Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1848-12-08
=TuF RICHMOND ENQUIRER:

ia any degree lessened oy tEc pesaShse -
views different from his own in one or both hou-
ses OF Congress.
It is moi alone hasly and incnnsideraic leslsa-
lion that he is required TO check; bu! ii al any
time Congress shall, after apparently uli de'ioe-
ration, resolve on measures which ne deems SUD-
yersive Of The constitution, or Of The vital INFER.
esls OF he country, il is his solemn duly TO STAND
in the breach and resist them. The Pfesinent
is bound 10 approve or disapprove, every Dill
which passes Congress and is presented to MIN
for his signature. The constitution makes this
his duty, and he cannot escape it il he would.
He has no election. In deciding upon any bill
presented 10 him, he must exercise his own best
judgment.
Ii he cannot approve, the constitution COM
mands him 70 return The bill 10 III House in
which il originated, with his objec'io s. and il ne
fail 10 do this within ten days, (Sundays except.
ed, il shall become law without his signature.
Right or wrong he may be over-ruled by vote
OF lwo-thirds Of each House. and in that event,
the bill becomes a law without his sanction. II
his objections be not Thus over-ruled, The sub
Jec IS only osponed and is referred 10 The States
and the people tor their consideration and decis-
ion. The Presidents power is negative merely,
and not affirmative. He can enact no law.
The only effect, therefore, OF his Withholding
his approval OF bill passed by Congress- is TO
suffer the existing laws 10 remain unchanged,
and the delay occasioned is only that required 10
enable the States and The people 10 consider and
at upon the subject in the election OF public
agents who will carry out their wishes and in.
suuctions. Any attempt 10 coerce The President
10 yield his sanction 10 measures which ne can
mol approve, would be violation OF The spirit OF
The constitution, pal pable and Aasrant, and il
successful, would break down the independence
OF the executive department, and make the Presi-
dent, elected by The people, and clothed 10y The
constitution with power 10 defend their righ's, The
mere instrument oil a majority oi Congress.
A Surrender on his part Of me powers with
which the constitution has invested ms aiiicf,
would effect practical alteration .. iGdt ins;i
mcur, wi'hont Teso'tins 10 The prescribed process
oil amendment
| With the moiveS or considerations when may
induce Congress 10 pass any bill, lhe prrsiaeht
can hay, no;hGs - 10. lie mus presume liiem
10 be as pure as his own, and look only 70 me
practical Effect OF their measures when compared
with tie constitution or The pubic good.
BuI il has been urged by hose who object 10
the exercise ut Ibis untouched CONSTITUTIONAL
power, that il assais the representative principle
and The capacity ui the people TO govern mem
selves; thai there is greater safety in numerous
representative body than in the single Executive
created BY The cons,ilu ion, and hat The execu-
tive veto is cone man power" despotic IN lis
character To expose lhe iallacy ot ihis obIsc-
lion, il is only necessary To consicef the frame
! and true character OF our system. ours i mo-
consolidated empire, but conicdeTated Union.
The States, before The adoption It The consiilu-
| iun were co ordinate co-squal, and separate m
dependent soveirlanlie., and by rs adoption lhtf
| iit no. lose that character.
They clothed the federal government with Ger
tain powers, and reserved all Others, incuing
their own sovereignty, 10 themselves. Ihey
guarded their own rights as States, and the rights
| III the people, hy he very limitations which they
incorporated into The federal constitution, wheIe-
| by The different departments Of The general go
yernment were checks upon each o;her. Thai
The majority should govern. is general p!inci-
Pile, controverted by none; but they must govern
according 10 The constitution, and not according
10 an underlined and unrestrained discretion
whereby they may Cypress the minority
| The people OF The United States are not pima
10 The fac, tha they may be temporarily misled
and that their representatives, legislative and e3-
| ecu,Iye. NAV be mistaken, or Influenced IN their
action by improper motives. They have there
| fore in,erposed between themselves and the Ia VS.
which may be passed by their public agents, va
rious representations, such as assemblies, senaes,
and governors ia their several STATES; House o.
| REPRESENTATIVES, Senate, and President oi Inc
United States. The people can by their own d.
rect agency make 70 Law; nor can The House 81
Representatives immediately elected by them;
nor can the Senate; nor can both together, win
out The concurrence OF the President, OF vo'e OF
twohirds OF both houses.
Happily Tor themselves, the people, IN framing
| our admirable system ui government, were coz
| scious OF The nhrmites oil their representatives,
and in delegatng Ia Them the power d legisla-
lion, they have fen. ed them around with checks
| 10 guard againal the effects OF hasly acllon, Of
error, of combination, and OF possible corruption.
Error selfshness and faction have often sought
10 rend asunder this web OF checks, and subject
The government 10 The control OF fanatic and sinis-
| Ter Influences; but these efforts have only sails
fed The people Of the wisdom OF The checks which
they have imposed, and OF the necessity OF pre-
| serving them uhimpaiTed.
The true theory OF our system is, not 10 govern
by lhr acts or DEGREES o. any one sci 81 ieplesen-
G5shc s Of he IN order TO give
| lime t,r error 10 br corrected and telusion 10
pass awav but II the people settle down into
firm conviction different from that Il their repre-
>en,alives, thew give effect 10 their opinions b,
changing their publ: servants. The checks
which The people imposed o. their public sci
wants in lhe adoption Of the constitution, are The
hest evidence oil their capacity Tor sel!-gdvern-
| ment
They know that the men whom they elect TO
4
sions with themselves, and not to be trusted
without being restricted by coordinate authori
| ties and constitutional limitations. Who that
has witnessed the legislation of Congress for the
last thirty years will say that he knows of no
instance in which measures not demanded by the
public good have been carried, Who will deny
that in The State Governments, by combinations
of individuals and sections 10 deroga;ion OF the
general interest, banks have been chartered,
systems Of internal improvement adopted, and
debts entaled upon the people, REFRESHING their
growth, and iHpairing their energies for years
to Gomez
After so much experience, il cannot be said
that absolute unchecked power is safe in the
hands of any one set of representatives, or that
the capacity Of the people for self-government
which is admitted in its broadcast extent, is
conclusive argument to prove the prudence
wisdom and integrity Of their representatives
The people by the constitution, have command
Ell the President as much as lhey have command
cd the Legislative branch u The government, 10
execute their will. They haze said 10 him ~
the constitution, which they require nc snail ak-
solemn oath 10 support, that II Congress pass
any bill which he cannot approve, she shall re-
ruln II 10 thu House in which i originated, with
his objections In Withholding IRON i, his APP
p,oval and signature. he is executing The will Of
The peopl. cun.lilutionally expressed, as much as
the Conere>. that passed it, No bill! i prtsum
y, 10 BE- IN accordance with The popu ar viii Gniil
i shall have ras-a.. though al me branches 81
The government required by tn constitution 10
make i, las. "A bill which passes lhe House
| oi Representatives may he reJscei by the Sec
are, asd 50 b, passed by The Senate may b.
rejected by the House In each case he respec.
i've houses exercise III. veto power on The
oiher
Congress, and each House oil Congress, bold
under The constitution check upsn The PIesi-
dent. and he. By The power Of he qualified veto,
a cneck upon Congress- When The President
recommends measures 10 Congress, he avows, in
the mos, solemn form his opinions gives his
Voice in their favor, and pledges himself in ad.
vance 10 approve hem il passed by Congress, II
he acts without due consideration, or has been