Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1842-03-01

BUS and interestil z. The Sta:e t
ere in this respect divided; as equally c
their number would admit into I
lree distinct classes. Nine Of the m
ave to the Executive the veto power
uless controlled by two-thirds of the
legislature. Eight other States con-
erred the veto, but controlled IT by 4
econd vote of a majority, as was pro-
POSED in the amendment now under
While the nine remain
ne States mad not inserted the veto al
ali; and at the head Of these stood one
which had been called the mother OF
Slates-Virginia. Now, some olthese
State Constitutions were of a date ante
rior TO that Of the United States itself. |
If there had been this very great
danger ofExecutive encroachmentand
of hasty legislation, one would suppose
il would have been heard Of in these
nine States. Had any instance yet oc-
CURED TO show that such a danger did
exist? Mr.. G.. had heard of nome
read of none-and he put it to the adj
vocates Of this arbitrary and monarchlal
pow er, he put it especially TO the
Democrats, who, while they protested
themselves, and he doubted not hon
estly and conscientiously protested
themselves, friends oflhe People, came
out in the contest between monarchlal
prerogative on the one hand and civil
freedom OH the other, as the avowed
advocates Of prerogative-he put 1t to
all of them to tell, If such dangers both
of encroachment and rashness as were
pretended as a pretext for the veto did
actually exist, how it happened that i'll
the nine States he had named, during
so long period as had elapsed since
their Constitutions were formed, no In
stances had occurred either OF en-
croachment by the Legislature on the
powers of the Executive, or Of rasl
and hasty Legislation as called for the
restraint and safeguard ola single SOW
ereign will?
Now, before he proceeded further
he invited gentlemen to form just es
innate of this veto power; to look at it
TO see what it was, to ascertain wha
was its value, what it amounted TO ii
the practical operations Of Government
He should not pretend to so into an.
inquiry as to It's moral value, or to est
mate It's influence On the individual wnt
exercised it, or the degree and exten
to which, by means of it, i'll a vast pa
tronage, the President could sway tn
minds of men, for that was a powe
winch admitted of no estimate. H
should corfne himself to what nigh
be called mere numerical estimate G
the amount of the veto power, and h
would make this estimate by takin
the numbers of the two Houses Z
Congress-, as those Houses now stood
The Senate at present consisted OF tw
members; two-thirds amounted to THU
ty-six. Surprising law to be paese
by bare majority, land in all gre;
= contested questions bills were wont
be passed by very small majorltles
then there would be in its favor twer
, ty-seyen votes. The bill was submit
= ted to the President and returned b
him with hi, veto. The force Of th
Presidential veto could not be ovel
turned but by thirty-six votes. Here
then, the veto in the hands of th
President was equal in lis effect upo
the legislation TO nine Senatorial vote
= Mr.. G.. dismissed ali considerations
influence derived from his office, a
T the glitter and eclat of the President
. high station, and all the persuasion d
t rected TO the interests of men by h
: vast patronage; all this he laid out {
view, and looking merely at the hume
4 ical fact, that in the Senate the We
. was equal to nine votes. And no
= in regard to the other branch. III
t House of Representatives consisted
: 242 members; to constitute a MAORI
II required 122; two-Ihirds amounted
il 1G2. By looking at this difference.
: would be seen, as in the case of Il
II Senate, that the Executive veto al
}, ounted in effect TO forty Represent
l. tive votes.
1t Now, Mr. G.. did not mean to s.
d any thing in the least derogato
e to the wisdom,or fairness, or integrit
e or patriotism of any President of i
st United States. 1t was not necessal
e and he was utterly unwilling, witho
re necessity, 10 iniure the feelings OF a
ut man. We had had six Presidents w
lie had previously been Senators. Tn
= were able and eminent men;but he wis
-y ed to inquire whether any gentlem
lie could show that their wisdom and 9th
OF distingui he'd qualities had been so gre
TO as TO be equal to the wisdom of nj
l. other Senators? Could it be sho,
Mt that their patriotism, and intelligen
le were equal 10 those of forty membt
Il of the House of Representatives?
u not, how did it happen that man wi
re when in thai chamber, and acting W
ne his fellow-SenatoIs, had been cons
oil cred upon a par with them, was
e. sooner transferred to the other end