Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-07-09

i
| Fe ietal Constitution. II was document more IN
parant by far than the Presidents ve:oes OF tn
| Blnk bills. They proceeded on the processes
| ground OF constitutional scruples; but this veis
went the naked principle Of expectancy alone
i IL proceeded on the Presidents personal views
expedeney, in direct opposition TO those al the Ike
personalities OF the People and OF the States ,AnS
at what time had Il been put tor,hi What would
be the situation OF the countryf This was the SS't
Of June: every body knew that, after to morrow
the duties imports would fall TO twenty PEE cent
| TO be reckoned on home valuation. Inc f"s'-
| dent declared that no difficulty would results INC
collection could proceed at once under Executive IN
| structions. and he would pronnugaie SCI Of regu
lations tina, should meet the case and remove all
difficulty; aud this, when the compromise act IT.
self declared that the regulations Tor the home va
| luation were to be prosecuted Mt LAW ihe Ffe-
sdent by his mere executive authority, was to pre-
scribe the regulations TO govern every custom house
from Eastport to New Orleans.
Mr.. 8. did not know what adviser, the President
might have had; but MIR. S. had looked into the
subject, and was ready Ia give as the opinion OF
private individual that the duties could not be
collected; and should the attempt be made under
Executive prescription, t would give rise to thou
sands Of lawsuits. Unless Congress should estab>
lish system of equations he repeated il, no duties
could be collected. Well might tho gentleman
from South Carolina (Mr. HoLnEs) say that
the President had acted with bodness; it was bold
indeed. The gentleman said that the President had
thrown himself between the legislation Of Congress
come to this, that the People were to look TO
the President OF the United States against their
evn Representatives. Those Representatives.,
understanding the interests and the wishes OF their
own constituents had after deliberate consideration,
sent TO him a solemn act Of both Houses, and he,
on the mere ground Of expediency, had returned
the bill and forbidden il TO becomes law. II this
was TO proceed farewell TO the liberties ofthe coun
try: there would be no longer any restraints upon
Executive power. Whence did we derive this
We III nj. hint yxh hat N o
of England would dare so TO use IN Which OF all
her monarchs had used the power for centuries
pasIl But here the President had sent this day
his third veto during one and the same Congress,
MIR s. regretted to be obi ged TO say any thing OF
the message from merely having heard once read;
but. according TO his understanding OF the Presi
dents language, he placed the veto Of the bill
expedieney merely. There was no pretenee that il
violated the Constitution. Two of the standing
committees OF this House-the Committee Of Ways
and Means and the Committee on Manufacturer
and, besides them, the Presidents own Secretary of
the Treasury had reported bills, all of them ineon
sstcnt with literal observance OF the compromise
act But they were all now told u was IN vain and
useless they might well stop. The President said
TO them, "Send me more bills for any thing but
horizontal tariff according to the letter OF the act
OF 1888. You are welcome 10 all the pro eciion
you get incidentally of such a bill as that;
but not an inch farther" Such were the princip es
Of this veto. And what mus; be the Consequence
unless God, who had SO often in mercy interposed
for the deiiverance Of this People, should once
appear tor our helpl We seemed TO be nearer tn a
dissolution OF this Union than at any moment since
the adoption OF the Constitution.
As 10 the distribution OF the proceeds OF the pub.
lie lands that was placed in the message on the
ground OF expediency alone j: rested merely on
the personal opinions OF the President, not any
doctrines OF The Constitution for this very man
himself at the last session, had strongly recommend
ed distribution he had no scruples against il per
Sc. The President talked about the public faith;
and intimaied very strongly that 1t would be yio-
aton OF that faith by Congress should the compro.
mise law be modified or repealed-jos, as if the
Constitution forbade Congress TO modify or repeal
any law. Yet the gentleman from South Carolina
had risen in his place and burst forth into strains
OF thanksgiving and coneratulation, inst as If the
hour OF his country's deliverance was come. MIR
). could not sit still and listen TO such language
without entering his public protest against such n
measure.
