Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-03-05

appointing once, as regarded the second branch of
The Legislature, to the State sovereignties uneq ual
Nano not prone, therefore, to violent or perilous
eon6'nauon) In population and extent. This pro-
VISION OF our Constitution has been the subject of
much cavi, (said MIR Archet.) But Il was the best
me ~lsest the most truly conservative, the most
en'reIy admirable feature IN that sublimest inven-
uon oil all tunes, the institution of constitutional
'eoeuatve Government-nn invention by which
whoe continents of territorial neutrality-suspicious.
larger Than existing or tabled in China-might DC
brought INTO II aferniiaiiOn, rot only without dan
ger OF the deSpousm which had been found attend
ant on Government extending over very large
sphere land IN the proportion Of the of the
sphere,) but IN reality with lighter yoke Of nu-
thority-wlth more moderated intrusion into
those reeesses oil personal and domiciliary concern
from which It is the FIRST Of objects TO keep the hand
OF Government away, than was presented. or could
De, m the most approved systems Of ordinary tree
Governments.
These guards on The redundant action OF the popu-
Tar Will were not deemed enough, IN the wise con-
eeption of the contrivcrs of our Constitution
They constrained this will into several channels
separate streams-took prccaution against the ra-
pid or violent confluence Of these streams. But the
ueslgn was, not TO obstruct enllrey-(to trust ate
the public will he the design of a free
Constitution;) It was TO moderate the flow, till the
proper point OF reunion could be reached. Even
then, so extreme was the peril and mischief OF over
action, another guard was placed flood gate, so
contrived still further arrest the current II II
ran with undue force, TIL II deepened f not divert
ed into volume, TO which it was no longer allow
aols or safe to oppose obstruction. This further
guard was the power OF the qualified veto on legs.
lation, reposited with the President. The question
whether this last guard could be benehcially not
abolished, Chat was not the scope OF the PROPOSE
ton OF his honorable friend from Kentucky but re-
iormed-was that now presented for the considera-
ton of the Senate, and to the discussion of which
Mr. A. would proceed to address himself.
MIR Archer was aware that what he had been
saying would appear TO many abstract and map
proprate. But the principles relative to our ins;i-
tutions, which he had been stating, wero not only
important IN reference to this question: but taking
INTO view opinions which foated on the public
mind, and formed the nucleus of party combina
uons, presented topics for discussion of far greater
interest than the question. He should have no
difficulty, however, in msniiestiug, very speedily,
the application Of these considerations to the ques
uon-a proposition which was, indeed, almost evil
dent, inasmuch as Just and full comprehension OF
the grounds of the institution OF the veto, must be
regarded as necessary to decision the proprie-
~ oil the retention or reform of Il.
IL was principle mir Archer went on to saw
beyond oil comparison the most important in politi
cal science, though one of the least observed that
no matter what the structure Of society or govern
ment IN State, the administrative powers OF the
Government never were really resident with tho
nominal administrators, or only for intervals very
transient. This was true IN all states Of society in
all Governments, the most dcspotic as well as the
ready TO control, which, IL obstructed did exercise
control on the administrative functonaries; and with
lnconsderable exception, these funetionarles know
ing these facts, shaped their administration in
steady difference 10 the views Of this controlling
power This last or effective power did not ALWAYS
reside IN the body of the community, as the frs,
view would lead TO suppose. On the contrary, II had
been very seldom found TO reside there Il was ar.
ranged 10y the condition OF society, in that class or
those classes, which had been able TO get command
al rfo'IF Al
moral forces of the community. Even the element
OF physical force had been seldom resident with the
body OF the community. belonging to the classes
which had the arms TO subdue or the property TO
purchase, or the moral influence TO win or manage
the lar larger number Of their associates Ia States
purely despotica, the effective authority was in the
soldlery, who upheld the despOt or in the casts So
cial OF religious, who controlled tie preudces OF the
soldiery. Nerocould fiddle while Rome was burn.
lng,' which he had set on FIRE for his amusement
de could not command single attendant to hold
the dagger TO his throat for suicide, after ne had
gwen disgust to the p ~'orians, whose power, not
his own, he had carried TO such frantic excess An
Eastern Sultan may drive the wretched popuace
submitted TO him, ike oxen, or squeeze them like
spunses, or slaughter them like sheep Let him
break with the Janziries, or the Mutt and 4 bow
string soon admonlshcs him whose was the power
he had been WELDING as his own.
