Democratic standard. [volume] (Georgetown, Brown County, Ohio) 1837-1850, 1844-02-13

IN the peculiar mann1r that our govern
ment is, il may happen and in CODgre'
SiOnal history often has occurred, th'
cOmbinati ons Of particular, sectional G
party interests may be formed, making
majority in both houses ofCongress capa.
BILE and corrupt enough to legslate at vii
for the benefit Of their partic ular, r,sectiona
or party interests, while that majority ma,
not represent, either a majority of th'
productive interest, or Of the wealth o
the country. The Veto power is her,
merely necessary to protect the maj Oritl
of the people, States an interests, agains
the unjust and oppressive Legislation oI
the Congressional Representatives of q
minority Of all these interests. Again
reverse The case, let the Congressional
majority represent minority Of States
and interest,", the minOrily Of all these have
rights which are entitled TO be respected
The President alone has an interest and
an ability TO interposs and protect them.
a. Because the suspehs;ve veto is
necessary 10 guard the country against
the evils Ofhssly and i'll advised leg isla>
ticn.
There are times OF excitement and
great popular commoton, when .princi'
pie and prudence are merged in the con.
vulsion of the hour. The RopreseDta>
tives of the people and States become in.
fected by sympathy, and their legislation
does not result from calm deliberation,
and dispassionate reflection, but charac o.
tarized by indiscreliOn and folly, instesd
of wisdom. Here, the President from his
elevation above the tumult beneath him
coOlly interposes, : Gals upon congress TO
reconsider their basty andindiscreet acts /;
re-enact, by majority Of iwo-thirds of
each House; abandon them altogether, ,or
refer them ~ the"sober second thought
of The people," And il is a remarkable
fact, worthy to be noted here, that never
yet have the people failed in their sober
second Thoughts, to sustain a Presidents
appeal of this description.
5. Because, we regard the veto power
as the great protective power against legis'
laiive violations of the constitution, as
an essentially democratic feature Of our
constitution and government, and as the
great reliance Of the people against op-
preston and disregard of their rights BY
an unjust and factiOus party congressiOn
al maj ority; and because the main argu'
ment for the abolition ofthe veto power,
namely, that popular majorties should al
ways prevail and control, would apply |
withequal force to the abolition OF the Sc.
nate and the Judiciary, in thelelectiOn or
appointment of neither Of which does the
element Of direct popular majority enter
at all. If, then, the argument is good TO
abolish The veto power Of the President,
it is equally good to abolish the dissen>
ting vote Of the Senate, which is the Sen>
ntOFial veto upon the acts of The House,
and the power Of the Judiciary 10 declare
law of Congress unconstitutional and
void, which is the Judicial veto upon the
legislative acts Of the President and both
Houses of Congress. This argument of
popular maiorities would, in fact destroy
the whole constitution and system Of gov
ernment established under it, and sweep
away Senate, president aud Judiciary,
leaving the House OF Representatives, ,the
only remnant, in The general wreck OF a
government which,as i: now stands, com
plex, yet simple, composed of many, yet
harmonioUsly unites into one, with one
common will, the unitive emanation OF
many, seems almost like the device Ofa
higher wisdom. and the workmanship OF
a migh'ier hand than mans.
Blsides, the power of the veto is but q
suspensve power. Itcan, in its utmost
extension, control the action ofCOngress
only for short time, until the ense OF
the people shall have been ELECTED upon
The question. Ifthe President was wrong
the paople will 80 determine, by the elec~
ton Of aCongreslOnal majority against him
and it is not to be supposed that Pres
ident would ever oppose himself to the
will Of the people thus emphatically ex
pressed.
Moreover the veto does not absolutely |
annul the action Of Congress simply
renders it incumbent upon that body to
repass the act negatived, by majority
Of two thirds Of each House; and it would
be reflection upon the intelligence
and patriotism Of any Congress, to sup.
pose that they would fail to re pass
the act negatived BY majority of two
thirds, il such act was really important
and imperstively demanded by the inier-
ests oftheir constituency, and reflection
upon the people who elected him, to sup
pose that he would negative bill thus
importantand necessary.
At ell evcnts. il is not an absolute and
cocIusive, but only suspenslve negative
II can control only smsll majority ofcon'
gress, who may or may not represent
majority Of States, people or interests i
So far from its being the much Parades
aud odious zone man power as II IS un'
Justly termed, and tending to an increase