Litchfield enquirer., 1842-08-25

mlnlStr0ttOn had been an excess OF eXpcnd-
lures beyond its income. That excess had
been an average of eight millions of dollars
u year, at least, during the four years of
its existence. The practical system of its
fiscal operations had been a continued in
crease Of expenditures and diminutiOn of
revenues, and it left as q bequest to its sue
cesSors no effective reduction of expenses,
but a double reduction of revenue to the
amount of millions, to occur, of course, by
the mere lapse of time, unless averted, with
in fifteen months, by subsequent legislation.
By the double exercise of the Presidential
interdict upon the two bills for establishing
a National Bank, this legislation was pre-
vented. The excess of expenditures beyond
the revenue continued and increased. The
double rtductio 1 of revenue, prescribed BY
the compromise of 1888, was suffered to take
its full effect-no reduction of The eXpendi-
lures had been prescribed; and, in the
course of eighteen months, since the inau-
guration of President Harrison, an addition
of at least fifteen millions to the enormous
deficit already existing in the Treasury at
the close of the last administration, is now
charged upon the prevailing party in Con-
gress, by those who had made it law. while
the exercise of the veto power alone disa-
blcd the Legislature itself from the power of
UppiS ItiS tuC OIlIJ Iculeuy WuiSu ~ was
within the competency Of legislation itself
to p'ovide.
The great purpose for which the special
session had been called was thus defeated
by the exercise of the veto power. At the
meeting Of Congress, at the regular annual
session, the maiorties of both Houses, not
yielding to the encouragement of disap-
pointed hopes aud baffled energies, under
look the task of raising by impost duties,
revenue adequate to the necessities of the
Treasury, and to the fulfilment Of the nation
al obligations.
By the assiduous and unremitting labors
of the committees of both Houses charged
with the duties of providing for the neces-
sites of the revenue. and for the great man.
ufacturing interest Of the Northern, Central,
and Western States, which must be so deep
ly affected by any adjustment of tariff, to
raise exclusively a revenue adequate to the
necessary expenses of the Government from
duties on imports, tariff bill believed to
be nearly ii not wholly, sufficient for that
purpose, was elaborated and amply discus
sed through long series Of weeks in both
branches of the Legislature. The process
of CESSATION through which alone such
cessarily consumed many months of time !;
empted from severe reproach, which the
purchased presses of the Executive chief
are even yet casting upon Congress, without
rebuke or restraint from him. The delays
were occasoned by the patient and 0nwea-
ried investigation Of the whole subject by
the appropriate committees.
AS the period approached when the so
called compromise tariff was to be consul
mated, leaving the Government without any
revenue tariff sanctioned by the law, the
prudence of Congress, without precipitating
their decision upon the permanent system
which they fondly hoped to establish, pro-
vided and sent to the President temporary
limited to the space of one month,
during which, to avoid, as they thought, the
possibility of a collision with the appre-
hcnded antipathies of the President, they
had suspended for the same month the dis
Eribution of the proceeds of the sales of the
public lands, which, by previous law, was
10 take effect the day after the expiration of
the compromise. Not only was this most
measure CONTEMPORARY rejec.
ted, but, in total disregard of the avowed
opinions of his own Secretary of the Trea-
sury, concurring with those, nearly unani-
nous, of all the most eminent lawyers of the
land, in solitary reliance upon the hesitating
opinion of the Attorney General, he has un-
not only to levy taxes to the
mount Of millions upon the people. but to
prescribe regulations for its collection, and
or ascertaining the value of imported mer-
handise, which the law had in express
erms reserved for the Legislative action Of
Congress.
And now, to crown this system of contin-
lal and unrelenting exercise Of Executive
legislation, by the alternate gross abuse of
Constitutional power, and bold assumption
f powers never vested in him by any law,
We come to the veto message referred by the
louise to this committee.
A comparative view of the four several
etoes which in the course of fifteen months,
ave suspended the legislation of this Union,
with that amphibious production.
he reasons for approving and signing bill,
nd at tho same time striking, by judicial
ut its most important enact
ncnt, illustrated by contemporaneous effu-
ions of temper and sentiment divulged at
onvivial festivals. and obtruded upon the
ublic eye by the fatal friendship of syco-
hantic private correspondents, and strip
'ed to its naked nature by the repeated and
airing assumption both of legislative and
# judicial power, would present anomalies
# character and conduct rarely seen upon
arth. Such an investigation though strict
y within the scope of the instructions en-
,raced in the reference to this committee,
would require voluminous report, which
he scantiness of time will not allow, and
nay not be necessary for maturing the
Judgment of the House upon the document
low before them.
The reasons assigned by the President
or returning to the House of Representa-
ives, with his objections, the bill to provide
revenue from imports, and TO change and
modify existing laws imposing duties and