Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-03-08

but aspect OF the case, ksotl Nit hFCncr,
m this view of the argument, -, that the mischie
referred to- OF CONTROL growing out OF the possession
or the veto power over legislation, by the Execu
tive was not to be regarded As accidental. and only
TO be apprehended Gas might be supposedly in the
event OF the accession Of an over energetic head tC
tho Executive. IL would he sufficient, indeed fol
tie purpose OF the argument, tho dependeuct
of the mischief on this event only, for guard wa,
demanded and lue, in a free State, against the in
frequent, and even possible, occurrence Of the
tngency.
Was the contingency, how ever, to be looked TO
rs probably, OF occurrence so nirequentl In the
dissensons which were liable, at every moment, 10
spring up IN the progress OF legislation, who so
likely as a weak man TO wrcak his resentment Ga
his adversary, by the obstruction OF his wishes 2
Who so prompt as a vain man, TO show his conss-
quencc by his contumacy1 Who so prone as a
vindictve man. to make his authority subserv lent
10 his passions1 Or, as a designing man, TO make
u, or endeavor TO make il, the instrument of his
nspiraionsl Now, the indulgence Of all these y, %
pensiues-the exhibition of all these phases and
pecuarities OF impulse and character. were per
feetly compatible in their co'exstebce with a cha g.
racter not courageous or resolute-for obstinacy
was not courage or resoluton-and not energetic,
for rashnoss and violence were not energy He
thought, indeed, that a weak, vain, vindictye man.
ioolishly aspiring beyond his proper prctensions,
more liable 10 run into abuses of his authority
and with the wider mischief from his defect of con
sderaton and prudence, than men of stronger cha
ractors, though worse; who waited for the occasions
Of turning the abuse of authority TO high account
and, practising clreumspection, ran into no disseR-
blors nor excuses made no fantastic DISPLAYS
nor explosions OF NAL practice or encroachment till
these occasions had arrived, aud opened the route
T. their Vaccinations ambition.
In any event, said MIR Archer, and whatever NAV
he the Justice or force oil this general abstract rei-
fcnns, the fact wss now upon US, upon the cour-
Try, 4 put beyond question, the conclusion that i,
DID not require n dangerous man in the Presidency
to for exhibition the spectacle oflssisa,on
crushed, or thapedby the influence of the power Of
the veto IN the Government. The gentleman who
was tho incumbent Of the Office il was certain was
not of political strength TO command, by personal
influence single vote IN the Senate; and il was s. il
That the number Of his political friends did not (he
spoke from report exceed seven in the other House
j WIS proposition hardly less contes,able, as he
(hr ~ conceived, tina, in no possible coniuncture
contingency, or evolution Of political events by any
infringement, or, what was far more TO be consider
= any luck. could the present President supposin,
HIM 10 have formed, what he (Mr Az did not charse
~ IA future TO form, (Which, for many reasons hc
uiC MOI feel authorized 10 presume, the purpose 'toC
aiming nj reelection" be able 10 command sim
G.e electoral vote. No! Ii an individual, hayins
popularity, could he fouad (which an ordinary CON-
s'deTaton OF prudence made improbablel 10 lend
ms name for tho second place on such a ticket !,
would be with the little doubtful consequence or
sinking the man, not Of procuring the support of
vote Tor the ticket. lie expressed mir A. saidl
only nm opinion, 10 which he met with no ksan,iep
voice; and the prevalence Of such an opinion ouobt
not 10 b. regarded as importing any Displacement
To the President; because it might be considered
perhsps, resting entirely the noloriety fulaess
and even violence OF his commitment in favor ri
the principles Of the reduction of the Presidential
service 20 single term. In this view Of the case
the disparagenent would I've on the part of those
WHO indulsed the supposition of any purpose 80
nnlHrl nag" oreven 10 accept unsolicited nomina-
ton for re- election.
However this might be, the proposition necessa-
~ 10 The arsumen: land the Senate would ohssrys
'hN he Mr. a was seeking illustration not Dis /
= 'rsementl would hard y be contested, tia, the
President was not Of political strength nor u.naest
tD- country with the attainment Of \ rol-i.,I
strength, 10 give an aspect Of more po-;eu; as re
rt- -d Tie exercise Of executive rover th-n ,bs
"-dn-rY run Of the Chef Nj sis:rsss We might
poet 10 have ~ The Progress OF :he Government. We,
Do was under hrs president, thus shoTn a. % ia
Oh n encs and personal authority, that We had zen
-.li 10 wines The spectzce OF tie veto IS rre-
-m.nani 20 control, as Elective in reorsss.ns.
more t--cIvs &C. debating the io-u c. .sss.z.lc-
'..-" uIlef me at1!if-rY coninalou o. Gen f.ck
en-. "ietc.-s - vi lie G=rcs democracy q -
country. 1e inference tsaIi Ait ArcLeri : r.s-
r-at an1 irresistible. T1ls vs.o p.ue-- RS -.
week cll tltu 10 extreme mischief tnas tts s--1--
M'y S. Cd 10 utter 6ez.r-c-or. . cc u-ozs- 70 =
- s'l.ec, and retained unmodiE.5 u15sr Ire.
