Independent Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1842-1844, 1842-11-19
THE VETO POWER.

r..
Democratic party gloried in the veto pow
or. Right; we do glory in it. because We
believe it 10 be a wise and conservative
principle of our government, without
which the liberties of the country and es-
pecially the rights and interests of the Sou
,hern minority would he greatly jeopardiz-
ed; because it has served TO protect those
rights and interests, and to maintain the
greater purity of the Constitution; because
il is a part OF the Constitution, engraited
there in times OF calm aud patriotic legsla-
ton, by wiser heads, and as pure hearts as
ours; and because we believe it to be the
solemn and sacred duty Of the citizen TO
maintain the Constitution and carry ont all
it's provisions until they are amended, If
amendments are necessary in the proper
way. So long as We pretend to live under
a government of a written constitution We
shall glory in adhering to al its forms, linn
ltations and restrictions; we will preach
obedience to the will Of najorities ascer-
tanned according to all the forms of that
constitution, aud TO no other. We are en-
tirely opposed 10 the constituents being
in theory one thing, and in practice ano-
Their. As it stands, it is not in the way o.
any democratic measures, bat the rather
sustains, guards and protects them. 1t has,
on the contrary, ever been the great obsta-
Gle in the way OF the wings III accomplish
ing their designs; therefore they assal il,
first, by false construction, then with al
,cn,pts set up in the place Of the real con-
ettution itself, the false and federal inter-
pretations OF courts, and, lastly, by propo-
sing amendments to the instrument, in re-
latlon to the veto power, which are aimed
against the Gerry principle Of constitutional
gopernmem-tte principle Of protection TO
the rigWs Of minoraies, by constitutional re-
arnints aud safeguard
To accomplish his policy, Mr.. Clay seems
&c intend, in one Of these ways, 10 trample
the constitution under foot, "wth a sacra-
lege only less odious than that of the mer-
cenary traders fJapan who are compelled
to tread under foot the cross OF the Re-
dsemer.'
Hut fortunately for the whole country,
and especially for the slave interests ofthe
South, Mr.. CIay's proposition to repeal the
Veto power and 10 introduce faction, licen-
,iousness and the tyranny of King mum
tSrs'i in the place of the just restraints OF
constitutional liberty, does not meet with
the approbatlon of any very considerable
majority of e~en hls own political parry
It is strange that po'ticai heresy so fla
Grant Should have been cCunteuanced by
any one OF any parry. The principle upon
which Mr. Gay himself opposes the veto
power-the principle OF Implicit obedience
to the viii OF numerical majorities-is in
itself highly federal; it is Incompatible with
any other notions than that The people of
the United States form one consolidated
government, in which all the rights cot
she States speedway" are merged: her
esy which DIR. Clay would he ashamed 10
avow, though his principle OF obedience TO
bare numerical majorities is Incompatible
with any other hypothesis. And, if ours
people, iu which all State sovereignty was
merged in Que general head, even then the
doctrine Of numerical majorties would be,
in its nature and tendency, unjust, Cypress
i've and tyrannical. This may be illustrated
in the following way: Suppose FIVE men
to unite in mercantile partnership, for
their common good Ofthese, four consti-
iusf the greatest majority. Apply the Prln-
cipie OF numerical maorities TO this small
community of persons, and it will be seen
tina, majority of four, or even the smallest
operations Of she partnership as they might
please. They might. if they chose, DIVIDE
amongst themselves the whole profits, and
give nothing to Ihe minority. To prevent
this, the parties would make an express
contract between thensel yes. limiting tbe
wall Of the majority, and protecting the
rights of all, or in the absence OF any ex-
press contract, the general law of the land
would protect the properly and rights Of
each and all. Ssin governments, or Poiit-
cal partnerships, formed for the. general
good. 40 there eau be no genera! law. which
eonuoIs and resrains the power of the ma,
isrity, 20 as 10 protect the rights Of minori-
siet. the experience Of ages has demOnstra-
10 10 rse~.siiy Of forming, for that Paf'