Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-07-23
SPEECH OF
MR.. GEORGE w. SUMMERS.
Or viRosIA,
IN iLs House Of Reprsssata'irss efths U. States,
ON THE VETO OF
THE PRovIsIoNAL TARIFF hill.
SPEECH OF

r laying aud collecting duties inPorts having beer
returned by the President with his objeetons thereto
AMI the same be nz before the House for re
toa Mr svNNEss Friday the LIST of July, adore sac,
the House in Substance as iollows:
Ma. SrEAENR-we are now engaged in the ere.
crica Of duty especially provided for and direct
cd by the Consul ution. The seventh section of the
lt ascle OF that instrument preseribes that every
bill. which shall have psssed tho House of Repre-
sen,auves and the Senate. Shalt before becomes n
Law, be presented TO the Presi lent OF the u. States
hs approve, he shalt sign IL; but If not, he sha all
return l., with his objections, to that House in which
1t shall have originated. who shall enter the obiec
tions at large their journal and proceed TO recon
slider IL. IT, after such reconsideration, hco thirs Of
that House shalt agree to pass the bill, il shall he
sent, together with the objections, TO the other
House, and approved by ftr3 thrds oil lhSt House,
II shall become a law"
A bill which, in the constitutional form, received
the sanction of both branches the legislative de-
plrtment OF the Government hiss been presented TO
the T., esident for hrs concurrence This he has re
fused TO yield It, and has returned the bill to this
House, IN which it originated, accompanied by
message in writing setting forth his objections.
Ia proceeding to reconsider tho bill, it is proper
at should avail ourselves Of the full benz fl OF
me Presidents reasoning and arguments against IL.
The lntendment Of the Constitution is, in part, that
the non concurrence OF the President in the enact
ment Of any particular Law shall furnish to the Lee
eislalure the opportunity Of reconsideration, aided
10y the new lights and additional arguments which
he may furnish.
IL is due alike TO him and to ourselves that we
should give 10 his objections fair and candid ex-
animation. This propose to do, so far as may be
able TO accomplish IL, taking up each objection in
the order presented by the message. shall endeav
TO consider these objections with all that respect
due 10 opinions emanatng from the chief
of the nation, but with freedom becoming a repre-
sentative OF the people.
Before proceeding to a particular examination OF
the message, permit me, Mr. Speaker, to submit n
fetV ut NJ Il lnk ina afn
60 tho occasion.
The gentleman from South Carolina, who has
just taken his scat, Mr. Rhett) has gone into an
tensve examination OF the Constituencies system
Of checks and balances-deelarng that it is made up
ofpstoes, by department another, throu
He lauds the wisdom and purity Of those who
framed IL, and the excellence ofthe instrument ITSELF
placing it above all Other human conceptions and
next TO the book Of inspiration. o this certainly
do not object. On the contrary, never fail to
joice in the praises Of that great paper-the magma
ehdTia Of regulated liberty-Ey whomsocver sung
or said. And more especially are they acceptable,
coming from quarter where the practical supreme
cy OF the Constitution has not always been so fully
conceded. In much OF what the gentleman from S.
Carolina (Mr r. has said, most heartily concur.
agree with him, that one Of the chief excellences
and benefits of written Constitution is the protec
ton which IL guarantees 10 mlnortos. IL presents
the defined walls and hedges by which their rights
ore fenced and secured. and over which the unre
strained will Of the majority is not to pass.
Our Constitution distributes the powers Of go
v-roment (Which in amount the same in every
sovernmenD among various agencies, who are TO
exercise and apply them in accordance with tho re-
questions OF the instrument itself. To each of these
agencies, separate branches of government, is
furnished the adequate inSirumenioilty for the ex
ercise and preservation of its peculiar powers and
functions.
The veto power vested in the President accord
ing 20 the argument in the convention which framed
the Constitution, and the contemporsneous expos
40 akalk ho k.l a..
in forming it, chiefly intended to arm the Er-
ecuIlve Department of the Government with the
means of preserving itself against the encroachmens
OF the Legislature. Other occasions for It's xsrcise
which might arise, IL is true. contemplated and
spoken of viz to prevent the passage OF uncons.i-
tulional laws, and TO provide against rash, hasty
and immature legislation. But it is not to be denied
that the first was the great and leading motive.
