The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-08-23
From the Southern Patriot.
The VETO.

From the Southern Patriot.
The VETO.
We have ventured to foreteil that in the made
by the last Veto between the Executive and Congress,
the people will sustain the President against the capri
ciousness Of their own Representatives. We say ca
pciousness, for at the session that those
Representatives decided for the proviso suspendng
distribution. II they right then, they wrong
now. II Congress was the true echo of the public
voice when voted for this suspension then the Pre-
sident faithfully responds the popular opinion cir
cumstances not having changed, when he seeks to
bring Congress back to of the principles OF their
own legslallon-lhe principle mbodied in the provso
The Executive approved that of the session.
Congress has repealed it, The President thus vndi
Gates the consistency of Congress well his own
consistency in attempting keep that body to Its
deliberate decision when it adopted the proviso at the
extra session. Which, them has been inconsistent
the President who adheres the proviso the Legis
lature who destroys 2 Which most likely to act
confornably TO public opinion, majority In the
House OF Representatives which Tepeas after lapse
OF a few months, one of its own measures, by four
potes only, the President who to sustain his Veto
has SO large minority Can the House be right
and the President wrong, judging their conduct by
the standard public opinion, when the former can
not obtain majority Of two-thIrds the We
to The Executive, therefore, only echoes the p0pu
lar sentiment when he brings back Congress to the
principles of their own legislation during the extra
session. which the people have sanctioned. la one
word, can an act of Congress be considered as
petey rejecting the public opinion of the Union that
cannot be carried by not only less than two-hrds Of
the House of Representatives, but by numerical
majority small as four? But if there should have
existed any doubt before, whether the President
Congress images most faithfully the popular senti-
ment all doubt must be removed if the result of the
elections now In progress consulted the index
to this sentiment Since the passage of the bill which
the President has vetoed the ballot boxes show that
the majority of Congress will represent on this very
question of distribution only minority of the people,
Now let us look as impartial nquirers at this sub
Ject in another aspect, which has not been sufficient
y if at all considered. The Executive being an ee-
ment of the law-making power, for Mr.. John Quincy
Adams may deny until the day of doom, If his life
could be prolonged, that the President part of
the legislature, coordinate branch of the legsa
tive power-for this is mere dispute about words
there be controversy concerning this princi-
ple that the only limitation to his negative acts of
Congress is his discretion and that legislation
inchoate until his sign manual is 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 necessary and Indispensable branch of
the lawmakng power, and made also from his tenure
of office an independent branch of it.
Well, such being the case, according to the prin
cple on which the Government was framed on
which it has been uniformly misunderstanding
to invariable practice in legislation, compromise is
not only the great of its preservation but the
only method, when dscord occurs between the diff
ferent departments, of its successful administration
How is it that the two Houses of Congress have
differed widely during the present that re-
peated conferences have been held to adjust the dis
putes, each House giving way to the other on some
important point2 Is not the President indepen-
dent a branch of the Government, in relation to
Congress- each branch OF this body is of the oher
Is there not room for, and much propriey in,
promises, therefore, between the President and Con-
gress between the Senate and House of Represen-
tatives2 But if one department of the Government
shows disposition to give way--l evinces spirit
of compromise not met by another department, on
which should the censure falI2 Now the President
has exhibited that spirit He has told the House. In
almost many words, that he would not veto tariff
bill of any Of duty disconnected with distribution
In this be suIrenders, perhaps, to considerable
tent, long cherished opinions in relation to the pro-
tecting policy. But he plainly inimates that he
would not interfere in any system of revenue duties
that Congress may devise, provided that such sys
TEN is not connected with matters with which it has
congruy, reversing that policy of suspen sion
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, endeavoring to reconcile their
discords through their Committees of Conference
Here then two independent departments Of the
legislative power distracted in their councs-en-
gagged in repeated attempts to reconcile their dis
putes, and yet not permitting another equally nde-
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! we choose to have all perform nothing
we will have both distribution and protection there
shall be no additional revenue bill--in other
words, as far our power enables u.s. we will stop
the supplies, and we make issue this point be-
tween Congress and the Executive before the people
Well the issue Is made under circumstances of pecu-
liar solemnty-the question is whether the National
Legislature shall give up nothing for placing the
venue system of the country on footing of certainty
and stability or the Executive shall sacrifice eusry
thing in the exercise of unquestonabe constitutional
power totally surrendering 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 an independent branch of the
Government
INFORMATION will be very thankfully receive,
i IF TJTVAS hv his oil ti in thiS cifv