The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1842-08-11
VETO MESSAGE.
TO THE HOUSE OF TTVES
OF THE UNITED STATES

Ii is with uafeigned regret that find myself under
the necessity OF returning to the House of Repre-
sentatives, with my objections, bull entitled " An
actirO provide revenue from imports, aud to change
and modify existing laws imposing duties on i'm
| ports, and for other purposes" Nothing can be
more painful to any individual called upon to per-
| form the chief Executive duties under our limited
| Constitution, than to be constrained to withhold
his assent from an important measure adopted by
| the Legislature yet he would neither fulfil the
| high purposes OF his station, nor consult the
| true interests, or the solemn will of the People,
| the common constituents OF both branches oil
| the Government, by yielding his well consider
| ed, most deeply fixed, and repeatedly declared
| opinions on matters Of great public concernment
| to those OF coordinate Department, without
requesting that Department seriously TO re.examinc
the subject of their difference. The exercise of
some independence Of judgment in regard to all
acts of legislation is plainly implied IN the RESPONSE
| bility of approving them. AT all times duty-it
becomes peculiarly solemn and Imperative one,
when the subjects passed upon by Congress- happen
to involve, as in the present instance, the most
mentous issues, s affect varousy the various parts
of d great country, and to have given rise in all
quarters to such conflict OF opinion, as to render 1t
impossible to conjecture, with any certainty, on
which side the majority really is. Surely, if the
pause for reflection, Intended by the wise authors
OF the Constitution, by referring the subject back
10 Congress for reconsideration be ever expedlent
and necessary, it is precisely such the pre-
sent. HiIr 80
On the subject of distributing the proceeds of
the finances, it has been my duty to make known
my settled convictions on various occasions during
the present session of Congress AT the opening Of
the extra session, upwards of twelve months ago,
sharing fully in the general hope of returning pros
perty and credit, recommended such dlstribu-
ton; but that recommendation was even then ex-
pressly coupled with the condition that the duties
on imports should not exceed the rate of twenty
per cent. provided by the Compromise act Of 1888
These hopes not little encouraged, and these
views strengthened by the report OF Mr. Ewing,
then Secretary of the Treasury, which was shortly
thereafter laid before Congress, in which he re-
commended the imposition OF duties at the rate of
20 per cent. ad raotem all free articles, with spe
cited exceptions, and stated, eff this measure be
adopted there will be received in the Treasury from
customs, in the last quarter of the present
year, OS41, $5,300, 900 in all OF the year 1872
about 22 500 900; and in the year 1913, after the
iinalFreductlon under the act Of March 2, 1888,
about $50 800, 0O0;' and adds, sit is believed that
after the heavy expenditures required by the public
for, the revenue which will accrue from that or
nearly proximate rate of duty, will be sufficient to
defray the expenses of the Government, and leave
surplus to be annually apPedto the gradual pay.
the public lands TO be disposed of Congress shall
see hit" | was most happy that Congress at the
time, seemed entirely to concur in the recommended
tons OF the Executive, and anticipating the correct
ness OF the Secretarys conclusions, and in view Of
actual surplus passed the Distribution act of the
4th September last wisely limiting its operation by
two conditions, having reference both of them, to
possible state Of the Treasury, different from that
which had been anticipated by the Secretary ofthe
Treasury, and TO the paramount necessities of the
public service. 1t ordained that ''ifat any time du-
ring the existence of that act there should be an inn
position of duties on imports inconsistent with the
provision of the act of the I'd March, 1888 and be-
yond the rate OF duties fixed by that act to wit 20
per cent on the value of such imports or any of
them, then the distribution should be suspended and
should continue SO suspended until that cause should
be removed" by previous clause had, in a like
spirit of wise and cautious patriotism, provided for
another in which all are even how agreed that
the proceeds OF the saes of the public lands should
be used for the defence of the country Ii was en-
acted that the act should continue and be in force
until otherwise provided by law, unless the United
States should become involved in war with any TO-
reign power, in which event, from the commence
ment of hostilties, the act should be suspended un
til the cessation Of hostiites.
Not long after the opening of the present SEES
sion of Congress, the Unprecedented and eytraor-
binary difficulties that have recently embarrassed
serious aspect. IL soon became quite evident that
the hopes under which the act OF 18th of Septem-
Der was passed, and which alone justified it in the
eyes either OF Congress who imposed, or Of the
Executive who approved, the first OF the two con-
dons Just rected, were not destlnucd TO be fulfill
ed. Under the pressure, therefore, OF the embar-
easements which had thus Unexpectedly arisen il
appeared 10 me that the course TO be pursued had
been clearly marked out for the Government by that
act itself The condition contemplated in IT, as re-
curing suspension OF Its operation had occurred
IL became necessary, IN the opinions Of all 10 raise