The gentleman from South Carolina said that
now We should see who would stand up for the IN
stiIutions OF the country. MIR S. said so too. He
trusted they should row who would stand for
the Constitution of the country, and not for any
one man. This state paper would astonish this
nation but il would not stop there il would dy
on wings OF steam across the Atlantic, and what
would be its effect upon our credit IN EuIope1 All
eyes were turned upon US and what would thew
sect Any thing in this message TO restore the ma
tonal credit and redeem 1t from the deep degrade
ron into which j. had sunkl Whist must be the
effect OF such pubic document proceeding from
so high a source1 IL mus; be most disastrous.
The President talked about his Secretary having
TO hiscle in the money market for one Petty loan;
but unless he had some unknown and abundant
supply OF money, Mr. S. did not how the Gov
eminent was to proceed a step. He had during
the last five or six months given dSsen, attention
10 these subjects; AMI he again stated il as his opin
ion that, unless Congress should publish a system
after the 30!h of June not a farhng OF duty ejaTd
be collected. We should have free trade with
vengeance. Al. the products Ct the word would
come into our ports free Of duty; he hoped if they
were seized by officers OF Government there would /
be law enough LETT TO have them Iepleyed by their
owners.
MIR FILLMORE regretted that the effort he had |
M de 10 obtain the floor when the message was
read, had proved unsuccessful; he had not been for
tunaIe enough TO catch the Speakers eye, or he |
would have moved TO postpone the consideration of
this most extraordinary paper until IL could have
been printed. But he had been too late, and there
had been spontaneous Outbursl Of the House into
! Debate which could not now be arre-ted. On what
principle was this veto b~sedf Til President could /
rot conssn, that the distribution Of the proceeds Of
me public lands should cease for single day.
Now, although that was the profession vet ~ an
peared 10 have been but pFeience. MIR +. wisheI I
to speak with all respect 10 the Chief Magistrate,
but OF his message nc must speak with plainness-
What was the law which that message yetoed7 IL /
authorized the collection OF duties for single month
as they were levied the Erst ol January last 10
allow time tor the consideration OF q permanent re
venue for the country; 1t postponed the distribution
oil the proceeds Of the public lands TILL the month
should expire and Congress could provide the ne
cessary supplies for the eJheus reosufy. But
what would be the effect Of the veto now on the
tablet Did it prevent the distrbuton7 By no
means; It reduced the duties, in effect TO 20 per
cent. and authorized the distribution Of the land
fund among the States, and that distribution would
IN TACT, take place the day after 10 morrow That
would be the practical operation Of this plpe. -
When Congress had postponed tee distribution for
month, did It not Appear like pretence in the Chief
Magistrate to say that he forced TO veto the
bill from Congress, to prevent the distribution.
which his veto. ard that alone, would cause 10 take
plaet7 Congress has been willing 10 prevent the
distribution, but the President by one aad the sans
blow, cut down the revenue at a moment when h, /
Secretary could scarce obtain loan on any term.
and in addition 10 this distributed the income ffom
the public domain! 10 Two days the di5ttiJution
must Ike pace.
Mr. F. said he was no, II all surprised q, the iov
win which the VeO mad been hailed on tue other /
SIDE Of tho House, or at the ioylul coun eoao,s IS
winch were nrrayed here probably this rct was but
the Contamination Of treaty which had tc,n long I
understood o. IN process of n COLLATION.. IA ugh !
VI ths was the ratification OF such irtafv Mr. +. !
gave gentlemen much Joy on the happy event. lie
should shed no tears that the Administration hid !
pissed into rs appropriate place. This however.
vas mater he should not discuss row; he should /
desire he message might be laid on the table untl
10 morrow, aod be printed.
Mr. r. said he was Tree 10 confess lint We were
nov IN cri5s which would shake this Union to a /
centre. Time would determine Who would v.etd
and who was rish': whether he Pres dert would or
would not allow the T. pIcssnii,ycs Of tho psops
70 provide revenue N tho way they might think
test iof the country, provided they were gully OF