The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-08-11
THE FOURTH VETO.

THE FOURTH VETO.
We trust that Congress is now done expert
menting. BY this time every member OF Con-
gress, the country, and the world, must know
that John Tyler will never shrink from his duty
whenever it may become necessary to interpose
the Veto to preserve the Constitution, or to
shield the Government and the interests OF the
People against the attacks of political gamblers.
Since the day (eary in the extra session. on
which it was learned from the President that
the present Administration could not, and
would not, be prostituted to secure the Lord OF
Ashland's election in 1844--since that day, the
whole legislation of our country has been no
thing but a game Of chess The Wings DO
not want the currency question settled for seve-
raj years yet, or it might have been done eight
months ago-nor do they want the tariff ques-
ton settled, as may now be seen by all from
their recent experiments. They want these ques-
tions open during the next Presidential cam
paign-hence their experiments, their feints,
their pretences, which are designed on the one
hand to find out precisely what kind of metal
the Captain is composed of, and to an,tse the
manufacturers and merchants on the other We
say amuse, because we know they will convince
some of the Northern People that, during the
nine months session (at least in the ninth month";
they made serious effort to get Tariff. But
zoe know they do not wish to consummate any
such thing, so long before the election But
they will play with the measures demanded by
the People, like cats with mice mousers'') and
come as near adopting them as possible; but
they will not suffer them to become laws-no,
then they would escape them in 1874. They
aim as near the measures of the People as pos
sible, without designing to strike them, like the
savage who binds his victim to the tree and
hurls his glittering tomahawk, apparently at his
head, but merely with the intention TO shave OFT
the locks. In this way the Wing Congress
is playing with the People.
The leaders will say " this was Tarif-an
ample Tarif-why did not the President sign
it? We can do no more" Thus, they design to
show the surface of the cup of custard to
the People, without admitting that it con-
tanned poison below. And they took especial
care to let the President see them make the
deadly admixture for they wished him to dash
the cup to pieces, with the paltry hope that
when it was dashed to the earth their masters
would not see the drug it contained!
The President has saved the country now the
fourth time Had he not possessed the resolu-
ton and firmness to dash each of the poisoned
cups to the earth, his country would have been
ruined-ruined before the next Presidential
election, and ruined by the Clay Wing majority
that concocled them This was well known
hence they have been legislating for vetoes, in
stead of wholesome laws.
Mr. Clay wishes to bamboozle the People of
the North two or three years longer on the sub
ject of the Tariff. They want Tariff and
he wants their votes. But he must not give it
to them get, or they might forget to pay him the
debt of gratitude hereafter. He must promise
to sign such bill aohen they elect him. He
demands to be paid in advance. In the South,
his presses are at this moment insisting upon
it that he is in favor of the compromise In the
East, he goes for a Bank-in the West, for Dis
tribution This is the great game, and who is
better brag player than Mr.. Clay
But the North would be satisfied with the
Tariff which the President recommends, and
intimates his wish to sign in this Veto Mes
sage Why not adopt this good Tariff at once,
and let the People have two three years of
prosperity before Mr.. CLAWS entree as Presi-
dent? The North will be content to have the
incidental protection suggested by the Presi-
dent, and the South will not murmur at it,
Never was there more glorious opportunity to
establish, on a permanent basis, Just such
Tariff as the country needs-and the amount Of
revenue required by the Government, if raised
by duties on imports, would secure the prospe-
rity of the manufacturing classes. And we be-
gin to think, that if the present time is neglected
for the special benefit of the Lord of Ashland
some other mode of raising revenue may be
adopted before he is indicted into the Presi-
dental Chair.
The Veto Message before us is just the able,
digniGed, and patriotic document which the oc-
casion demanded. There is not particle of
selfshness or equivocation in it. The mind of
the Chief Magistrate has grasped the whole
subject, and weighed it impartally, without re-
ference to any particular section or party. His
enemy, the Lord of Ashland, calls him ''weak
and vacilating )" but has Mr.. Clay ever pro-
duced document that can compare with this
They call him "weak and vacillating" We
venture to say that THIS act required more moral
courage, and iron frmness, than any similar
act of all the Presidents. They can do moth
ing but rail against him.
The President depicts the condition, present
and prospective, of the Treasury which alone
would justify the Veto.
But the Tariff Distribution bill was uncon-
stitutional. To distribute the proceeds of the
lands, under existing circumstances, is as fal