Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-10-01
COMMUNICATIONS
10 hs Editor Of hs Nag.
THE MIXTURE. OBJECT, am abuse or
THE VETO POWER.

THE VETO POWER.
| NO. ILL.,
Mn. EpiroR; The "qu,lifed negative" VIC.
ates one OF tho fundamental principles upon which
every system Of Republican Gpvernmeht must TO
based That principle il a at majority mast rule.
Ia order for any kind OF Government to exist laws
must DO promulgated either by n majority or mi
noriiy. II the minority bears sway, then we at
once have an Aris,oeracy, 90 odious TO the people
of this country. For this few will contend. Tho
maxim, then, that in free Government, a ms orty
must enac, laws | must take rs one ipcortesuby
established upon the soundest principles Of common
sense, admitted by all patriotic and competent men
who have invsstis aicd the difficult science Of Gov
crnmeni, and adhered to by al who desire to enjoy
the Blessings OF liberty. Any other theory will sap
the foundations Of freedom, and dash 10 the ground
the hopes Of the patriot. Now, IL YOU admit tho
principle to the fullest extent and the same time
give the minority tho power TO check, battle, and
deiea, the majority in all their attempts to enact
laws for the benefit Of society, you annu the theory
aud violate the principle. The minority, quoad nee,
rules the maj ri'y. 1t is, TO be sure, kind Of neg
auve authority which the minority here cxerls but
L. Is no less substantial and efficient on tha, account.
For III have the power TO preusnt your doing any
thing, am TO that extent your master and you
are my slave My power is just MS oppressive and
imperative as II had ,hs power tc compel you TO
do any thing which accorded with my wishes
Your actions and movements arc guided and di-
reeted by my will. In other words. you arc ru'ed
by me. Now this is precisely the effect Of the
Presidents Veto. The House OF Representatives
at present consists Of 2i2 members, the Senate Of
5s-S members of the lower House, or 10 Of the
Senate sufficient to defeat any bill when re.
turned by the President with his objections. Thus
the President, with the aid of 81 members of the
House, can defea, bill passed 10y i6l OF its mcm-
bers, and the unanimous voice oil tho Senate ; or
with the Co operation OF Is members of the Senate.
he can set at nousht the will OF the people, unan.
moIsly expressed by their immediate rgans in tho
| House of Representatives, and sustained by 81
members Of tina, august body, the Senate Of the u.
States. Thus So or 10 members can direct and con
tSol the aiTiirs of this Government. How much
longer such tyranny this will be borne, remains
| yet to be seen.
There is one way 10 particular, apar, from tho
pTopriely OF the occasions upon which this power
has been rcsorted TO, in which the manies, inten.
ton OF those who were in favor of It's insertion in
the Constitution has been departed from; mean thu
frequency Of its trereise. This power was origin
ally intended TO be used with great cautonr and
to be exered only in OF "maniiest propriety''
or extreme necessity" when passion and preiu-
dice had gained the mastery over reason and iuds-
| ment. This abundantly appears from what is SAID
on this subject by the writers of the Fcderast, to
watch We may at all times refer when we wish To
know how the Constitution understood by its
advocates previous TO It's adoption. They advert
to the length OF time during which this power has
remained dormant IN the English Constitution, in
order TO show the safety oladop,ing it into our own
aud Tor the purpose OF quoting the fears Of those
who were alarmed at its dangerous tendency. The
| N sho he NJ
| the argument:
! "a King OF Great Britain, with oil his train Of
sovereign attributes, and with all the influence he
draws fom thousand sources, would, at this day,
hesitate TO put negative upon the Joint resolutions
OF The two Houses OF Parliament"
u" IT Magistrate, so powerful, and we'll forti.
| heJ, &c a British Monarch, would have serupIes
about the exercise OF the power under considerations
how mucn greater caution may be reasonably ex-
pected in President ofthe United States, clothed
Tor the short period Of four years. with the Execu-
tive authority OF 4 Government wholly and purely
| Republican 80
| The analogy here drawn between our Govern
ment and that OF Great Britain, in relation TO this
power, though apparently very striking, has not
proven true IN practice. This power has not been
| resorted to under the English Constitution since
1902. With us, since our Government has been in
operation. Il has been already exerted eighteen times
viz: twice under Washington, four times under
Madison, once under Monroe, seven times under
Jackson, and lastly, four times under Mr. John Veto
Tyler, who will doubtless give at least ten more
thus equnlllng tho number furnished by all of his
predecessors, and secure TO himself the intervening
appcilntlon which hereby award him.
Win regard 10 our worthy Chief in his rash and
needless resort TO the qualified negative" he has
not confined himself 10 ''the case for which IL !,
chiefly designed, that OF on immediate attack upon
the Constitutional rights OF the Executive or TO a
case IN which the public good evidently and
pnpably taerlhced," but in his recent protest he
employs this language: "Not having been able To
q xrhi
the House OF Representatives, | returned the same
TO the House. with my objections TO its becoming a
law" Thus has our President, through mere ca.
price, and without the authority OF precedent 10
sanction the step, taken upon himself 20 defeat a
bill having for its object the repenshng Of an ex-
hausted Treasury, and nffording to him the means
OF conducting the affairs Of government. And
while he was unable to bring himself TO approve
TINS Oil, which he, HIMSELF could not decidedly pro-
nounce unconstitutional, he found no difficulty on
the score Of conscience. in collecting Tevonue undcr
regulations not prescribed by law" Thus has our
worthy Chief Magistrate VIC ated that celebratnd
maxn.-hot no people should be Jared ioithout hfiy
e0Hsent-the bass upon which has been erected tho
proud fabric Of English and American liberty and
which should have been kept sicred through all
time. BY adherence 20 this principle English
liberty was established, and in defence Of IT, the
FIRST blood in our Revolutionary struggle was shed.
BY retaining the power OF taxation in their own
hands, the Commons OF England have ALWAYS heen
enabled successfully TO defend the rights OF the peo
pic against every meditated attack on the part Of
the Crown. The King might raise an army or de.
clare war, but the Parliament could. by Withholding
supplies, battle him in all his Efforts I! seems.
however, If the precedent SO, by Mr. Tyler is follow
ed, that IN our country the of this operation
- to take place, the President 10 retain in his own
hands this balance Of power, and If Congress will
not give him such revenue he wants, he will not
allow the Government 10 have any revenue at ALL
This power Of the Veto. MIR Editor, is a sublec,
which IS becoming mora and more important every
day. The mind is filed with the most awful an.
prehensons OF future evil, If prerogatiVe so frausht
with mischief is suffered any Ion ,er to remain in the
hands Of tho Executive. IL should occupy a pro-
minent place before the minds OF the people IL
should be made a test question in all elections -
And tho people should decide for themselves who.
Their they are willing TO allow their permanent well
fare 10 be subject TO the caprieious will and tickle
mind Of one man. They should consider this sub.
Ject thoroughly and mlturely, and view il calmly
and dispassonaiely, with minds unclouded by tho
msis Of prejudice, which, pnity spirit, heated by
passion md guided 10y self interest, will endeAyor to
throw around il.
Virginia hes always been among the frs, to take
The o'd IN oil groNt questions OF political rights
As early as 1924, she denied to her Governor tho
right TO levy taxes upon the Colony, eHcep, by the
authority Ct the General Assembly which was tho
first Colonial assertion Of such a right IN America.
Is u not her imperative duty now to DENY this right
70 President. furnished by her the people Of Ito
United Slates She the first TO honor this do
90 n hrr krn II.