Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1842-08-27
VETO MESSAGE.

10 tie House Of Representatives, Of hs U. s.
1t IS with unteigned regret that ] find my
self under the necessity of returning to
the House Of Representatives, with my OBJ
iections. bill entitled "An act to provide
Tor revenue from imports, and to change
and modify existing laws imposing duties
on imports and for other purposes" No
thing can be more painful TO any ndlvd-
ual called upon to perform the chief exec
u,ive duties under our limited Constitution.
than to be constrained to withhold his as
sent from an important measure adopted by
the Legislature. Yet he would neither
fulfil the high purpose oil his station, nor
consult the true interests or the solemn will
Of the people-the common constituents OF
| both branches of the Conveniently
yielding his well-considered, most deeply
fixed and repeatedly declared opinions, on
matters of great public Government, 10
those of coordinate department, without
requesting that department seriously to re-
examine the subject of their difference.
The exercise of some independence Of
Judgment in regard to all acts of legislation,
is plainly implied in the responsibility OF
approving them. AT all times a duty, it
becomes peculiarly solemn and impress
sive one when the subjects passed upon by
Congress happen to involve as in the pres
ent instance, the most momentous issue
to affect variousy the various paris of a
country; and to have given rise, in all quar-
tiers, to such coHflict of opinions as to
render it impossible to conjecture, with any
certainty, on which side the ma iority real
" is. Surely, if the pause for reflection
intended by the wise authors of the Con-
stitution, by referring the subject back to
Congress for consideration, be ever expe-
dent and necessary, it is in precisely such a
case as the present.
On the subject Of dist ibuting the pro-
ceeds of The sales of the public lands in the
4 existing state of the finances, 1t has been
my duty to make known my settled con-
vlctions on various occasions during the
present session of Congress. At the open
ing Of the extra session, upwards Of twelve
months ago, sharing fully in the general
hope OF returning prosperity and credit,
recommended such distribution; but that
recommendation was even then expressly
coupled with the condition that the duties
on imports should not exceed the rate of 90
per cent. provided by the compromise act
of l833.-These hopes were not little
encouraged, and these views strengthened,
by the report of Mr.. Ewing, then Secreta,
ry of the Treasury, which was shortly
thereafter laid before Congress, in which he
recommended the imposition Of duties at
the rate Of 20 per cent. dd Ualorem on all
free articles, with specified exceptions; and
stated, "t this measure be adopted, there
i will be received into the treasury from GUS
toms, in the last quarter of the present year
II (l841,l S5,3O0,00O; in all Of the year lS42
: about S22,500,O00; and in l843, after the
final reduction under the act Of March Q,
1888, about 500, 800,000;' and adds, cit is
believed that, after the heavy expenditures
required by the public service in the present
year shall have been provided for, the reve-
nue. which will accrue from that, or near
| Is proximate rate Of duty, will be sutfic-
ent o detrav the expense OF the Govern
mcnl, and leave surplus to be annually
lapplied to the gradual payment of the ma
,,anaI dett, leaving the proceeds OF the pub
lie lands to be disposed OF as Congress shall
see fit was most happy that Congress.
the recommendation OF the Executive; ana
anticipating the correctness OF the Secre-
tary's conclusions, ami in view of an ac-
tual surplus, passed the distribution act Of
the 4th OF September last, wisely Thinning
its operation to two cOndltlOnS-having
reference, both of them, 10 a possible state
of the Treasury, different from that which
has been anticipated from the Secretary OF
the Treasury, and 10 the paramount neces.
sites of the public service. 1t ordained
that if, at any time during the existence OF
that act, there should be an imposition of
duties on imports inconsistent with the pro-
visions of the act Of ID March, 1888, and
beyond the rates of duties fixed by that
act, Ito wit: 90 per cent on the value Of
such imports, or any Of them) then the dis
tributon should be suspended, until that
cause should be removed.-By a previous
clause it had, in like spirit of wise and
cautious patriotism, provided for another
case, lin which all are even now agreed,)
that the proceeds Of the sales of the public
lands should be used for the defence of the
country. 1t was enacted that the act
should continue and be in force until other
wise provided by law, unless the United
States should become involved in war with
any foreign power; in which event, from the
commencement OF hoslilities, the act should
be suspended until the cessation OF HOSTILE
ties.
Not long after the opening of the present
session of Congress, the unprecedented
and extraordinary difficulties that have re-
Gently embarrassed the finances of the