Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-09-06

SPEECH or ,ur llo.. JAMES BUCHANAN, of
PrSS>,LvASlA, IN support IF tie Peto porer, and N
repiy 10 The Her. H. Clay, IF Kontachy-D Delivered
N he United States Senate, Wednesday, February
., IS42.- C0nc'adefl
Legislative bodies of any considerable number are
more liable sudden and violent eXcitemens than in
.,iydu9s Tins have all often witnessed; and !! re-
snts from we'll known principle OF human nature.
In the midst OF such cxcsc:en's nothing is more ma
tural than hasty rash and dangerous legislation In
dlvilual responsibility is, also, diminished, in proper
ion to the % the number. Each person, con
ttu,ug bat small fractional part OF the whole mass,
,ritks escape responsibility IN the incst OF me
crowd. Tie restraint Of In" popular will upon his
CO duet ) thus greatly diminished, and as one oil
number h. is ready 10 perform acts which he would
not attempt upon his ndiyina Responsibility. In
order chc, suc excuses, the Federaiist tells rs
that this veto power reference OF the subject TO the
people, was granted
Again, SIR, highly excited political parties may ex.
ist in legislative assemblies, intent upon graspng or
retaining power, tho. IN tue struggle they vii! forget
the wishes and the interests of the people might
cite several examples Of this kind IN the history OF our
own legislation: hat merely refer to the odious and
unconstitutional aiien and sedh.on laws i1ed on by
ambitious and eloquent men who have become highly
excited III the contest, the triumph OF party may be-
conc paranoun, 10 The good OF the country, aud un'
constitutional aud dangerous laws may be the conse.
o1cnce The veto lower 10 necessary to arrest such
encroaclgn;s iae yhts Of the States and oil the
people
Blu; wors: of all is the system Of "iogroing, SO
prevalent ia Congress and the Stale Legislatures,
which Inc au!ars Of the Federalist do not seem to
nave foeseen This is not namc TO BE- sure, for ears
polite; yet, lhongh homey II is so significant oil The
Thing, that shall be pardoned for its use Now, Sir,
,his vety system Of ogrollng IN legislative bodies IS
that which has involved several OF the States IN debts
for internal improvements which which Tear some OF
them may never be able TO pay. In order 10 carry
improvements which were useful and might have been
productive, it was necessary 10 attach to them works
OF an opposite character To obtain money TO meet
these exravogant expenditures indulgence was granted
10 the banks at The expense Of the people Indeed
i, has been fruitful source OF that whole system
oil rninous and disastrous measures against winch
gh; Democracy have been warrng for years. II has
produced distress in the country than can be re-
pai!ed BY industry and economy for many days TO come
And VT how rcteiy Gae any Executive had the cou-
rage 10 apply tie remedy HIGH the veto power pre-
gents
Let us, for \ moment examine the workings Of this
sysem IL il the more dangerous because il presents 1t.
s.f to individual members uader the garb of devotion TO
their constituents One has OF mere local ad
vantage carry, which ought, tall to be accomplish
"a by individual enterprise, and which could not pass
i, il stood alone. lie finds ;!at he cannot accomplish
his object If he relies only upon It's merits lie finds
that other members have other local objects at heart
none OF which would receive the support CT majority
# separately considered. These members, then orm
combination sufficiently powerful to carry the whole:
and thus twenty measures may be adopted, not one Oh
which separately could have obtained respectable
vote Thanks 10 the wisdom and ecergy OF General
Jackson this system Of local internal Improvements
which threatened TO extend itself into 5or
hood of the nj on, and overspread the land, was ar
rested hy the y . power. Had not this been done, the
General Government might, at the present day, have
been in the same wretched condition with the most in
debtcd States.
But this system of clog rolling" has not been cob.
fined TO local affairs, the history OF The extra
session will testify. 1t then adopted in regard 10
important party objects, and was called the " great
system Of measures of the Wing party Il vas open.
~ avowed That the majority must take the system in
mass although it is well known that several of the
measures had they stood alone, would have been
rejected in detail. We all perfectly aware
that this was the vital principle of the Extra SEES.
sion. By means Of "log rolling the system was
adopted. That The passage OF the Distribution bill
was the price paid for the Bankrupt bill, was open.
~ ayowed on this floor. BY what mutual compensa'
lions the other carried we are lett TO IN
fer and therefore shall not hazard the expression OF
any opinion in this place the subject The inSredi.
emit which one member could rot swallow alone, went
down easily as component part Of the healing dose.
And what has been the consequence: The extrava
giant appropriations and enormous expenses oil The Elk
ira Session have beggared The Treasury
Il is to check this system, that the veto power can
y. most usefuy and properly applied The President,
of the T. stands "soliiary and alone, IN his respon
bilitv 10 the people In the exercise OF THIS power
he is alphabetically the representative OF the whole peo'
pie lie ha. the same feeling of responsibility 'o@a1os
the people large which actuates US towards our IN