Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1842-08-27

, Thus the measure, first among those deemed
by the legislature of The Union ,nd,spensably ne
cessary for the salvation Of IT'S highest interests
and for The restoration of its credit, It's honor, III
prosperity. was prostra,ed defeated, annulled, by
! the weak and waverIng obstnacy OF one man
acciden ,ally. and not by the will Of the People
invested with that terrible power, as It prophet
| caIlv described by one Of his own chosen minis
tiers, at this day, "the right to deprive the PEG
Pile of self government"
! The first consequence Of this Executive egis
Iation not only to PROSTATE the efforts of the
Legislature itself, to relieve the People from
their distress, to repenish the exhausted Treasu-
ry and call forth the resources OF the country, to
redeem the public faith TO tho fulfilment Of the
national engagements, but to leave all the bur
dens and embarrassmen,s of the public Treasury,
! brough, upon 1t by the improvidence OF the pre-
cedng Administration, bearing upon the People
with aggravated pressure. The fatal error Of
! the preceding Administration had been an ex-
! cess OF expenditure beyond It's income. That ex-
cess had been an average OF eight millions OF
dollars a year, at least during the four years OF
its existence. The practical system Of its fiscal
operations had been a continued increase OF ak
pendtures and dmunutlon ct revenues, and 1t
left as a beauest to its successor effective
ducion OF expenses, but double reduction OF
revenue TO the amount OF millions, to occur, OF
course, by the mere lapse OF time. unless avert
ed, within fifteen months, by subsequent iegisia-
ton.
By the double exercise Of the Presidential
interdict upon the two bills for establishing a
National Bank this legislation was prevented
The excess Of expenditures beyond the reve-
nue. continued and increased The double reduc-
ton of revenue, prescribed by the compromise OF
1893, suffered to take its full effect--no re
duction of the expenditures had been prescribed;
and in tie course of eighteen months, since the
Inauguration of President Harrison, addition
Of least fifteen millions to the enormous deficit
already existing IN the treasury at the close oil
the last administration, IS now charged upon the
prevailing party in Congress, by those VINO had
made it the law, while the exercise Of the We o
power alone disabled tho legislature itself from
the power Of applying the only remedy which !!
was within the competency of Legislation itself to
provide.
The erea, purpose for which the special SEES
sion of Congress had been called was thus defeat
ed by the exercise Of the veto power. AT The
meeting of Congress, at The regular annual SEES
sion, the ma rites of both houses, nat yielding
the discourage ment Of disappointed hopes and
b"fisd energies. undertook The task Of raising. by
impnst duties, revenue. adequate TO the neces-
sizes If tho treasury, and to the tuliilmeEt OF the
national obligations.
By the ass,dnuns and unrcmitiing labors of the
committees of both houses charged with the du
ties prov dng for the necessities OF the revenue,
and for the great manufacturing interests OF the
northern central and western states, which
must he deeply affected by any adjnstm ent OF
a tariff, To raise exclusively a revenue adequate
to he necessary expenses OF the Government from
duties on imports a tariff bill believed to be- near
w, if not wholly, sufficient for that purpose, was
elaborated and amply discussed through long
series of weeks 10 both branches Of the Legisla-
ture. The process Of CESSATION through which
alone such complicated system could be organ
zed, necessarily consumed many months OF time
nor were the committees or the House exempted
from severe reproach, which the purchased pres
ses Of the executive Chief are even yet casting
upon Congress, without rebuke or restraint from
him The delays were occasioned by the patient
and unweared investigation Of the whole sub.
iect by tho appropriate committees As the Pc
riod approached when the so called compromise
tariff was to be consummated, leaving the Gov.
eminent without any revenue tariff sanctioned
by the law, the prudence Of Congress without
precipita,ing their decision upon the permanent,
system which they fondIy hoped to establish, pro-
vded and sent to the President, temporary ex-
pedient, limited in its operation 10 the space OF
one month, during which. to avoid, as they tho't,
the possibility Of a collision with the apprehend
ed antipathIes of The President, they had suspend
ed for the same month the distribution Of the pro.
ceeds Of the sales of public lands, which. by a
previous law, was 10 take effect the day after the
expiration of the compromise. Not only was this
most conciliatory measure cont emptuously reject
ed. but, in total disregard of the avowed opinions
of his own Secretary Of the Treasury, concur
ring with those, nearly unanimous, of all the
most eminent lawyers Of the land, in solitary re-
lance upon the hesita,ing opinion Of the Attorney
General, he has undertaken not only to levy tax
to the amount Of millions upon the people. but
to prescribe regulations for its collection, and for
ascertaining the value Of imported merchandise.
which the law had, 10 express terms, reserved for
the legislative action Of Congress.
And now, TO crown this syetem Of continual
and unrelenting exercise Of executive legislation
By The alternate gross abuse Of constitutional
power and bold assumption Of powers never YES
ted in him by any law. we come 10 the veto mes
sage referred by the House to this committee.
A comparative review Of the four several ve-
toes which. in the course Of fifteen months, have
suspended the Legislation Of this Union combined
with that amphIbious production, the reasons for