Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1842-03-01

ust partialilX...t there were other
mind 5, ALL aoughts, and aims, |
md wi he circuInscrlbed |
" local m 8and local attach
nents.
Mr.. G.. had hitherto viewed the veto |
power simply in its mineral weight In |
the aggregate votes of the two Hou-
ses; but there va 'eAher and more
important point winch 1t
ought to be con fonten-
ded that practicd e, the
veto, armed will ,d1itlcSsssp
as now accompA an the Consti-
tuition. was neithel re nor less than
an absolute powell 1t was virtually
an unqualified neg e on the legisla-
ton of Congress. ot solitary in
stance had yet occuA I'd in which the
veto once exerted h( ] ever been ov-
erruled, nor was such case likely to
happen. In most GU ms where the
veto could be exerteA re was al
ready considerable d of opin-
ion both in the country in Con-
gress as to the bill W Fad been
passed. la such circuEA ees, when
all the personal influence nd official
patronage, and the reason (which &C.
companied the veto, were wdded to the
substantial weight OF the veto itself,eve-
ry man acquainted with human nature
would be ready to admit, that if moth
ing could set it aside but vote OF two
thirds in both Houses, it might as we'll
have been made absolute at Cncc.
But Mr.. c.. was unable to dwell on
this part of his subject, being warned
by his feelings of want OF physical
ability to so at large into the subject.
He now, however, approached an
other view Of it, TO which he would ask
the serious and undivided attention oil
the Senate. The veto POWER profess
sed to act only while the Legislature
acted; there it was 10 terminate. Its
effect was to be, to consummate legis-
lation. The officer of Government
in whose hands the constitution placed
a power so formidable, was supposed
in theory to remain profoundly silen
as to the passage of great measures o
public policy, until they were presen-
ted to him in a finished form for hi:
appreciation and sanction. This wa
the theory: but Mr.. G. commended tina
really and in practice this veto powe
drew after it the power of initiating
laws, and in its effect must ulIimatel,
amount 10 comforting on the EXecutiv,
the entire legislative power fthe Gov
eminent. With the power to imitat
and the power to consummate legisla
tion-tO give vitality and vigor to eve
ry law,o TO strike it dead at his pleasur
the President must ultimately be
come ruler of the nation.
! When members acting in their leg
islatlve capacity knew and remembers,
that it was in the power Of the man t
arrest them in their legislative career
what was the NATURAL tendency of sue
a state Of things? On the establishe
principles four nature, how was thi
likely to work? Would not legislator;
with gradually less and less attenlio
to that delicacy. reserve, and ofici5
Difference which were ever due fr0r
one department of Government tc
wards the other, come at length to cor
suit with the Executive to what la,
they might pass with the hope of hi
appreciation! Would not this be tn
: natural result? Independent Of all thos
obvious and glazing consideration
which went to show that it must, Nj
&. could point to numerous facts illus
trative of the position; and, if, he wer
into them, it would be'not with a vie,
to complain, not with a desire TO re
) vive former contests, or to say a wor
] which might rudely wound the feeling
of any human being. But did nc
, gentleman recollect how often durin
the administration of an eminent ind
vldual now in private life, intimation
had been given beforehand that eel
tain bill would be vetoed if it wer
passed? And did they not remembe
various instances in which the thre;
; had been fulfilled? Take the experienc
OF the last six months. Congress
j have passed two bills TO establish
Bank of the United States, bills in a
The provisions of which would ne
J have had the concurrence Of twent
men in either House had 4 ir mind
been left uninhuenced by the expec
,. ted action of the kecutive. TAX
as special instance the famous 16t
section of one of those bills. Mr.. c
was free TO declare that he did nc
know solitary man among those VIII
voted for the bill who would have vo
ted for that section out as measur
of Cancellation, and in the hope thai
so modified, the bill would receive tn
sanction of the President. True, tina
expectation not was realized, the sac
rifce was vainly made, but it had beer
made with view TO that end, and tina
alone. And so in regard to the sec
! ond Of those bills. That bill, as he