84l,) $5300,0O0; in all of the year 1912,
about $22, 500, 0O0 and in the year l843 after the
" final reduction under the act of March 2, 1888,
about 800 800, 900 y and adds, it is believed that
after the heavy expenditures required by the public
service in the present year shall have been provided
g for, the which will accrue from that or a
nearly proximate rate OF duty, Will lie sufficient to
"defray the expenses of the Government, and leave
ga surplus to be annually applied to the gradual pay
ment of the national debt leaving the proceeds of
the public lands to be disposed of Congress shall
"see ft.n was most happy that Congress, at the
time, seemed entirely to in the recommended
tons of the Executive and anticipating the correct
ness of the Secretarys conclusions, and in view OF
an actual surplus, passed the Distribution act Of the
4th September last wisely limiting its operation by
two conditions, having reference, both of them to
possible state of the Treasury, different from that
which had been anticipated by the Secretary of the
Treasury, and to the paramount necessities of the
public service. 1t ordained that if at any time du-
ring the existence of that act there should be i'm
position of duties on imports inconsistent with the
provision of the act of the Cd March, 1888, and be-
yond the rate of duties fixed by that act to wit, 90
per cent on the value of such imports any Of
them, then the distribution should be suspended and
should continue suspended, until that cause should
be removed" By previous clause it had in like spl
rt of wise and cautious patriotism provided for ano
Their case in which all are even now agreed that the
proceeds of the sales of the public lands should
be used for the defence of the country. 1t was
L.
until otherwise provided by law, unless the United
States should become involved in war with any TO
reign power, in which event, from the com
mencement of hosities, the act should be suspended
until the cessation of hostilltles.
Not long after the opening of the present session
| of Congress, e unprecedented and extraordinary
difficulties that have recently embarrassed the finances
of the country began to assume a serious aspect h
soon became quite evident that the hopes under which
| the act of 18th September passed, and which
alone justified it in the eyes either of Congress who
imposed or of the Executive who approved the first of
the two conditions just rected, were not destined to
be fulfilled. Under the PRESSURE therefore, ofthe EN-
barrassments which had thus Unexpectedly arisen,
appeared to that the to be pursued had been
clearly marked out for the Government by that act IT.
self The condition contemplated i'll it, requiring
suspension of its operation had occurred. 1t be-
came necessary the opinions of ALL to raise the rate
of duties upon imports above 20 per cent, and with
view both provide available means to meet present
exigencies, and to lay the foundation for successful
negotiation of loan, felt it incumbent upon me to
urge upon Congress to raise the duties accordingly,
imposing them'in spirit of wise discrimination, for
the two-old objec, of afording ample revenue for the
Government, and incidental protection to the various
branches of domestic industry. also pressed in the
| most nnnhntic hut resnectfnl language could en-