Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-08-21
THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE.


known that the Wings have in those elections Sc
cured clear gain of several members, and have
sustained loss in no one district, unless from mere
local causes, in a single district of Kentucky.
tits now certain that, from majority of over
sixty votes in body composed of something more
than two hundred members, the party by which this
Administration was brought into power will hnd
itself, in the next House of Representatives, in a
minority Of at least ten votes.
The party opposed to this decisive manifestation
Of the Popular Will having such majority in
the Senate that the change of the balance OF power
in the House of Representatives will not enable
that body to carry out any important measures
which it may propose-unless such as majority
of the Senators may approve-the event OF these
elections is more important as indication Of
public opinion than in view of its direct action up
on the Public Councils.
That the influence Of this demonstration of pub
lie sentiment ought to be considered by the Presi-
dent an instruction which he is bound 10 resPvc
no one who has due regard for the fundamental
principles Of this Government will be disposed to de-
nv II is, however an axiom of the school in which
the President was born and bred that the President
represents the People, and has right to control
Congress by multiplying such acts OF theirs as he
has not dictated which construction OF the Con-
stitution as its distinguished inventor understood
it. gave birth to several well-remembered Vetoes
upon established and valuable Institutions and
usages of the Government-and, if a veto could
have been made to cover affirmative well as ne
gative power, would undoubtedly have involved the
Nation in war with Mexico ten years before the
period of that in which we are now engaged, and
in war also, still less polite or Unsuitable, with
more important Power. That the present success
sor of Gen. JACKSON entertains the same opinion
powers and prerogatives we have had many proofs
only in his vetoes, but in his spontaneous exer
else of Legislative authority in cases peremptorly
forbidden to him by the Constitution. How far he
1.-THE President may consider these acts of his as
rejected by the popular suffrage, and retract or
dity them according ly-as he already to have
done in lin respect 10 the dictatorial au-
'horlty given to military and naval commanders in
distant foreign provinces)-we shall in time know.
But, however his course may be affected by the
event of these elections the President cannot doubt
after the successive votes of so many States North
East, South, and West, and especially after the ver-
dict Of his State, that his Administration hav-
ing stood its trial, and had fair hearing has had
sentence OF condemnation passed upon it by the
People.
But much more consoling and gratifying effect
of the results Of these elections is the revived con-
fdence with which they cannot fail IN inspire those
VINO had begun to despair not only Of the continu-
ed supremacy of the Constitution, but of the en-
during capacity of this People for seifgovernment
For ourselves, we have under no circumstances
ever despared Of the Republic. But we should
have begun to doubt its fortunes, had the People
tamely acquiesced in the usurpatons which have
been lately Practised under it by the Executive,
and which, to some extent, the last Congress, as
then constituted gave by acts of legis-
lation. The friends of the Constitution, all over
the land must be treasured by the events of this
month. They constitute the majority of the Peo-
pie. We have always believed it they now know
il, and, knowing it, they must maintain themselves
accordingly. No one can now doubt that, if true
10 itself, the Wing Conservative party has the
power to bring back the Government to the Re-
publican track, and put end to all these banker
ings after Conquest, Dominion, and other Royal
Pastimes, which seem to have possessed, not the
President merely, and his dependents but also
many other People from whom wiser things
ought to have been expected.
Nor ought we to end this brief notice Of the SUBJ
lect OF the Elections without expressing our ad-
miraton Of the aspect in which they present the
Western and the Southern States their sister States
and even to themselves, in reference TO the existing
circumstances Of the country. When the elections
IN the great States Of Pennsylvania and New York,
and in smaller Eastern States, las in New Hamp-
shlre,) exhibited some months ago. great falng-off
from the party of the Administration, its friends
babe their associates be Of good cheer, for the
popularity Of the ,car in the South and West
would save their party from the wreck which
threatened it. And there was FEASIBILITY in the
suggestion. We, who, when the Executive pro-
claimed war and called for Volunteers to march for
Mexico to succor the Army, and, as ii was said, tc
defend the country from invasion, had seen them
abandoning their peaceful vocations and Fastening
with generous ardor by thousands to the field Of
fight; who had seen these gallant men laying down