Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-03-15

b
vernment, on which our federative system is based
We ask the attention Of readers TO the profound
and philosophical anal yss of both, which tins speech
presents Some of us may not yet be too old or Too
wise 10 learn something from such tenchcr but OF
the young oil country, especially, INTO whose
hands our Government must fall for admiustra.
ton, older leave the stage of public life we
would ask careful and repeated study of this great
speech. Let them not be satisfied with one perusal
Let them put il aside, and again and again TO
it, and reflect its great themesifee government
to man, and lin the language of Mr.. Cahoun) "our
| wonderful and sublime Constitution. - Globc.
SPEECH OF Mn. CALHOUN, OF S. C,
In Senate, February -, 1872,
ON THE VETO POWER.
| Mr. CALHOUN SAID The Senator from Kentucky,
in support of his amendment, maintained that the peo
pie of these States constitute nation; that the nation
has will olsle own; that the numerical majority Of
the wimle whe appropriate organ 81 its voice; and
that whatever derogated from it, TO that extent depart
ed from the genius of the Government and set up the
will of the minority against the majority. We have
thus presented the very threshold of the discussions
question Of the deepest import, not only as it regards
the subject under consideration, but the nature and
character of our Government; and that question 49,
are these propositions of The Senator true 1t they
be- then he admitted the argument against the veto
won!d he conclusive; rot, however, for tie reason as
signed by him, that il would make the voice o single
functionary of the Government, (the President) equ
valent TO that OF six Senators and forty members
of the other House. but, for the far decisive rea
son. according TO his theory, that the President is not
chosen by the of The numerical majority, and does
not therefore, according to his principle rePresentruy
the will vi the nation.
1t is great mistake to suppose that he Is elected
simply the principle of numbers. TEey constitute
true, the principal element in his election: but not
the exclusive Each State is, indeed, entitled to as
many votes in his election, II is 10 Representatives
IN the other House; that is, to its Federal popuation
bat these, two others added, having regard to
numbers for their representation in the Senate, which
greatly increases the relative influence of the small
States compared 10 tie largs in the Presidential
election. Whist effect this latter element may have
on the Numbers necessary 10 elect President may
be made apparent By very short and simple cacu'a-
! ton
The population of the u. s, in Federal Numbers, by
the late census, is l590S,3s6 Assuming that sixty
eight thousand, the number reported by the committee
of the other House WIZ be fixed on for the ratio OF
representation there, IT Will give, according the calcu
laton Of the committee two hundred and twenty.
four members the other House. Add iify-two
the number of the Senator'S and the electoral college
will be found to consist of two hundred and seventy
SIX, of which one hundred and thIrty-n IS ma
ioriiy II nineteen Of the smaller States, excluding
| Mar auJ, b. taken, beginning with Delaware and
ending with Kentucky inclusive, they will be found to
be entitled 10 one hundred and toriy votes, one more
than majority with Federal population OF only
500 while the seven other States with population Of
: ESQ :iU7 would be entitled to but hundred and
puaiion of almost million and half greater than the
others OF the hundred and forty electoral votes
Of the smaller States, thiry-eght would be on account
of the addition OF two each State for their epresen
talon in ihs body, while Of the larger there would be
but fourteen that account making difference OF
twenty -four that account, being two more than
the entire electoral votes Of Ohio, the third State in
point of numbers in the Union.
The Senator from Kentucky, with these facts, bat
acts IN strict conformity his theory Of the Govern
| tIp nit ation he has he veto
power but much cannot be said IN favor OF the sub
stlute he has offered. The argument is conclusive
against the one, the other, any other modification
OF the that could possibly be devised. II goes far
ther and is conclusive against the Executive depart
menl itself, elected for there be good
offered why the Will of the nation, if there be- one,
should not be fully and perfectly represented in that
department as in the Legislative
But it does not stop there. 1t would be still
conclusive il possible against this branch Of the Go
vernment In constituting the Senate, numbers are to-
tally disreg arGed The smallest State stands per-
feet equality with the largest; Delaware with her
ty-seven thousand, with n. York with her two millions
and half Here ma orty of States control, without
regard populations and fourteen Of the smallest States,
with federal population of but 06i i57 little less than
fourth of the whole, can if they unite override the
twelve others, with population Of III ,-i4,9l9 Nay,
more they could virtually destroy the Government,
and put veto The whole system, by refusing to elect
Senators; and yet this equality among States, without
III
walls, would to be the iavorte with the Consttu
lion 1t It's provision that cannot he altered without
the Of every Stale, and this branch Of the CO.
vernment where il prevails is the only that parti
cipaes in the powers OF all the others AS part of
the legislative department, it has full participation with
the other in all matters of legislation, except origna
ting money bills while it participates with the Execu-
tive in two of its highest functions that Of appointing
to office and making treaties and in that of the udica
ry, in being the high court before which all impeach-
ments tried.
But we have not vet got 10 the end of the conse-
quencrs. The argument would be conclusive against
the Judiciary against the Senate, the Executive
and his veto. The judges receive their appointments
from the Executive and the Senate The one nomia-
ting and the other conserving 10 and advising the APP
pointment neither IF which departments, as has been
shown is chosen by the numerical majority. In add
tion they hold their Office during good behavior and
only be turned out by impeachment, and yet they
have the power, all cases in law and equity brought
before iheu in which act of Congress involved,
to decide lis constitutionalitytha IL, in effect to
pronounce absolute veto.
IT, then, the Senator'S theory be correct, its clear
and certain result, II carried out in practice, would
be TO sweep away, not only the veto but the Execu-
tive, the Senate, and the Judiciary, now constl-
ned, and to leave nothing standing in tic midst of
the ruins but the House of Representatives, where
only, in the whole range of the Government Numbers,
exclusively prevail But desoating as would &c
lis sweep in passing the Government, it would DC
There it would not leave fragment standing amidst
the ruin in lis rear
In approaching this topic, let me premise, what all
will readily admit that if the voice of the people
may be sought for any where with confidence, 1t may
be in the Constitution which is conceded by all TO
be tie fundamental and paramount law of the land
If, them the people of these States do really ccnst
ue nation, the Senator supposes; if the nation
has will of its own, and if the numerical ma ory
of the whole is the only appropriate and trne organ
of that will, we may fairly expect TO find that will,
pronounced through the absolute majority, peryadlns
every part Of that instrument and stamping IFS nu-
thor,y on the whole. Is such the fact The very
reverse Throughout the whole-ffom first to last
from beginning to the end-in its formation, adop-
ton, and amendment, there is not the slightest evil
dence, trace vestige of the existence of the facts
on which the Senator's theory rests; neither OF the
nation nor its WILL nor of the numerical majority OF
the whole It's organ, rs shall next proceed to show
| The convention which formed it was called by a
portion of the S,aes its members were all appointed
1 g. tLa.r r,ir