Constitution.
Tie argument was eonla.ne5 in : rs.sb.r. 7,
i;1 ---e0cmsn; ne power was 70. atE5' IT, Tie
suppress On ~ rcl''.ty a ITO birds vas deem
- emf 10 retain u 10 re chsrsce O. raers
c.--- 90 ln'snpsfats and incons5srz,s issis-s,s5o
II 2-.-Lee h1i proved his conesr;l5n nis.zEsn-
IN rom The iorce o. he sp.t @ opposition enssr.
ce-e1 % The vehement CO. s.ors O party the cor
u-l ne and noderaa1g majority q iWo thirds "a.
never, except 10 The extremes: cases Of tie abuse e
III power, 10 &c ooket to r. protection IRE no
u1lIt dc gentleman frcm Psrnsyivaois ~, p,
o.'larl ha1 acverie6, WIKI triumph, for the ru-.
pos ~ hls argument, that the veto vas .i,,e Iiab.
20 a.ls> 70 the fac; that, IN tie exercise ], had
leF-f inflrcvetsai iom the majority of iwo thirds
/ be mere desire TO ihwart the adversary parry
Nu-r, with small exception, prove LAR q Inf,.
Tcf-''e 70 Inc access Of this msjoriy. Then the
I'"e ot Tie veto had become absolute. From
limited 1t had grown INTO a complete and IN arbi.
unry acu.iy OF the suspension OF legislative action
TINS faculty Of arbitrary suspension passed inevia
bly,, 10 had been seen, INTO The dicstlor Of lsriss
ton By the Executive; the end Of legislative In5e
pcn1erce, when eOnsUmma;ed ard Of Liberty. The
mere practice OF waiting on tue Executive 10, psr
MISSION 20 esisiste, or for the form Of legislation
siiei D. !-d grown into habit, which Il soon did was
ia,l.. We were in the beginning Of these tbings
tsaid Mr. Archer;) found ourselves In the outset ri
this 1ero1s progress. But The end OF these ibinss
The terminus OF Ibis progress, was dcsh-ihe over.
tfr2" o. tne baiance-oi course Of the vicor, first
and ina y Of The existence ola free Constitution.
Inc course Of his observations now led him IN |
refer 10 ihs able argument Of his friend rom Penn
aF.F1nia, Mr. Buchanan,l which he had crowned /
NiA thc exclamation Of our earliest ancestors 90
long necusiomed to sir our bosoms, "nolumus legss
Ang, muiar." lie wonld rot profess to be befild |
JOS iuen1 10 sympathetic sensbny with this bigb. |
'l-ldlrg sentiment He feared, indeed. tLat H, |
was rather hgn.sOunding than jus', and that sober
in''y''s would show our admiration rather to be |
Inri ted y ihe force Of the sympathy suggested bv
"Hr relation " the authors, than by any sober /
dictates % the exercise Of the undesstandino 4, !
would be rtcoeeted that This nposlfOphe conyeye1
ne exclamation Of an order 1T nobility en-sged In
contest w..h an arbitrary monarch, for tbsif oNo
Wocrva'on; and that the first advance 10 pooI
government, IN England, was by change-ctan,e
y reduction Of tic authority 50 cherished Of these
came D1ron5--ihis same order Ehtnce surunp Inc
cFcam1uon, more oppressive TO the body OF the
,pc thun the arbitrary rule oi the dcspots before
"'.n u tell aEd by which description Of rule Il
could alone have been suhducd.
aud what became Of This doetrine ~ m oL,n,o T.,
tHc Constitution, flor that was the rr,o,t ~ ,i
npos,fopheI when the ditorderly privileges Of the
h1tiiy su0dued, the contests for authorize caroe ~,
Nc between the kings and tie commons1 Vyb,t
"1d TINS doctrine been eushrined for suucrstitious
observance had become Of Tie great REBELLION and
ihe teVouion-ihe petition Of right and the L.ll of
Iieha ana Iho hobeas corpus, ard save the control
over ue supplies, every solid and vcnerntcd beam
intho impohng iabtic Of English fieodom3
But he waived the advantage or this vievy NJ The
funlcci lie embraced, with his friend the p,ipci-
l.c OF We baToniai exclamation, "ict there be no
change 10 NC constitution" Tie proposition which
De- fMr Archer maintained vas. that there bod
arisen change in th, character Of tbis veto povg,,
From provision against ntempcrancc or haste jr
legislation, u had grown, or wos growing. into mr.
Implement OF iactious abuse, OF mcnaced u,uypo
ton, and disturbance Of one Of the pribcinlss o.
f1upoiso IN the Constitution. Then he invoke,
the npOstfOphzed his friend-called or