The Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1841-1843, 1842-07-12
CONGRESS.
WAsHINToN, Wednesday June 29th 1912
Projection OF THE HOUSE.

After the transaction of some miscela-
neous and unimportant business, MIR Adams
rose and called up the subject of the Presi-
dents message announcing that he had filed
with the State Department his reasons for
signing the Apportionment Bill 1t will be
remembered. that Just before the adjourn
ment of the House on Saturday, Mr. Adams
had moved TO have the subject referred to
Select Committee, with power to send
for persons and papers. Today he replied
at some length to the speech of Wise, on
Satui day, in defence of the proceedings of
the President. He principally urged that
there was no precedent for this procedure
on the part Of the President Even the case
cited as one, that of Jackson, where, just
before the adjournment of Congress he had
signed bill, and had accompanied it with
a message, giving his own Interpretation,
and different from that intended by Con-
gress, TO certain portion of the bill.
Mr.. Adams contended that even that was
a clear infringement of the Constitution.
But that the present message. If he under
stood its purpoTt, contemplated still great
er infraction of the spirit and letter Of the
Constitution.
Mr. Profit explained. He said he belize
we'd that the purport of the message was
! wholly misunderstood. 1t was nothing
more than this, he believed, and had under
stood il to be, an expression of scruple as
to the strict constitutionality of the law,
but that in Difference TO the Judgment of
the two Houses, the President had signed
the bill.
Mr. Adams said he received the SUPPOSE
ton of Mr. P. with due respect, and with
much hope. He proceeded to show, new
ertheess the duty the House owed to itself
and to indication of the rights of Con-
gross by the constitution, to ascertain what
that message was. He contended that any
power to give any other Interpretation to
law of Congress, than the original inten'
ded meaning, would be TO give to him the
power to make his own arbitrary will the
law of the land, instead of the spirit and
letter of the law, as passed by Congress.
Mr. Adams proceeded, by a long and
close constitutional argument, TO show that
it was wholly unconstitutional for the pres.
ident thus to give, by Interpolation, his own
Interpretation to law.
As soon as he had concluded, Mr. An
drews, of Kentucky, moved tine previous
question. Profit moved to lay the subject
upon the table. The previous question was
then ordered by vote of 107 to 81. The
motion to lay the subject upon the table
was negatived; Ayes 81. Noes lO7. The
motion of Mr a. was then divided, and the
question of reference was then passed with
out division The power to send for persons
and papers was not carried.
Mr. Cushing moved that tho House pro-
coed to receive the message of the Presi-
dent. Objections were made but overruled.
The Clerk then proceeded to read TO the
House, the MESSAGE vEToING the PRovIs-
IoNAL TARIFF BILL. As it is now about 2
O'Clock, you will not be able to receive a
copy of the message with this, and it is out
of my power to give you any thing like an
abstract. The grounds of the vete are,
that it violates the Compromise Law. 1t
insists upon preserving the 20 per cent
clause inviolate.-In conclusion. it urges
upon the House the willingness of the Pres
ident to CO operate with the House. in pre-
pairing a revenue bill, that will both restore
the credit of the Country. and afford efficient
protection to the manufacturing interests
The message denies that there is any coca
sion for any such law, taking the ground
that the Compromise Law as it will be in
operation, will be fully adequate, until
Tariff is passed. 1t admits that the wants
of the Country demand the raising of the
Tariff to higher rate than 20 per cent.
but that the 20 per cent. proviso must be
inviolable.
As soon as the message had been read,
William Cost Johnson, Maryland. address
ed the House, and gave notice of his inten-
ton TO move the adoption of the State debts
by the General Government.
He was followed by Holmes, of South |
Carolina, who broke out into violent con- !
gratulations and gloriication upon the veto. (
He was followed by Messrs. Granger,
Saltonsiall, and Fillmore. who spoke with .
great warmth in reply to Holmes, and call. .
ed upon the majority to stand firm, and to .
refuse to give up the public lands. :
Mr. Cushing has the floor,a is now spea-
king, to show that there will be on the LIST
of July next, law in force.
SENATE.
In the Senate, Mr. Buchanan presented a
large number of memorials from different
parts of the State of Pennsylvania, praying
for discriminating Tariff.
After some time spent in the considera-
ton ofseveral private appropriation bills,the
Senate took up Mr. Preston's bill, from the
Committee of Military Affairs, as reported
from Committee to the Senate.
The amendment striking out the a5oli-
ton of the Superintendent of the armories
at springfield. and Harper's Ferry, has been
discussed at length, and is still under con.
,ideration. T. NJ. B.