That such q power should have been provided
either as IL now stands IN the Constitution, or in
some more modified form, DO not doubt nor have |
heard any one maintain. A largo portion OF the
people OF this country, am satisfied. are becoming
alarmed at the consequences Of this power, and are
desrous that II should be still further weakened by
requiring that a majority in Congress shall be suifi.
cient overcome il, instead OF Two thirds. But the
gentleman from S. Carolina has argued though
she ground had been taken here in debate that tile
President had power TO refuse his assent to the
bill under consideration. He charges us with sttk.
ing blow at the Constitution; that we deny the
Executive the use or HIS constitutional right, and
that the majority is willing 10 break down an ex
press provision Of the organic law, in order TO carry
out its will. Who, ask, has denied that the Press
dent has the power, il he thinks proper exercise
j., Of signing or refusing to sign any bill which may
lie presented TO him, rs he, in his wisdom, or his
caprice, may elect Ii is against the existence
but the abuse, the wrongful exercise ofthe power,
that the argument has been aimed. No one denies
that the veto power stands in the Constitution as
part and parcel OF that machinery of checks and
balances of which it Reconstructed. Butts it an
dnaTy power, TO be resored TO on all occasions Of
differences of opinion between the Executive and
Legislative brances Of the Government; and when
exercised improperly, unnecessarily, nay, without
the shadow OF in the objections OF The Pres
dent, and furnished 10y himself, representatives,
on this floor TO be denounced, and held up 10 the
country seeking TO violate the Constitution when
engaged in their Legitimate Office OF testing the cha
Tac,er Of those obectons1
This power, which more than any other in the
Constitution smNeks OF kingly preIosative, which,
as il has been said, "has an awful squiniing nj
monarchy" was expected TO be rarely exercised Il
thought necessary to place it in the Cons'itu-
ton a dormant power, TO be called into existence
when some great shock should wake il into life. At
the time of the adoption Of the power here, il had
not been exercised under the English Constitution
since l692.'a period then hundred years; nor
has II been resorted to in that country since, now
presenting n term Of $50 years Of non.user.
In the early administrations of our own Govern
rnont II rarely exercised. During Genera
Washington's tern Of eight years, there were two
vetoes. The administration OF the elder Adams o
four years, and MIR Jefferson's OF eight years. fu.
nshed none. Mr Madison refused his sanction
during his of eight years 10 four bills Mr. Mon
roe's term OF eight years furnished one, and that oil
his successor, John q. Adams, none; so that from
the iegnnng Of the Government up to the accession
of General Jackson to the Presidency, covering a
period OF foriy-nne years, this power Of the Exec
ruive was exercised on sssen occasions only. Gen.
Jackson, "the Of iron will and iron nerve" in
his term of eight years, oqualed in number the six
Presidents who had preceded him, having in that
period returned seven bills - Congress with his OBJ.
iectons The administration Of h. successor, Mr.
Van Buren,, furnishes no instance Of the veto powe-.
The present head Of the Executive, Mir Tyler
hss been in Office sixteen months md he has s,dy
added three 10 the catalogue. How many more he
may have in reserve for not be anticipated
So far at all events, he has proved himself prolific
end promises, before his season is ended, bounfu
crop Of these bitter things
However tho gentleman from South Carolina (Mr
r. may estimate the value Of that provision Of the
Constitution which OF late 50 fearfully threatened
tile suppression Of the popular will 10 this country
and tbs substitution Of tho will Of ono man in is
stead, he, and presume all others will admit, that
when the power which II cOnlers IS rcsoued TO-.
IL should be IN 70 which II ~ clearly appli
ble--thaI the COLLECTIONS" which the President is
REQUIRED to furnish to the House, in which the ob
fashionable measure has originated should be not
merely plausible, but Of o weighy character, chal.
] nging snd commanding tho solemn consideration Of
those 10 whom they are addressed. The fact that n
bill has received the assent OF a majority Of both
branches Of tho national Legislature Is, 10 say the
least Of it, PrHa Iaeie evidence OF Us conformity t.
the popular will, and Of tie expedency and orc pri-
ETY. Of the measure which II proposes. II would