The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-01-14
From ne PLilndellAin L,asl,

From The Phiadeip hia Lfae,t
AMENDMENT TO THE u. s. CONSTITUTIONS M
Clay has notified the Senate Of his intention to *
leave to bring in bill for amending the Federal c
sttution IN relation TO the reo power Though iesy
will probably he granted, vet If the Senate will tlEr
our advice, which is good as any which will get
IRON some OF ats members, II will give leave Tor 30
such purpose We sincerely hope that this subject
will be met in the very THRESHOLD and excluded from
the Senate To suppose that majority Of dat body
would entertain any proposition to alter such avery
important feature of the Federal Constitution,
quires, al least in opinion, little creduiy
and we are not little surprised at Mr.. Clay for a
tempting experiment so bold. We fear that this
eminent and justly distinguished public servant ll
lost little Of the discretion which once charael.a
rized him, and is making experiments under the cXas
peration of disappointment. Mr.. Adams, Mr. { q
houn, and several other distinguished men from each 81
our political parties, have committed the error,
or rather have exhibited the same infrmity; and
therefore we have reason TO apprehendtt IN Mr. Clay.
But whatever be the prominent feeling Of Nj. CLAY
and admitting the purity OF his motives, for we are
not addicted to the partisan habit of assang public
servants upon conjecture, we must say that he !,
egregiously mistaken IN supposing that the executive
refo Is dangerous power or that the people OF the
states VIII ever consent to its abolition II Mr. Clay
| supposes that such proposition would be SUPPORTED
by minority even respectable for numbers, he will
we trust live long enough to perceive his error for
whenever such proposition is presented al the pol
the people will declare, by unequivocal signs, that
tney regard the rederal CONSTITUTION as sacred.
If any thing earthly ought to be hallowed by the
people of the United States il is the Federal Consli-
tuition. 1t was made by the wisest and purest men
which the world had ever witnessed in body, ard
1t was adopted by generation remarkable forl ~
wisdom as its virtue. 1t has now endured for more
than fifty years, daily exhibiting in its operation tic
wisdom of its founders and its suficiency 90 every
purpose of good government. The work of WASH
ington, Franklin, Madison, Sherman and sach men
should not be altered nconsderately; and even IL
| rt Of m he imn het,
tered hastily, as if alterations ordinary and lr
fling occurrences but with the caution and solemiaty
of wise people, undertaking an enterprise Of vital
Importance
show how deliberately the Executive negative upon
Congress made part fit. When the peoplco!
the several States became convinced that the ol 'ai.
cles OF confederation" were inadequate to the purs
poses of National Government, they tec ed bodY
of delegates for the purpose of devislng cons
tuition; and these delegates instructed by their
several constituencies to prepare assent TO nothing
inconsistent with republican government. Most of
these delegates were the great men o the Revolution
and among them were Washington Madison tiamil-
ton, Pendeton and several others whose memories
will be revered 80 long as liberty shall dwell on the
earth. They elected Washington for their President,
and organized themselves under rules fitted 10 ensure
the fullest and fiees deberaon and discussion upon
every proposition; and every article every section,
every clause of the constitution underwent the most
! thorough and searching discussion, by body of tln
Wses ana purCst men ever collected Tor olUCa put
pose. The Executive negative underwent, among
other parts of this admirable constitution, the most
careful discussion, and we feel authorized IL say at
If contained any secret mischief such men Mndl
son, franklin, Hamilton and Sherman would hRaU
discovered and exposed it. L his constitution havpZ.
been completed by lis wise and patriotic makers, Wa
submitted to the several States and again subjected 80
similar discussion IN conventions appointed 10y eac
and adopted as it left the hands Of Washington ari
his associates And the reto power passed all hse
ordeals safely and retained and adopted as pant ct
the grand whole Can any suppose that amid qit
these discussions, the pefo power hastily adopted
Such men knew what they were doing and regec'
and gratitude require us to preserve whatever obey
have bequeathed to u.s. unless experience shall demon
strate the necessity of alteration
| Has experience demonstrated this necessity con
| corning the reto power2 1t exercised ~ Vast.
ngton and Madison one the President and The otHci
leading member OF the convention 1t was eN,rcisid
by Monroe another patriot of the Revolution And in
each of these exercises ofthe powerthc people acquec
ed, and nobody prctendedtha it dangerous or
less Not tli Jackson returned bank bill with y,
! negative did any body dream of danger in surh arlN
err nor even then did any body talk seriously OF aho
fishing 1t. The object ofthe provision was 10 Ircvcf
hasy legsotion and not to control or prcvcnttEc ac4
ton OF Congress; and therefore the wise trainers
the constitution very wisely armed the Executive Hth
qualified and not an absolute negative a snnltr
provision has been adopted in each Of the States aa
the fact proves that the people believed in theps
| lily of hasty legislation, and were resolved on quasi
/
But the objection now raised against il is that lr
prevents legislation, and even vests The egslahi
power IN the Executive, by enabling it u control il.
action of Congress But it arms the Executive Wil
no such control, for Notwithstanding all Il abjettjo,
to bill, 1t may become a law Immediately .,it,r ~
has returned TIDY being supported by oritY 81
| two-thrds And is this majoritl very hi, al t5.
be obtained for bill of great importance IrittN.
not the failure shows that the measure is OF doubt
utility, and has nearly many foes a. friends XIV,
Inns ttphn hn., l.,
the measure to the people, through a Suspension ti
the next session, or the meeting of the next tnuTc
If the people want the law, they signify II 70 tcc
representatives by holding etngs during the fcocs,
and the representatives, thus ascertaining the yicv
of their constituents, will act accordingly If lhay al
fit for public trust And if the people are opposed -
the Dill, they can proclaim II in public mcengs aud
will thus declare teir appreciation Of the Prcsidont
course But II the representatives, nOtE hstaG6h.-
the dlrcctouS OF Their constituents support the b
the next session, the veto will merely cause a ~ l
sion till another Congressional election, and TIM. tG
will of the people will be executed sooner on latei
Thus the readcr> perceive that the ENtcnlhcsat6
IS merely the power of referring bill to tic p-'
and as such is cniuently Democratic ii chaiaat.,.
But MIR Clay proposes, if we understand AiI, Ga
abolish this power, or tomodiiy il So fJra ~ b }et'
bare majority Sufficient TO pass bill aierdS i,.3.
by the President with objections Th@ m1jhaL ~
be one in each house., and majority OF tic "a p,g
may be opposed to the bill In such case Nl 81
great Importance and fiaugh with great miychet
may be passed 10y the smallest possible majority ib
each house, while the majority Of the nation regard
as very niqutoos measure. Let US suppo-chcp.c
An association of merchants apply 10 Congress tr
perpetual charter 10 trade with India with priyipgs
amounting to monopoly. The bill pa, es boh f1ad
by small maortits and is returned bv die prcs lsn
with objections. The petitioners find only I'VE 81
wanting in each House to secure mat1r,,ic. ami IDS,
chase inc whole Such things have occurred IA
rcan history, and may occur again, aud ihcf,tss,
prinery IS possible case, even IN COngr IStt
doubt ITS occurrence IN the Legislature 81 icuusy s
ma, IN procuring charters for grc bon. lia.4,
then through bare majority, u t.or,u., .a-oh.t
IS imposed upon the country md accofi ag io Ab,
Clay, who will pronounce ID rtgli .ri. fc.tar