Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-07-15
DEBArEsoN THE VETO.
Mr. pRorFIr followed Mr. Stuart, but no .ks,c

ME- LANE, OF Indiana, wished 10 say n icy
words on this Executive Veto and tho history oil III
measure which had given occasion los it; end b
hoped on this, on all other occasions IN which
had addressed the House, TO manifest spirit {
becoming moderation. laushl lie trustee
however, that the House would pardon him Il b
should fail in exhibiting that perfect calness whc
marked the manner OF the gentleman from Massa
chusctts. (Mr Cushing) yesterday. To DC sure
that genlleman might have sources OF consolatio
and supper, which did not belong to the whg'
There were certain situations in the Cabinet {
which gentlemen might look forward, the hope @
which might well sustain them. That gentleman
was known TO all who heard him, had oil tn
snoothness OF marble, but all its GOODNESS too.
MIR l.. said he should not 90 at length into tn
argument. This was time not for talking, but 10
voting and for acting. The issue was now larry
presentcd and must be met.
Congress, in its strong anxiety that the Revenue
Laws Of the country should not be suffered to ex
pire, had passed bill extending them as they al
present stood, for month longer, till further To-
gislation could be had. The President differed from
them on a question of expectancy, ana haa .e'oeu
tho bill. The question, then, was now put 10 .he
country, in whom resided the right 10 originate re-
venue measures under this Government I'm the
PRESIDENT or in the People, through their Repre-
sentativcs1 The issue was between President
who had proved rccrcant 10 every obligation oil mo.
rality and pa rotisn, and an abused and betrayed
constituency, who had given him the place he oc-
cupied. Well was it for that indivsual that we
law abiding people, and that he had consu-
tutional safeguards thrown around HIM which they
would not violate. In other countries and under
other Governments n veto like this would have
caused very different spectacle from that oil de-
Lucrative assembly calmly discussing the subject oil
their complaints. Had the British Crown veniured
thus TO treat a measure IN which oo'h iouses OF
Parliament concurrcd by maiores such as those
which had passed this bill, instead OF grave far-
liamentary debate, the King would have heard the
voice Of God speaking from his highest and hottest
throne in the hearts Of free and honest people.
Such n voice might yet be heard when the effects
OF this measure came to be fully felt.
The President had set himself against the Repre-
sentatives of the nation: the contest was now be-
tween their will and his-a contest not now for
the first time waged That question had long since
been tried in Europe, and Kings had felt and trem.
bed before the power Of the People Here 1t had
openly been said that the President had interposed
between the People and their Representatives for
the safety of the People. Strange doctrine. indeed
MIR L. thought that the theory OF Government had
been that the free People OF this Republic made and
executed their own laws. When and where had
popular liberty been eoven down by the Peoples
Rcpiess lta,ives1 Had they not right to legslate
without coming TO consult the Executive peasurei
Was the President, and not the Legislature, 10 be
the Judge OF questions of expediency IN relation 10
the revenuel Were money bills TO originate with
HIM, or in the Peoples own Housed
MIR LIS colleague lMr ProffiO had charged the
Wing majority with forcing upon the President the
necessity Tor veto with the design TO profit by it
in purity politics Howl What right had they to
anticipate that he would reject such bill as this7
To be sure they had vague iEnuendoes and lnsinua-
lions and prophecies of the gentleman himself, and
they had the oracular ratiocinaiions Of the court
Journal: but ii they looked TO more authentic sour
ces, TO Nj. Tyler's own official recommendations,
aud to the language held by him in his own State
Legislature, in the st Clairsvie speech, where he
had declared that the land fund was matter per-
fecly distinct from the design Of the compromise act,
and never entered the minds Of those who passed it,
and that il was absurd TO hold up any other idea,
had they any reason TO expect vetol All they
had done was TO interpose to save the country and
the Administration from disgrace by the expiration
vi the revenue law before any substitute was pro.
vlded. How was this forcing the President upon
the exercise oftbe vetoi The Presidents own Sc
creary of the Treasury had told Congress the reve-
nue. could not be collected after the 3Oth June with
further legislation; two committees OF the House
held the same opinion; nay, the President himself
and his cabinet held the same I'LL within few days
past. But now il seemed that Congress was wrong,
the Cabinet wrong, and the Presidents own
legal acumen had discovered that he could get along
without any law by his mere Executive regulations.
