The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1842-02-10

be said that this was true Of kings, but did
not apply on this side Of the water but le.
DIR. {. tell those who thought so, that the
actual condition of President of the Uni
led States did not very widely differ from
that of the monarchs Of the old world
Here, too, the Chief Magistrate occupied
an isolated station, where the voice OF his
and the cries of its distress could
not reach his ear. He, too, was surroun-
ded by Gordon Of iayoriles, flatterers, and
fawns. Isolated in this District, with no
embarrassmenls himself, the echoes OF the
public distress, if they reached his ears at
all, reached it with a faint aud feeble
sound, being DISTRACTED by those who sur
rounded his person, and approached him
only to iiat,er. Facts we're boldly denied,
and all complaints attributed to iaciious
spirit. Now, he would ask, was man
thus separated, and thus surrounded, more
likely TO know the real sufierlngs, wants,
and wishes of his counirymen, than the
two hundred and iorty-two men in the 9th
err House, or the ffiy-two men in this
House, who came up here directly from
their bosom ; who shared in oil their suf-
fering who felt their wants, participated IN
their wishes, and sympathized with all
their sorrowsl That was the true ques.
ton Of the veto power. Now he thought
if these things were duly considered, land
he spoke not of this or of that incumbent
Of the office, but OF the circumstances of
every one who filled it, it must be admit
ted by every candid mind that the respon.
sibiliiy was great Of a man who should un.
dertake, on his own private opinion, TO re-
sist and suppress the viii Of the nation con.
stiiutionally expressed. II was power
not merely to annul the national will, as
lawfully uttered by its own chosen Repre-
senialiyes, but the power to initiate legIsla-
ton itself, aud to substitute for the viii Of
the nation an alien will, neither Of the IA.
ton nor of lis Representatives.
But be was physically unable TO 20 fur
thcr in this subject, The question was
the old question whether we should have,
in this country, power tyrannlcal, de-
spotlc, absolute, the exercise Of which
must, sooner or later, produce an absolute
despotism, or free Representative gov
eminent with powers clearly defined aud
carefully separated That was the true
question TO be decided.
There were other amendments accom-
panying this one on which he wished TO
say few words, but was to-day unable to
do so. Several offers had been made by
gentlemen near him TO move an adjourn.
mcnt, but he had perscyered IN declining
lhem.l
That in relation 10 securing to Congress
the appointment Of the Secretary and
Treasurer, was onc OF those reforms 10
which he considered the Wing party so.
lcmnly pledged as one of the measures
proper to be pursued in the process OF lin.
ting Executive power, but he could not
now dwell upon it.
The other, relating to the appointment,
Of members Of Congress to office, only
went, in effect, to carry out the principle
already sanctioned by that article Of the
Constitution which declares that no mem.
Der should be appointed TO an Office which
had heen created or tho oinoluneats OF
which had been increased with his CONCUR
renee. THIS went ono step further, and
declared that no member should be ap.
pointed TO an office which lad been Great
cd with or without bls concurrence, before
or after he was u member. Whenever a
man accepted an Office which lie was rca.
sonably expected to hold for a definite
term, he should continue TO hold !, for that
entire period, unless some very strong roa-
son existed to the contrary, and which had
not existed prior 10 his appointment.
There was one concluding remark on
the amendment al present before the Sen.
ate with which nc would close what he
had now to say. Although he admitted
that the principles he had laid down would,
if carried fairly out, lead to the abolition
of the veto altogether, as inconsistent with
the f:Tiamontel axiom Of free govern.
ment, yet he WIS Of opinion that this, like
other reforms, should be introduced slow.
~ mud with circumspcction, without sud-
denly rushing from one extreme 10 moth.
or. Before the power should be utterly
abolished he deemed il prudent that an ex.
pertinent should bc made in a modified
form and instead OF requiring a majority
Of two-thirds Of both Houses TO supcrscde
the veto Of the President, lie thought it
sufficient 10 require the concurrence Of
majority Of the whole number Of mem.
bcrs elected, i. C. Of twcnty-scven in the
Senate and Of one hundred and twenty-five
IN tho other House.
Tie asked whether this would not afford
a sufficient security agaIns, the dangers of
hasiy legislation; and, in confirmation Of
It's suAicicncy, he would appeal to what
had been the experience Of all the States
where such n provision had been adopted.
If bill, after having undergone full in.
yestigatlon and discussion, should pass both
Houses, and be transmitted to the Presi.
dent for his signature, and he should return
ltwiih his veto, and the reasons for that VIC.
TO, and It should then be again considered
and fully discussed in view Of the ohlec.
tons urged against it By the Executive,
10 say nothing Of the whole influence dc.