The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-03-12


cipes and grants ofmoney flom the Legislature IN ia
vor OF their masters In drawing parallel between
colonial governor appointed by foreign propretors,
and Republican Chief Magistrate elected by the
people, this gentleman manifested lack OF discrimina
ton. and in atributng the disuse Of the veto power
in England not to the increase of power in the Com
mons, but the bribery and corruption of the Execu-
tive which had rendered it unnecessary, he displayed
ignorance of history. Mr. Sherman thought they
ought 10 avail themselves of the wisdom OF the Pres
dent revise the of Congress- but that he ought
to have power to override the cool and decided
opinion of the Legislature.
Mr.. Madison advocated a qualified negative, out
Mr.. Butler protested against making II absolute
George Mason, than whom the Federal convention
did not contain Republican more thorough or
statesman more sensible, while he admitted that
great injustice and oppression had flowed from
Democracy, yet contended that the genius
of the people was in favor OF 1t; while he de-
nounced an absolute negative tending to establish
an elective monarchy, odous than the British,
and Justly exclaimed that the people never would con-
such dangerous innovation yet, even George
Mason, of the apostles of democracy in Virginia,
in favor of giving the Executive the power to
suspend laws until his objections were overrued in
the first instance. And sir when the was taken,
what the result2 Upon the resolution to confer
upon the President absolute negative, ten States
voted against it, and in its favor. The motion
TO gipe him that poloer, to suspend the l1t1s Of Con-
gress the repeal Of Which is ctamorously de-
manded, mel NTH the same fate by the same rofe
The question Of requiring the concurrence of two
thirds of both Houses OF Congress to override the
objections of the President passed IN the Affirmative
sub silentio Connecticut and May land In
favor of extending this revsionary control the
laws to a convenient number of the Judiciary, and
this notion made by Mr. Nelson, was seconded ny
Mr.. Madison. md here cannot but pause and Won
der that in that illusrous assembly patriots states
men and Orators not single member discovered the
slightest change manifested the least opposition to
that Executive power which is held up to public
Odium and which it is foreboded will soon swallow
the liberties of this nation. | cannot but wonder
that this moDarchical feature of our Constitution, and
this "one power" escaped the viglant eyes of
those judicious friends Of States rights grain OF
whose Repubcansm is worth bushel OF that de-
mocracy, which would raze the Federal Constitution
to the ground and build upon its ruins the most obi
Gus oigarchy that ever cursed mankind. Where
were the nid doubts and States rights principles Of
Dickerson and Patterson2 Where the Republican
politics OF the calm and philOsophlc Madison! And
where the manly mind and downright Democracy of
George Mason With most Questionable
for the experience of the past they all thought
we'll balanced Republic could not be formed without
division of powers, and separation of departments.
Alas! their minds were never illumed by that revela
ton which has lately taught that true Democracy
consists in the concentration of all power into the
hands of single Assembly.
Mr. Chairman the history of the Federal Govern
men and of our own State, furnishes three memOra-
bic instances in which each of the three Departments
has been assailed by Of the Others and when, if
it had not been provided with the power sustain it.
self, the country might have been ruined. During
the administration Of Gen. Jackson, Executive power
certainly ran high When by the frequent exercise
Of the Veto, of the power Of appointment, by the
removal OF the deposties, and other acts which the
Wings denounced arbitrary-he alarmed the
friends OF freedom-what saved the liberties of the
country but the firmness and independence fthe Sc
nates When, at the late extra session, Congress en-
ieavored 10 arrogate to itself all power and denounce
iler from them upon single point, what protected
the integrity of the Constitution, and repressed the
nsoent dIctaton of Congressional caucuses but the
frmness and integrity of the Executive When the
Legislature Of Kentucky, unresraned by the fear of
a Gubernatoral veto, passed unconstitutional laws,
broke down the Judges who dared to pronounce them
such, abolished the Old Court and established the
New one, where would have been the character, the
constitution and the liberties of Kentucky, but for the
purity and uprightness of an independent Judiciary
Tho men who would establish Congressional oil
garchy of the political stamp with those who,
by overurning the Judiciary, would break the Judges
those who, by enarging the powers of the Execu-
tive would establish energetic despotsm! The doc
trines of all of them equally dangerous and dso
ganizing. They can be regarded in other light
than radicals, who to accomplish their individual ends
the purposes of party would destroy the institu-
tons of their country, however honored by time or
approved by custom. So far from feeling any sympa
thy or holding any communion with any sucn pollti-
cal adventures, | despise the crudeness of their
thoughts, and abhor their rage for innovation. AM
OPPOSED TO A UNION OF THE PURSE AND THE SWORD,
CONGRESS.
Mr. Chairman: When gentlemen mourn over the
dangerous and destructive effects of the Veto power
they to forget its nature and indulge themselves
in vain complaints, and idle lamentaton. The Presi
dent cannot enact bad laws he only prevent the
passage of those that good and that too in quail
ed manner and for limited time Because power
has BEEN and may again be abused shall it therefore be
destroyed Have not the people the power ofcorrectng
its abuse in their own hands Does not the power
Of the President, at the expiration Of every four
years devove to the nation and if he has betrayed
his trust forfeited their confidence may not bet
ter man be chosen as the organ of the popular will
Would it not be better to restrain the Executive by
the voice of the people at the polls than to strip and
disarm him by destruction of his constitutional pow
ers' If the President veto a salutary measure, it
may still be passed in few years by the choice of
his successor. If Congress pass runous and un-
constitutional law especially where charter is con-
cerned, the country will, perhaps, be unable to
leve itself from the grievance for whole genera
ton. Would you not rather be deprived occasionally
of wholesome enactments for a few years. than be
cursed with the nhiction of arbitrary and tyranni
cal policy for agei When I look at the party by
which this radical change in the constitution pro-
posed the men by whom the proposition is drawn,
and those by whom it IS endorsed, | can regard the
scheme in no other light than as an expedent to meet
the emergency of the hour. This midnight manifes-
to party has been rebuked, and must be rebuked
again. The disorganizing spirit which conceived,
and the presumptuous rashness which published such
startling and unhallowed doctrines, neither founded
in sense or redeemed by patriotism must and ought
to be put down. | will not only say with Mr.. Cush-
ing that these alarming dogmas remind me of the
codicils to the will of Caesar which Mark Anthony
was continually finding, or the additional chapters of
pretended revelation which Mahomit was in the ha-
bit of producing but will go farther, and say that
those men who struck the broad pennant of the Wing
party and raised the black flag of innovation embark
ed upon piratica cruise against the Constitution of
their country, for which they have not yet received
their condgn punishment which the enormity of the
offence richly deserves.