, 1842-08-27
VETO MESSAGE.
To the House Of Representatives. Of the
United STATES.

United STATES.
1t is with unteigned regret that |
find myself under the necessity of re-
turning To the House of Representa-
tives. with my objections, a bill en-
titled San act to provide revenue
from imports, and to change and
modify existing laws imposing duties
on imports AMI for other purposes"
Nothing can he more painful 10 any
individual called upon to perform the
chief Executive duties under our
limited institution, than to be CON-
strained to withhold his asSen from
an important measure adopted by the
Legislature; vet he would neither fol-
fill the high purpose of hts station. nor
consult the true interests. ar the s'l-
emn will Of the people. the common
constituents of both hrancheS of the
Government. BY Welding his well
considered. m,st d epty fixed, and
repeatedly declare opinions IN mat
tiers Of great public conceTnment 10
those of Il CO ordinate Department.
without request that Department Sc
%riously To re-examiGe the subject Of
their difference. The exercise OF
some independence Of judgment III
regard to all acts of legislation. is
plainly implied in the responsibility
Of approving them. At all times a
dutv-il becomes a peculiarly solemn
and imperative one, when the sub,
iects passed upon bv Congress. hap
pen tn involve. as in the present ~
stance. the most mnlnentous issues. to
affect v~arinus|v the various parts oi Il
great country, and To have given rise
in all Quarters to such 4 conflict of
opinion. as to render il impossible I"
conjecture. with any certainty, on
which side the majority really IS
Surely. if the pause for reflection. in
tended bv the wise authors OF the
Constitution, by referring the sub
iect back to Congress for re-consIde-
ration be ever~ expedient and necessa-
ry, it is precisely such a 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 pres
ent session of Congress. At the
opening of the extra session, upwards
OF twelve months ago. sharing fully
in the general hope Of returning pros,
peritv and credit, | recommended
such a distribution; bat that recon-
mendation was even then expressly
coupled with the condition that the
du,ies on imports should not exceed
the rate Of 90 per cent, provided by
the Compromise Act Of 1888. These
homes were not a lille encouraged
and ,hese vie VS. strengthened by the
renort of Mr.. Ewing. then Secretary
OF the Treasury. which was shortly
thereafter laid before Congress, IN
which he recommended Inc imposi
ton Of duties at the rate OF 90 per
cent. al ualorem on all free articles,
with specified exceptions, and stated
"if this measure be adopted, there
will he received in the Treasury from
customs, in the last quarter OF the
present year, N84I.) $500 OOo; IN
all of the year 1912, about S22'5oo,
600; and in the year l843, alter the
final reduction under the act OF Marcr
2, 1888, about $40, soo.ooo;" and
adds, sit is believed that after the
heavy expenditures required by the
public service in the present veal
shall have been provided tor, me
which will accrue from thai
or a nearly proximate rate Of duty
will be sufficient to defray the ex
penses of the Government, and leave
a surplus to he annually aPPlIea 't
the gradual payment of the na'iona
debt, leaving the proceeds Of the pn0
lie lands TO be disposed oil as Con'
press shall see fit" was most hap