Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-05-09


through which the of the people of the U. s
IN lie arrrcnae, may be taken Such provision was
deemed incompatible with full enjoyment by the
States Of the rights of sovereignty which they reserved
10 themselves, and with which II was neilher he inten
ton of the runners of that instrument nor OF the PEG
nile who adopted it, Interfere. The qualifications Of
the power of the majority, and the restrictions upon the
authority Of the Federal Government, which pervace
the Constitution, doubtless TO De traced 10 this
source.
Tho rabt of The President TO suspend the operation
of an act of Congress- by Withholding his assent from
it. and in the absence of the requisite majority, TO de
feat il for the time being, is therefore IN harmony with
the spirit and design of the entire system say Tor
the time being, because all experience mas shown,
that objections public measure, on the part OF any
branch Of the Government, are, III The eni, always
made TO Weld tie settled and well ascerianed wishes
of the people in whatever mode they may he elected;
the effect Of the interference OF Inc ESecu'iVe' being
Ia secure fuller and perfect reconsideration of
the whole subiec, hy the people. Nor was this power
bestowed upon the Executive without adequate consI-
deration and full oil the beneficial elects was
capable Of producing III the administration oil Go
yernment TO which such various, momentous and not
unfreuueny contrary interests were to be entrusted
The President is the only efficient oihcer, and with
the single exception of the Vice President the only
one in The Federal Government, IN tue election OF
" hom oil the States, and The electors oi each State
take part. All others are comparatively local, as
well in respect TO the constituencies by whom
,bev are chosen as TO their immediate respon-
sbilities The President is the only eihcient repre-
! sentative in the Federal system, between whom
and the whole Coniederacy their exists that common
svmnathy which arises from the relation oil elector
and representative and the obligation II imposes. Ii is
tn him. therefore, than any other tunctonary of
the Federal Government, that the people of all the
States look and have right 10 look, tor impartial atten
ton 10 the interests of every section OF our greatly ex
t,aed I;u;on To enable him TO perform his important
duties portion Of the powers necessary 10 good Go
yernmen is by the Constitution vested IN the Execu
tive Deprrtment The veto constitutes an important,
and in nv opinion very useful part OF those powers 1t
i; mari also which can seldom if ever be employed by
The incumbent of the Presidential chair, promote per
.onal obe This consideration cannot be too hgh ap
precated 1t is the liability of public trusts TO be thus
abused, that has been the canker oil every public
vice The occasion would be q rare indeed, upon
which President could by the exercise of the veto
power minister his private qualification, or to tina, of
his friends to the advancement of his political
nteres's except b. means the most honorable, and
through channel IN eminent degree free from
ccp,on. BY refusing his assent 10 4 bill which has
passed both houses lie is TO excite at the outset
The formidable opposition of those Influential bodies,
offend the particular interests which expec. to be I'D
vanced by the measure and to expose himself to the
temporary odum of running counter to what proper
" regarded presumptive evidence Of the will of the
people No public man will be apt TO place himself in
position trying unless he is Influenced by ire
sisiible conviction of right and firm confidence in
the ultimate rectude Of that public opinion by which
he can alone nope 10 De sustained. Our poltce SyS-
TEN does not therefore, clohe any of the agents il
ploys with authority which is likely TO be exer,ed
from pure motives and 10 patriotic ends. We have, in
these considerations, the best of human securities That
this negative power will be but seldom exercised, and
when there is not good reason TO believe that
the Legislature has, for the moment through nadvert
ence, of opinion, other cause, placed itself in
opposition TO the interests and wishes of the people.
This inference is fully sustained by experience. The
administration Of the elder Adams, of Mr. Jefferson,
and of that which had the honor to preside, did
not brlieve, produce single veto. The whole num-
Der since The establishment of the government is very
small; and those who make upon the principle,
may be safely challenged to produce single instance
in which The Presidential failed TO be sustained by
the people
The most important, By far of the occasions upon
which it has been interposed, in regard TO Ma
tIona Bank and 10 iaernal improvements by the Ge
neral Government. To repeat my own convictions OF
the dangerous character Of such institution, or the
public evils which experience has shown TO he nsepa-
| rabe from its existence would be snperfuous
Resistance, through the nslrumentaliy of the Veto,
to the system devised fer making internal Improve.
nens in the States, under the authority, and at the
expense Of the Federal Government, was commenced
/ by Mr.. Madison, the occasion OF his veto to The
| Bonus Bl-continued by MIR. Monroe, on that OF his
veto the bill for the collection of tolls on the Cum
1 berand Road; and the whole scheme, with the excep-
ton of limited appropriations for the improvement o
certain baIbors and the removal OF temporary obstruc
lions in certain rivers, finally overthrown UNDER
that of Gen Jackson by his celebrated MaysYle veto,
and other Of kindred character. 1t would, with
the of facts have before u.s. all tending TO the
same conclusion, be but poor compliment 10 The IN
tellgencc Of the people, to enlarge npon the DEMENT'S
whch the country has derived from the overthrow OF
this mschievous and dangerous policy, From the
greater tendency of Legislation by Congress- upon snch
Subjects to what is called og-rolng than that lie
States il quite certain that the two hundred millions
of debt incurred by the latter, for these and similar
purposes would have been vastly enhanced II such 90
ects had been undertaken by the Federal Government
indeed, there be but little, if any doubt, IN the
mind of any calm and intelligent observer, that hut
for the Maysve veto, and the subsequent adherence
TO lis principles and policy the General Government
would this moment have been saddled with debt OIL
some three four hundred millions without having even
much to show for 1t as have the embarrassed Sta'es
When our present condition, in these respects con-
trased with what il would have been under the grind
ing oppression OF such debt, and the coErupiDg and
destructive operation of National Bank, may form
some idea of the advantages which the country has &C.
rived from the exercise of the Presidential The
best effects have also followed lis exercise respect 10
its influence upon public opinion. Although that po'
hey has but iew il any Advocates one can
have forgotten how deeply the public mind, in many
parts of the country, enlisted in its favor.
The necessary limits to communication OF this
character, render it impossible to do justice to the va
rious other aspects in which this power may be use
fully employed in the administration of the Govern
ineHt AS shleih NDlcn may, IN the exercise vi u
sound dscretion be thrown over weaker department
OF the Government, the interests of a less
powerful section of the Union, when they ore, in the
opinion Of the Executive, unjnstly invaded, 1t may
become OF The greatest importance. Political power,
as it respects different portions of the Repubic, is
constantly changing hands, and particular part can
count with safety upon lis perpetual exemption from
the effects OF such aiternations When the Federal
Constitution adopted, Massachusetts and Virginia
were decidedly the most powerful States in the Com
lederacy. New York classed among, and parlook
OF the feelings which common TO, the small
States; and the territory which constitutes the
Western States, was for the most part the abode oil
savages. Although still strong in the virtue, spirit,
enterprise intelligence and patriotism Of their citizens,
and respectable in all things, it is we'll known that
those venerable States have already, in numerical
strength, fallen behind of their cotemporarles
and the great West if not already, is destined soon to
become the seat of Federal power No portion of the
Union can therefore assume, with certainty, that 1t
may not, 10 the Of time and events, become
useful, II not necessary TO INVOKE the exercise OF THIS
sanitary lur the uG rIrnis and