The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-08-22
From the Southern Patriot.
TIN, VETO

From me SoutferH f-aTio''
THE VETO.
We have yentufed To oIetel that in the issue made
by the last Veto between the Executive and Congress-
tho people will sustain the President against the capri
ciousness of their own Representative Wesay ca
for il at the extra session lhat mos"
Representatives decided for the proviso suspendlng
distribution. Ii they were night then they are wrong
now II Congress was The true echo OF the puohe
voce when voted for this suspension, then the L re-
sident faithfully responds to the popular opinion CIR
| cumstances not having changed when he seeks TO
bring Congress back OF the principles oil their
own legIslaiionhe principle inbodied In the proviso
The Executive approved that act OF the extra session
| Congress has repealed IT, The President thus vino'
Gates the consistency Of Congress well as his own
consistency In attempting keep that body true to It's
deliberate decision when II adopted the proyiso at 'he
extra session, Which, then, has been inconsistent I
the President who adheres the provso, or the Legs
aturo who destroys il Which rs most likely to act
comfortably to public opinion, majority In the
House OF Representatives which repeats, after lapse
| of few months, one OF Its own measures, by Jour
roies oniy or the President who to sustain his Veto
has so large minority Can the House be nght
| and the President wrong judging their conduct by
the standard of public opinion, when the former can
obtain ma orty of two-hrds TO reverse the We
to The Executive, therefore, only echoes The popu-
| lar sentiment when he brings back Congress to the
principles of their own legislation during the extra
session, which the people have sanctioned In one
word can act of Congress be considered as com
pleely rejecting the public opinion OF the U mon that
cannot be carried by not only less than two-hrds OF
| the House of Representatives, but by numerical
| ma oTty small four? But fthere should have
| existed any doubt before whether the President
Congress images most faithfully the popular sentl-
ment, all doubt must be removed If the result OF the
elections now In progress are consulted as the index
to this sentiment. Since the passage OF the bill which
the President has vetoed the ballot boxes show that
the aJoriy OF Congress will represent this very
question OF distribution only minority OF the people
Now let US look as impartial inquirers at this sub
jec in another aspect which has not been sufficient
ly II at all considered. The Executive being an ee-
| ment of the law-makng power, for Mr. John Quincy
Adams may deny until the day of doom, if his life
could be prolonged, that the President is part Of
the legislature coordinate branch of the legsa-
| tive power-for this is mere dispute about words
there can be controversy concerning this prlnci
pie that the only limitation to his negative acts OF
Congress his discretion, and that legislation is
nchoae until his sign manual affixed to bill pre-
sented him for signature. The power is there what
ever name we may choose to give IT, The Execu-
tive is then a necessary and Indispensable branch OF
the law making power and made also from his tenure
Of office an independent branch OF 1t.
Well, slch being the case, according to the prn-
cple on which the Government was framed ON
which it has been uniformly conducted-according
to invariable practice in legislation, compromise Is
only the great of its preservation, but the
only method, when discord occurs between the diff
feren departments, of its successful administration.
How is It that the two Houses of Congress have
peaed conferences have been held TO adjust the dis
putes, each House giving way to the other on some
important pointl Is not the President lndepen-
dent branch of the Government, in relation to
Congress- each branch of this body of the other
Is there for and much propriety in,
promises therefore between the President and Con
gress between the Senate and House of Represen
tatves -? But if one department OF the Government
shows disposition to give way-f evlnces spirit
of compromise not met by another department, on
,ish shonII thac fall no PrasII dent
has exhibited that spirit. He has told the House,
almost many words that he would not veto tariff
bill OF any of duty disconnected with distribution.
In this he suIrendeIs perhaps, to considerable eI-
tent long cherished opinions In relation to the pro-
tec,ing policy. But he plainly intimates that he
would not interfere in any sysem OF revenue duties
that Congress may DEVISE provided that such sys'
TEN is connected with matters with which it has
congruty reversing that policy of suspen ion,
der certain circumstances Of which he has already
approved.
Now here is a door opened for compromise. The
two Houses Of Congress have repeatedly during this
session, entered into compromises. They were, at
the last accounts, endeavorng to reconcile their
discords through their Committees of Conference
Here then two independent departments Of the
legislative power distracted in their councils-en-
gagged in repeated attempts to reconcile their dis
putes and yet not permitting another equally indie
pendent department TO differ from them.
The President plainly says to Congress- pass any
bill which you may choose to call revenue mea-
and it shall receive my sanction, but the Houses
replies no choose to have all or perform nothing
we will have both distribution and protection or there
shall be no additional revenue bill-in other
words as far as our power enables US, will stop
the supplies and we make an issue on this point be-
tween Congress and the Executive before the people
Well the issue is made under circumstances OF pecu-
liar solemny--the question is whether the National
Legislature shall give up nothing for placing the re-
venue system of the country footing of certainty
and stability, the Executive shall sacrifice eroy
thing in the exercise of unquestonable constitutional
power totally surrenderng his independence by sign
ing bill he disapproves. Such is the issue before
the grand inquest of the nation and the verdict will
be the safe deliverancc of the President from the
trammes by which tyrannical majority in Con-
gress would shackle independent branch of the
Government