The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-02-22
TO JOHN TYLER, PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES.
[ Concluded from Fridays paper.

Take another case (says Mr. Clay IN the Dill now
before the Judiciary Committee Was there man
to be found in either House Of Congress who would
ever have proposed such measure the Exchequer
Board provided in that bill We are bound by the Veto
pouoer, cannot do ,oha coid" Fortunately for
the country, "Prince Hal, that it is so"from the
fulness of the heart speaketh the mouth" Mr.. Clay
and his ieudal associates blocked by the Veto
awe must take (says Mr.. Clay what the Executive
offers, or get nothing" How dolefu Mr.. Clay SOL
was not arrested in process of time the whole egisla-
ton of this country would to be prepared at the
White House" This is truly alarming But would
it be than the proposition of the Dictator to
charter $50 900 900 bank-o establish olgarchy
buy up power, and subvert the freedom of American
ctizens 1t is truly "a god-send that there has been
placed in the "White House" one who will not give
countenance to the diabolica designs of the "Nations
Representative" Now, sir, let us what dstin-
gushed Senator says, who has not given up the race
for the Presidential chair Doctors will sometimes
disagree. Both distinguished as above the COM
mon herd. " Circumstances alter cases." and man,
we often see, is the creature of circumstance. Mr..
Buchanan in reply to the Master Spirit of the Re-
Prince Hail." who will hardly think to 'fall back
and fire." attempt to bring to life the bantling of
his folly.
From the Congressional analysis of the Globe.
Mr. BUCHANAN being entitled to the hoor addressed
the Senate for about hour and half examining in
detail the arguments advanced by the mover of the
resolutions in support of abrdging if annullng
the veto power. Mr.. B. viewed such proposition as
one of the most dangerous characters and not doubt
ing the purity patriotism of the Senator Mi. Clay
who had mboded that proposition into the resolutions
under discussion he led to believe it had its ORR
gin in impression to the nature the
veto power existing in the Executive of this Govern
ment. The Senator, under this msconcepon, had
identified the veto power given by the Constitution TO
the President of the United States with that gven by
the Constitution of Great Britain to the King of Eng
land. Now he Mr.. b. contended that nothing could
be erroneous than this impresson and the
Senator himself Mr.. Clay would see that it was
when he to reflect upon the fact that the veto
power given to the King of England, was expressly
for the protection of the prerogatives of the Crown
against the other two powers of the Government
those of the barons and the commons: whereas the
power given the President of the United States
is only power placed in the hands of citizen by
his fellow citizens not for the protection of his personal
prerogatives, but for the protection of the peoples
rights against hasty immature, dangerous legisla-
ton The veto power in the hands of monarch is
for the preservation of whatever portion of desposm
that monarchy may have beon able to maintain, the
veto power in the hands of the Chief Magistrate of
this Republic himself plain citizen is to guard
against any portion whatever of despotism, or any
usurpaon the part of the Representatives of the
people, and their separate soveregnties, of powers
extending beyond those intended they should exercise
contrary to the wishes of the people, And in proof
of this he need but refer to the limitations of the pow
itself 1.-THE President vetocs bill sent to him by
both Houses of Congress- it is returned for reconsde
ration and if two birds of each House pass again
it becomes law and in relation to that BILL the
power is of avail. If the bill, when returned fails
to secure majority of two-thrds of each House, it
cannot become law then but the delay if it should
be necessary law is of only short duration for the
people, at the next election of delegates Congress,
always within two years, may send sufficient ma
oly to Congress in favor of the measure to satisfy
the President Of their decision and if he will
conform TO that demonstration, they will be sure
within four years at farthost to convince himself by
refusing reelect him to the Office in which he had
exercised the veto power contrary to their wishes.
MIR. Buchanan then went at large into the subject
of the exercise of the power in this Government show
ing that although between six and thousand
laws had been passed since its foundation, only twenty
vetoes had interposed, and of these vetoes leaving
out those on important Subjects the major part had
reference to three of policy repudated by the
people shown by the reelection of those Presidents
who had exercised the power. He ALLUDED to the
vetoes the Bank of the United States; the in
reference ofthe General Government with the inter-
nal improvements of the States, and the distribution of
the public lands He enumerated these instances and
dwet at length, and in detail, Oh the consequent
action of Congress in reconsderng those measures,
the maores always decreasing with sober second
thoughts, and the appreciation Of the people in every
instance being signally manifested.
Mr.. Buchanan next showed that the only EXecu-
tive officer of this Government coming directly from
the whole body of the people is the President and
that he is necessarily more dependent on the whole
ofthe people than on the representatives in the ma
tona Legislature. He denied that the representative
bodies truly represented the majority of the people, for
fourth of the people could send majority of Sena
tors into this chamber and in the other branch the
frequent instances in which the voice Of the people
had decided against the voice Of its majority,
sufficient evidences of the fact that majority there
could not be considered speaking the sentiments of
ma jority of the people. recent and remarkable
proof of this had been given in the late elections,
through which the country had pronounced judgment
against the measures of the extra session. carried by
maoltes in both Houses of Congress. That public
judgment, besides condemning the course of the
representative critics had sustained the exercise of
the veto power, by which the President had appealed
to the decision of the people. Mr.. B. next drew
parallel between the veto power ofthe Roman rribunes
and that vested in the President of the United States
deducing tina, the ndisputabe intention was for the
protection of the people from the encroachments of
other governmental powers in the hands of those
prone to accumulate power for strong rule of the
people.
lfMr. Clay could convince US that National Bank
with acapila of fifty Millions would put money"
promises TO pay-nto the pockets of The people or re-
store confidence among them-make solvent the 30O,-
600 bankrups, that the United States Bank and the
800 other concerns have made-restore to the widow
and the orphan that of which they have been robbed
pour the healing balm upon the wounded honor of
the country-pay to foreigners what is their due. If
all these benefits be brought about then the people
will not oppose his charter But, sir, this cannot be
done. The cry is, or the only reason for National
Bank is that we want currency regulator" "equa-
lization of exchanges" What excessive folly. |
will ask you, sir if we have not an established cur