The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1842-02-10


yerled to the others which accompanied ii,
was that which related to the NETo PowrR.
And while on this subject Of fedeemlng the
4 pledge which was, in some sort, given by
him as one Of the humblesl members Of that
party which had not long since SO signay
/ trluthphcd, be hoped the Senate would al.
low him, 10 all ruth ard sincerity, TO say
that be desired 10 see party, aben i; came
into power, redeem the pledges and fulfil
The Promises II made when out Of power
and net exhibit thas disfraceful spectacle
so often witnessed IN the political history Of
other nations, Of protesting one set Of prin.
cples, aud employing them as means TO-
wards getting into power, and then, when
successful IN obtaining their wishes, turn
round, forge. all they had said and promis
Cd. ~ oe " 70 ndauisicr tie Govern.
neal jlst Us their predecessors he'd done.
lie could assure gentlemen that, Gu the
questions Of restraining and limiting Execu.
i've power, on the necessity Of an economi
cal administration Of the Government, on
regulating the dlsmlssing power Of the
President, Oh securing fair aud Just he
sponsibillly in all the Departments; IN a
word, ca every great question OF national
policy TO which The party 10 which he con
sidered himself as belonging we're pledged
to The People and TO the world, they would
Ggd him, 90 oil occasions, during the short
,iue in which be expected to remain a
member Of the body, heartily ready to CO..
operate ia carrying GU; into practice all
they had avoged in principle.
Il was lis purpose to 90 but very briefly
into The history aud origin Of tie veto pow.
or. |. gas kuoan 10 all to have originated
in The institution Of the tfibuniiaa power
in ancient Rome; that i, was seized upon
ard per' erted to purposes ofaubi,ion when
tie empire was established under Angus.
los; and that It had rot been fiually abol.
ishcd Until tho reign Of Constantine. There
could be 20 doubt that it had been INTRO.
duced from the practice under Tue empire
INTO tho mouarchies Of Europe, 10 most oil
which, 10 some fern and under some modi
Gcaiion or other, il WAS now 20 be found
+ But, although Il existed in the national
codes, the power had not, in the case Of
Great Britain, been exercised for century
and e half past; and, If be was correctly
informed on the subject, 1t had, 10 the
French monarchy, neser been exercised al
ali. Ddting the memorable period Of The
/ French Revolution, vAeu nev Constitu
ton was under consderaiioa, this sublec
Of The veto power haj ,eau largely discus
sed, and had agi,ated lie wl4e.e country
Every cue must reco.iec; how it had beer
+ turned against the unfortunate Louis NV
who had been held Up to The rdicule of the
populace, under the title of Monsieur Fe.
10, as his wife, the Queen, bad been called
" Madame Veto y and although, after much
difficulty, the power had finally found a
place IN the Constitution, not q aoh,ary
instance bad occurred Of its actual exercise.
Ender the colonial stale of this country,
the power was transplau,ed, from The expo
rience Which had been had OF it 10 Europe
to The laws relating 10 the colonies, and that
ia double form, for there was q veto Of
The Colonial Governor, and also veto Of
tue Crown. But what was thought of this
power by the inhabitants, Of these Suites
when rising TO assert their freedom, might
DO seen in the words of the instrument
10 which they asserted their independence.
Al the head Of oil the grievances stated IN
that paper, as reasons for our separation
from Great Britain, was placed the exer.
else Of this very power Of the Royal Veto
Speaking Of the King, the Declaration Of
Independence employed this language:
lie has refused his assen. TO laws the
most wholesome and necessary for the pub
lie good. lie has Forbidden his Governors
10 pass laws Of immediate and pressing in.
iportance, unless suspended 10 their opera
ton I'LL his assent should be obtained and,
when so suspended, he has utterly neglected
10 attend TO them"
No doubt the idea of engraltlug this
power upon our own Constitution WAS adop.
ted By the Convention from having always
iou,gi it as power recognised in European
Governments, Just as il had been before
derived By then from the practice and his.
tory OF Rome. A. all events, the power
was inserted as one feature DOT only in the
! general Constitution Of the Federal Govern
ment, but also in the Constitutions Of a
portion Of the States. Fifty years had now
elapsed since the Federal Constitution was
formed, and it was no derogation from the
wisdom aud patriotism OF the venerable
men who framed it, now TO say that the
work of their hands, though as perfect as
ever had proceeded from human hands, was
nevertheless moi absolutely so; because that
was what nothing that sprang from man
had ever been. Bot now, after tho lapse
orhalf century, il was interesting to pause
TO look bacl--to review the history OF
that period, and TO compare the predictions
of those who then looked into the future
with the actual results OF subsequent expe.
rience. Any one at all acquainted with
the contemporaneous history OF the Consti.
tuition must know that one great and radi
cal error which possessed the minds of the
wise men who drew up that instrument was
7 that tho ~ vaonttyo Ia