The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1842-01-26

been put tneTe LOT the purpose u CouCuiatso"'
was put there with the unrealized xpectation tina
il would secure the Presidents signature to the
passage Of the bill. And SO of the second measure
passed at the last session. according to all the his
tory Of the case, il came to Congress as it left Tho
President; and so anxious was 4 majority IN Con
gTess to pass . meesure to meet the President
views, that, though they would have materially
modified the measure if they had not apPrehended
veto, they took il as il came frem his hands, re
fusing to alter word, and passed it through this
house in the same way Did not this prove that
the veto power draws after il the intiatory power
There was now another scheme Of finance before
committee, with his friend from New York (Mr
Tallmadge) at its head; but was there one man in
Congress-if there were, he had not net him in
either Housc-if left TO himself that would propose
such a scheme Of currency and finance as this
Exchs9uer p,rejei And yet they must do
and modified, and limited, in process Of time and
before another period shall have elapsed equal to
that since the formation Of the constitution, the
whole legislation OF the Capitol will be prepared at
the White Hou:e and the Departments around il,
and sent here in the shape of bills to register, like
the ancient Parliament of France, which merely
registered the laws. TO enable the nation then to
BREATHE to ennbe Congress to breathe, TO enable
Congress to speak the will Of the nation and Of
the Legislature it Indispensable that this veto
power shsnld be restrained, or modified, or totally
repealed. If it be not restrained, the question
whic they would have to decide would be, not
what in their deliberate judgments would be of in
terest to their constitucnts-what would be re I'm
cdy Of existing grie sances-what was best adapted
to restore the country's pIosperity-but, what
would be sanctioned by the Chief Magistrate. He
would proceed now TO examine some of the argu-
men Is which he had heard out of doors and else
where against the abolition or modification of the
veto power Of late years, there had rung up
notion that il was necessary to exert some power
to restrain majorties, and that il dangerous to
trust majerties without having SEINE check to their
progress. But, on what was Congress to rely if
majorities were not to govern Somebody must
govern-ether majorities or minorities-and IL
minorities, wherefore Have they more wisdom
than majorites? Another reason was the re ason af
physical force Majorities ought to govern because
they will they have the power to make thoms elves
felt and to enforce their will, But the doctrine Of
minority governing eth with or without the veto
power was advanced by gentlemen who profess to
b9leng 10 what was called the Jefersonian school
~ politiss Well, what was Jcferson's opinion 3
sssy had il 70 his famous Inaugural speech deliv-
cred more than 40 years ago, in which he said thet
ny was an inevitable principle Of Republics from
which there was no escape. Butthere were sound
interests which were said to be mace safe under .
veto power than without it, and for these interests
he had heard adverted 70 of this class but he,
(Vr. BLAY) saw no difference between that and
other great interests II it be true that interest
will be mere secure under the veto power, il would
be true that all are secure with than without
it and if il be true that there is security for
interest by the operation of the veto power, it
equa ly true of all interests. The question came
to this was the veto power, a necessary power. 1t
was Necessary to none or it was necessary to all
What security must they have in a veto ? Why,
sooner or later, as long our free government
lists, the President will finally yield to the MAORI
ity and whenever there was a majority that was
disposed to encroach the great Southe interest
towech he had referred, the veto would not protect
them-the President would not protect them
They would have no other protection, but their
own va'our and their own gallantry to guard their
right: at all Ia yards against all assailants That
and hat al ham. and he
meantime they had the security of Constitutional
guarantee, and the character Of the Government
and the cOntederacy. They had besn told that this
same instrument, the Constitution, should not be
lightly touched, and one gentleman had said that
it was aimsst impossible to get an amendment +; he
admitted that it extremely doubtful whether il
coald be amended, bot still it was their duty to
make all proper effarts. He then briefly glanced
the other subjects embraced in his resolutions and
contended that the 242 members Of Congress were
better able to Judge of the wants and wishes Of the
people, than President surrounded by fatterers,
whose ears it was difficult for truth to reoch, and
it was assuming great responsibility for such a
man to annul the national will as it was conveyed
to him through the peoples representatives
Mr.. PREsToN replied and commended that any al
teration Of the Constitution would be dangerous
and u fact breach Of the compact Of Cosfsdra
ton. The veto power was one necessarily inner
ent in the principles of compromise on which the
government was constructed. Il was not gove rn-
| ment intended to be ruled by majorities alone,
for all its checks and balances were carefully
chosen for the purpose of protecting the mi.
| nority against the msjor.ty. The Legislative
branch could not be said to represent the ma
jOrity for each representative was but the rep
rescntative Of local interests, and the Senate
in particular was Of an arstocratic nature, il,
members not coming directly from the people, ant
protected against popular control by the term o
| service being fixed at SIX years The President
on the contrary, Game directly from the people o
the Union, and not from sectional portion; b,
was, therefore, essentially the onlytruly democra
representative Of the popular will, and to him thu
people naturally locked for the protection Of ihei
| rights: hence the prepriety Of his being endowe,
with the veto power to interpose between lerisla
ton influenced by sectional interests. 1t was cas-,
therefore to account for the fact that the cxerci
OF the veto power hadialways been popular in thi
country.
Mr. BUCHANAN desired TO say something on thi
subject, but as it was now late and il was ueces
sary to proceed with other business succeedinj
days, he moved the post Tonement Of this question
until this day week. The motion was agreed &
| and the Senate adjourned.
House Of Representatives
MONDAY, Jan. -.
| TREASURY NoTE BLL-PETIrToN FOR THE DrssoLU TIC
OF THE gNroN.
Mr. ADAMS Immediately after the reading of the jour
nal rose and said tn hen he was arrested in his
| marks Saturday evening, he was reading extract
from letter from Accemsc.
Mr.. AsDnrws submitted that the gentleman havin
been decided by the House to be out Of order, conl
| proceed without the leave of the House.
Mr. ADAMS said that the Speaker had decided that h
called to order the point made by the gentle
man from North Carolina (Mr. Rayner,) but differ
ent one, as understood by the Speaker He submitted
the House that he stood before them in the position Of
] accused man.
The srsAKER decid ed that he could not be:permitte
t,procced without the leave Of the House.
Mr. FILLMORE asked leave of the House TO roper. from
the Committee Of Ways and Means several bills whicl
he had been waiting many days for opportunity Il
esent
Mr. wsx objected to the introduction of any bu
until that before the House was disposed Of
Mr.. ADAMS wished to know what as the position o
| the question.
The SPEAKER said il necessary to obtain the
sent ofthe House before the gentleman could proceed
Mr. WnE meved that the gentleman from Massachu
sets have leave TO proceed.
| Mr. ANDREWS demanded the yeas and nay $, which we
ordered, aud we've yeas 10 nays o. SO the House dec
ded that the gentleman from Massachusetts, shonld nc
| be permitted to proceed,
Mr.. ADAMS then moved that the petition he receive
and referred TO the Committee Foreign Relations.
enable them to select another Chairman should the
think proper.
Mr. Wrsy then asked permission OF tse Housc 10 repl