Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1842-03-01
SOUTHERN ARGUS.
Columbus, .Tis. Marco !, 1912.
MIR. CLAY'S SPEECH,
AND THE VETO POWER.

Will excuse Us for the large amount of
space, which this able production of
this profound statesman occupies in
cur columns. 1t is so clear and lumin-
Gus an exposition of the objections TO
the VETO power, and contains such
powerful and unanswerable arguments
for It's RECESSION from our constitution,
that we think it cannot be too widely
circulated through the press. Al
though we disapproved of the unwar-
rantaDlc exercise of the Ueto polce,,
which had repeatedly occurred in the
administration of our Government, our
impressions were originally rather infa-
vor of the Presidents possessing such
protection, las we deemed,it,) against
Legislative encroachmenls upon the ex-
ecutive department, but, upon more
maturcly considering this subject, we
have come thoroughly to the conviction
that the reto power is contrary to the
democratic spirit of our Constitution
aud is a remnant of the monarchical
system, which had been but lately dis
carded, when this feature was embod-
led in the form Of our Government.
Besides the power which is directly
bestowed upon the President under
our constitution, the patronage Of the
Government.accumulates in his hands
such an immense mass of influence,
that an individual of even moderate ca
pacity, possessed Of weight of charac-
ter, will generally attach TO him such {
party, as 10 give him no little conse-
quence in the deliberations Of Congress
When these advantages are exercised
10y President Of powerful and com
handing talents, Of determined anC
lmmoyable resolution, and welding al
influence over the minds of men al
most magical, his power is immense
but,whe to these we superadd the ex
ercise of the retO, the chief executiv,
Office in our republican Government
| becomes at once almost an absolute de-
potism. We have seen this illustrated
in the administration of Gen'l Jack
son, who, after having INDUCED ever
feeling either ofresentment or friend
ship, after forcing popular opinion int
any channel which his own impeIuou
temper might direct, and after full
gratifying his immoderate passion 70
power, transmitted the succession 10
heartess sycophant and political in
triguer, who never would have bee
thought of for the Presidency but fo
the preference which his "illustriou
predece. s)r" manifested, aud urge
upon the nation The power, whic
Gen'l Jackson welded in controlin
: the will Of the American people, VIZ
: but a grade inler,O' TO that Of Hem
= the eighth of England, who meted Of
y opinions to the English nation accorC
Q. inc to his whimsical and capriciou
fancy. We have seen in this count
f the legislature Of the second State
d the Union recommending by an owe
e whelming majority the re-chartering
a National Bank, and, when, the
, wishes were defeated by the imperio
r. will Of one Individualin the Z. State
d we see the same body within ft
,e months afterwards with servile comp
! ancc surrendering their own opiniO
u and approving the course Of this Del
& ocratic Dictator. The incontrolal
influence, which such a man as &c
Jackson attained and exercised oN
the American nation, incontrovertlL
demonstrates the danger Of the q
power and its inconsistency with
genuine principles Of popular COVE
ment and civil liberty. But the pr
ent unfortunate condition of our COT
try is but another illustration ofthe {
effects of this dispotic excrescence
on our free institutions.
We have lately seen the interest
this great nation Frustrated beneath
heartless policy Of a corrupt admir-
tration. We have seen the prOspe
Of the country arrested in its rapid P
gtess and made the subject ola SCI
of abortive experiments by a party
political pirates and unprlnoipled
selfish politicians; we have seen
people, groaning under the weight
their oppression, reused by the ag
of their Suffering to state oil Phre
and in The majesty of their strer