We had al this momen, an extraordinary evidence
efhioeo TO US, IN the greatest nation the world had
ever SEEM OF the utter neF1cency OF the adminlStra
i've or nominal rulers OF Government, even backed
~ the most essential interest and contested wishes
o, the body OF the community, 10 resist the control
oil the predomnaung caste IN this community. In
Government OF monarchica form, not a new or
tottering, but on old and a stable monarchy We
mad Just seen the monarch and her official admins
traitors subdued and the latter actually expelled
from place, Tor an effort Of difference 20 the clear
interests and sense of the community. Would
bread be sixty per cent. dearer amid starving Dopu
n hm m w.N.s
Paris, tweniy-iour hours jouney-if the monarch.
heT adherence uneontested to the party who were for
cheap bread, bore real sway in Engand7
AS near an approach to despoiic authority rs
we had seen IN any settled Government, in late
tImes, attached to the administrative head hsd been
seen among ourselves, IN the case Of General Jack
son. Was II authority OF his own which bsstrode
and tramped on the !and7 No! lie was only the
organ the type, as he expressed it himself the re-
preventative of the Democracy ofthe country, infu
sing It's excited spirit into the arms of colossal d.
mansions, which he stretched over the State And
these arms! were they guided by HIMSELF Even
~ those around him, the most qualified TO counsel
the best fitted to gulde7 Alas, no. Instead Of the
hendalis, the Bars sf id omns pecuS had this royaI
puppet ialien into other and different hands, such as
some he saw around him, his friend from Pennsyl |
TanIa, MIR Buchanan from Alabama, IMr King 4 |
how different had been the result 10 the country
low much disaster had been saved What amount
II ignomlny aveued
The natural law Of the social development (said
Mr. Al assigned this effective power TO the mass of
property and intelligence in each State. But this
mass was by no means necessarily coincident with
the mass OF the population. In our country, how.
ever, and perhaps in only the fact Of this CO
incidence was presented. The mass Of property
and intelligence, and therefore the social as " e as
political power, were resident with the mass OF the
population. Now the propositions (Mr Archer
went on to say) which he had been deslrous to es-
tablsh. as the ground work of the argument he had
TO present, were these In all States there was a
socia power stronger than the Government winch
IN effect welded the Administration, however the
Government might be organized This POKER las
was the nature Of all power would be engaged IN
perpetual effort 70 attract further authority. or. ~
no. 10 bend the Administration which il contro ed
to subservence 10 its peculiar interests; or II us
interests were not peculiar, then 10 It's peculiar pas
SONS. Now this was great evil and demanded
safeguards, II they could be applied whether the
power resided with the mass Of the community or
part Of it the object Of oil right Government nrd
indeed, all social organization, being to arm inferior
strength and minority interests with protectinn.-
We were bound, then, by the leading principle Of
all Just political Institutions 10 set 10 these safe-
GUARDS ~ our Government, ngalns, the injurious
acuonoi the pretOmnating power, though Il was
tina, Of the majority Of the community. On tbsse
safeguards the veto power was one Of those which
we mad, and as Mr. Archer thought, properly estab.
lshed.
But THIS prodomin1iing power must have a De.
cuiiar organ m the structure Of the Government.
Tor the transmission Of its influence and action I,
"as against this organ or department Of the Gov
eminent, therefore, that the guard must be placed
and ~ the hands Of a weaker or one not liable IN
the same degree az least, 10 the force Of this inAu