The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1842-08-24
.,.;a,,a of snfFeri,,S people: and they ex-

power, and supplying tne FacdlSI pys s g.
whom they had more confidence84 Atter thls q taet
of the people, there existed perfect harmony
between President Harrison and the newly elec-
ted Representatives. The President OF tne
United States and the members of the Legis-
lature were empathically one On the 3lst Of
MAY, three months after the extra SESSION had
been called, the members of the Legislature as
sembled. But the rens of Exee4e power
were in other hands. Blythe decfe6Esof an IN
scrutahle Providence, he who calledthe extra
session was laid low in the grave. The sl'resE
dent who had called the extra session OF Con-
gress was no longer President when that Con-
gress met. Another man had assumed the
name, of totally different principles, although
protesting The same. This fact was soon made
manifest by the failure of the great measures OF:
the extra sesson--the bill establishing Nation-
al Bank, bv the exercise of the veto power--
This first attempt having been defeated, Con:S
gress, out of consideration of the distress OF
the country, introduced anew bill. That Sc
eond bill was presented to the President IN the
very terms and shape in which he said he would
sign it, and which he had sanctioned. But
strange to say, this was alsoreturned with a We
to. The reasons assigned for this second veto
conhictcd with the reasons assigned for the first
|, veto! Thus the second great measure of relief
for suffering people was annulled by the weak
and wavering obstinacy ofsene man accidentally
placed in the Presidential char.
The first consequence of this Executive Le-
gislation was to perpetuate the ruuoUs system of
! the preceding Administration of Mr.. Van Buren,
| by continuing the expenditures beyond the re-
cepts; an excess which during the preceding
flour years had amounted to eight millions per
syear Yes, by this double ExecutWeyeto, the
present party in power were compelled tn>con-
fftinue this runous system, by which the expen-
ditures in eighteen months only, exceeded the re-
cepts by fifteen millions of dollars. This state
of things was now forced upon Congress, by
the exercise Of the veto power alone. The
great object of the extra session was thus frus-
| Ltrated by the act of one man!
Is The report next audes to the passage at the
extra session of the revenue bill, containing the
prohibilory distribution clause, which states that
when the duties on imports shallexcecd 70 per
| cent then the distribution Of the land fund shall
cease, and which bill was signed by the Presi-
dent 1t next adTerts to. the bill passed at the
present session, which proposed to continue IN
force the operation of@the compromise act for
one month; also suspending the distribution of
the land fund for similar period. This bill was
not only vetoed by the, President, but in oppo-
siton to the avowed belief OF his own secretary
fof the treasury, and the opinions OF some Of
the best lawyers OF the land; but relying solely
on the hestatng opinion OF the Attorney Gene
raj, he the President hadbeen prescribing duties
on imports, which power the law had expressly
declared was reserved Tor the legislation OF Con-
gress. Yes, by bold and unparalleled assump-
ton of power, this one man was exercising this (
power, not conferred on him by any law. Such
a daring assuInstIUn OF executive and judicial 4
power had been rarely wltnesseden; earth
After very eIoqucnt declamatory extract
from some work, the title OF which was not,
| heard, but which was probably one OF the Phil
tlipcs OF Demosthenes, the report proceeds 70
review the message itself. AT some length it:
attempts TO shew great inconsistency between
the President in his recent Philadelphia letter,
and the Introductory portion of the message
Referring to the first objection to the signing of
the tariff bill, because sit combines revenue
with appsopriatlon,e the report alludes to the
signature of the revenue bill prepared at the
extra session, whichit conteds, also embraced
"revenue and appropriation"
The public lands are next referred TO- and II
is maintained that they belong exclusively TO the
States, having been heretofore held in trust only
by the gcneal government for the payment of
the National debt SO that the phrase "ririnr
away the public land, 1,couldtnot apply, because
by returning to the States the land fund, thew
would be merely receiving that which is their
own. The repor. takes the ground that taxation
by duties on imports or otherwise, is the oiIy
safe and legitimate mode of raising revenue
Any departure from that system being the pre-
lude to bankruptcy and rum. ,&5ss -.
The report next comes to the second reason
of the President, which is the exhausted state
of the Treasury" and that in this state of the
Finances whether it is thetigse TO give away the
proceeds from the pubic lands This giving
away, says the report is but yielding to, the
States their own property, and would be infinite
ly preferable to give the money, in compliance
with the cries OF pinchng economy, to suckle
armies and dry-nurse the land. 10 yield theseA
lands to the general government wouldsbe the =
only irretrievable giving away that which siss Z
cruelty and perfdiously attempted to bewresteda
from their hands.
The report goes ontedstate that nineteen. of
these StatesShaye by their ardorin thescause Of
internal improgement,. involved themselyeszin ;,
debt 1t was notorious that the greater portion
OF this debt had been contradiction the improve =
mentof public works and increasing the tacili-
ties OF travel and communication from place to-
place. 1t was no exaggerated estimate OF the
value of these works to say, that the saving of
time labor and expense OF the multitudes who
are employing the benefits of these works, is
more every year than would be necessary to de-
lray the total cost of their construction But
81, Eboy