II might ali be so; the President might be the first
TO discover what none else could see, for we were
told in the book Of books that Balaam's the
angel before his master. RoaTs OF laughterl
Mr. l.. next proceeded 10 take some notice of the
argument OF MIR CUSHING, on which it was needless
for him TO pass any compliments after the extrava
gan, eulogies OF his colleague, (Mr PRoFFIrT.)-
lie admitted that the speech displayed much inge-
for while the House were oil taken aback and even
the gentleman from Massachusetts mir SALToss-
TALLl was overwhelmed with surprise, the gentle
man himself seemed 10 quote the veto like book.
a Taught He seemed quite familiar with the de.
tails even Of lis language, and could group them al
pleasure in defence of the President Perhaps these
might be but foretastes OF a future prlvy counsel
lorshp that is, if other parties 10 the great bargain
did no, interpose their veto on such arrangement
ILOui laughter The free Representative Of free
ch document What did posses, t.. . nEie %
at Nothing tina, he could but the boldness with
which 1t had been thrust upon the House at cti.
SIS like the present.
MIR l.. here went into brief reviewed. some Of the
grounds taken IN the message: denying that the COM
promise act bad any other "mora force in the coun.
Try" than any other law Of the land was entitled 10
until IT was repealed. He rejected with ndigna.
lion the idea that the hands Of Congress were 10 be
tied up because act had been passed ten wears
ago which was TO re-people the worn out lands OF
the South, but the effect Of which had been only TO
leave them IN a worse condition at this hour than
ever before. Mr. L. would never touch the com
promise act unless in his judgment it necessary
10 provide revenue for the Government; but lie de
MED that il had any permanent binding force like
part OF the Constitution. But it was said TO be a CON-
pact: a compact and with whom and 10y whom
Who had any authority TO bind him to observe in
His predecessors voted against it, and IL they had
not, they could not have laid him under any obiga
ton 10 observe IL. A compact! Yes, with the
sovereign STATE OF oOuu ChtOlnl, state IN rebel
iioni-an act to save their neoks from the hnleii
And lhis, forsooth, was TO be held up as the most
holomn OF oil insirumenis-as in fac. part Of the
Constitution itself!
Mr. l.. here looked nt that feature Of the Com
promise law which provides that the mode of con.
Quoting the homo valuation shall be prescribed by
law. and he dcfed gentlemen 10 produce any law
on the subject, and inveighed against the assump
ton OF such power by the Executive department.
A new chancellor Of the Excheluer (Nr Rooso
velO had attempted this morning TO Introduce bill
giving the President the power; but the President
himself claimed TO possess II already. lie trusted
we were not yet come TO that point when Presi
dent Of the United States, by his simple authority
could not only defeat laws passed 10y Congress, but
himself make the laws Of the land. lie m,hi lul.
minute his worse than Papal bulls from the Vatican
at the other end Of the avenue but for the actual
creation Of the law he must have some regard to
the action Of the TWO Houses Of llo Legislature.
Gentlemen asked on what principle il wns TINT
the Wings opposed His ve,o2 Ile would tell them
II the great ard eternal principle OF tie re
sistance OF usurpation and tyranny. Ii resistance
60 iyranls was obedience TO God" then was their
caute most holy. II ever the proud Eagle Of Amer
en- freedom was struck down, It would he by the
fatal hand Of Executive power.
Gentlemen had carried back the House 10 tie
days Of the Tnbunes: just rs if there wns in our
condition any analogy TO the condition OF the o..
rnnn people, with their patfcian aud ploban cas,cs.
and their conquered provinces and civil wars. The
foufco from which the veto power had been intro.
duced into our Constitution was most obviously the
Government Of Great Britain but even there lie
power had become obsolete from non usn-here
DO trusted i, would die from mis.uSsr.
But was the House 10 60 on and vote million.
for the support Of the Government that the Pres:-
.frn MID a. az fseft r.