Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1848-08-01
RICHMOND, VA.
Monday Morning, July 81, ls4s.
THE VETO POWER AND THE WING PARTY

THE VETO POWER AND THE WING PARTY.
Whilst nearly all OF the positions Of The Whig
party are beautifully indirincl and obscure, and
no two of their speakers take the same ground in
recommending General Taylor to the people Of
the Union as fit candidate for the Presidency,
there are some points upon which we have OPT.
Mons clearly expressed. Among others, we have
the Wing party clearly commitled upon the abo-
li,ion or restriction of the VETO p0wEa as il has
heretofore been exercised by the various Presi'
dents of the United States. The Democratic
party has been roundly denounced for aaherine
10 what has been, in the slang of the Wing par.
ty, called The Zone man pousr." knowing The
force OF prejudice among the people, this conser.
valve feature of the Constitution has been de-
nounced and msrepresenled by party always
fertile in its expedien;s, and disingenuous in
attempts to influence The public mind. What is
the aone man powu7" The ample authority 81.
ven 10 the President by the Constitution 10 inter-
pose his veto is as follows:
"Every bill which shall have passed The House
OF Representatives and the Senate, shall, before il
become law, be presented 10 the President OF The
United Siates;-if nc apprGus Of u, ne shall sign
il, but If mol, he she'll return 1t, ,ctt his objections
to tina, House in which ii shall have originated,
who shall enter the objections al large on their
journal, and proceed 10 reconsider II. IL, alter
such consideration, two.thrds OF that House snail
agree to pass the bill, it shall be sent, together
with the objections TO the other House, oy winch
i, shall likewise be reconsidered. and II approved
by ,wo-thirds OF that House, shall become law;
III. No rafas nf hi EinnCpS
shall he determined by yeas and nays, and the
names of the persons voting ter or against the bill
shall be entered on the journal OF each House
respectively. II any bill shall not be returned
by the President within ten days Sunday except
ed) alter it shall have been presented to him, the
same shall be law, in like manner, as II he had
signed il, unless the Congress, by their adlonrn.
menr, prevents its return, in which case !! shall
not b. law"
Here, then, we have the lul and most
explicit constitutional authority for The zone
man power. About its meaning there can
be no doubt, for the trainers Of The Conslitu.
lion, with strange care, have made their
language SO clear lha, there cannot be two
ways interpreting it, In uptoldtng The eTe'c'se Of
The rsto, tie Democratic parlv, as usual sastains The
Constitution in ITS very spirit, letter and meaning
in opposing it, the Wigs oOsa tear from the char
ref oar rights one OF its strongest features. We
stand, therefore, before The people charged BY our
Wing opponents with clinging 10 that Cons'iiu-
ton, the excellences OF which are each day be-
coming more apparent;-we are gully OF the high
crime and misdemeanor of defending the Presi.
dent in the enjoymen, of constitutional privileges
We plead guilty 10 The charge, but will, after
while, present few e1lenualing circumstances
to the people for the singularity of our COURSE
As the Constitution is very explicit, The Wings, in
opposing the exercise of the veto, either 1isA to
alter tie Constitution or 10 check abuses upon the
part OF the Executive. The alteration OF The Con-
sltution is a grave matter, and should be mos,
solemnly deliberated upon by The people OF the
United States. We have now that Constitution
given us by our foretahers, under the protection
of which we have grown strong. and greatly in
creased in wealth and population. BY it order
has been preserved and the rights of The States
and the Federal Government separated and clear
" defined; from strict adherence to it we have
never suffered. BY thu enforcement Of those points
,ctiel are elea, and erplieit, rs hare nsrcr pro.
du,sd cven jar in The workings Of our govern
ment. By occasional improper and forced in.
terpre,alions OF The more obscure portions OF it. we
have suffered again and again. The Alien and
Sedi,ion laws, the Bank Of the United States the
Protective system, the scheme OF Internal I'm
proyements the distribution of the proceeds ofihe
public lands, and other Federal measures, striking
" illustrate the fact. Whenever we have stuck
to the leuer Of the Constitution, our country has
Observation-Disclosures we have given 10 The Con-
sli,ulon a lalucinous construction, based upon
The doctrine OF expediency, We have suffered.
The Constitution was framed before the lorna
ton of parties II was intended 10 act as check
upon parties, not 10 be altered nor amended al the
suggestion of those exasperaed by defeat or
maddeped by victory. A written instrument was
deemed necessary TO subdue party madness, when
exhibited in the passage Of gross, violent and un.
lust laws. Knowing hat bodies OF men are more
ap, to be carried of by party rage than single
individual, the Constitution has very properly
given 10 The President the power OF counleracling
10 a proper ertent The legislation of Congress-no!
absolutely, but with certain restrictions, calcula'
ted 10 prevent frivolous and vexalious inierie-
renee with the legislative department.
About the proprie,y of this restrictive power,
we are told The men who formed the Constitution
entertained no doubt. "ln regard to this veto
power, as i, al present exists the Convention
which formed The Constitution" says Mr.. Bu.
chanan, "clthough much divided on other sutjsets
,ccre unanimous"
According 10 Mr.. Madison's report Of The de,
bates and proceedings in the Convention, we find
that on Saturday, he 2ls' July, 1887, "the tenth
resolution girins The Executive qualified veto, re.
curing L,co thirds Of each branch Of ths Lcgisla-
ture 10 operrule it, ,oas then agreed to, mem con-
the Contention continued in session for nearly tot
months ate, thus decision but, 50 Jar as can dis
cou.r, no member srer attempted TO disturb This una
n,mous decision"
Here, then, we have portion OF the history OF
The zone man porer," which was unanimously
agreed TO by the trainers of the Constitution. And
when we reflect upon the anxiety exhibited by the
trainers of the Constitution, lest the Executive
should, by possibility, possess under it Toe
much power-how they discussed the tendencies
of every power entrusted 10 the President, and
only after careful examination invested him with
those now found in the Conslitution-we lind
little reason TO entertain fears from The veto
power, unless it has heretofore been impro.
pe!ly exercised hereafter, we shall show
has rol been The case.
Before, therefore, as sensible men we should
desire to alter the Constitution, as far as it re-
lates TO the veto, restricted a. /. ,lo,c is, We
should ask the reasons Tor it.
Has it, or has it not, been exercised proper
ly by the Executive7 Has it been yet exercised,
save to check rash and unwise party in
its unconstitutional courses Has our country
sustained injury BY its exercised Have not the
raonla aluavs nv retaliation ar in son,a otho a,