The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-05-12

Congress unless he feels moral iiny tha, the people
Conea 70 e h1n ne sh,ues 70 alief from
against him Tie members Of The Senate and The Hoa =.
are numerous, aud scattered the whole county,
whilst The President is bot an Individual confined tho
city of Washington. Their personal influence with thsi,
constituents is, and must be, great Ia such IA struggle h,
must mainly rely upon the papabs justice of his cause
Under these circumstances. does speak volumes in
exercised that il has been overued in snSl
instance, since the origin OF the government either by
majority OF the people IN the several States, by the con-
stiiu lonal majority in Congress
1t is truly astonishing how rarely this power has ever
century which has psed since The meeting Of The "a
Congress under the constitution, about six thousand eg
you suppose, have been disappoved by the Pesidsny
Twenty, sir-tweny is The whole number. speak Gom
Senate. Aud this number merely those buI
which have been actually vetoed but all as were r
having been presented at so late period OF the b,
he could not prepare his objections previous adjourn
ment Twenty is the sum total OF all
Let US anayze these veioes (ior shall call them all bv
that name) for few OF he twenty egh, we,
on bills OF small comparative importance, and eXcedno
public attention. Congress once yielded the Pea
dents objections and in remarkable instance vein
the senator om kentucky himself No attempt s
made pass the bill in opposition this veo and no on
m aiming vetoes upon this list relate only three subjects
These are bank of the United States, Internal Improve
ments in different loms and the distribution of the po
ceeds OF the public lands among the several States Their
have been four of bank the United satesou
Mf
msnts, in isrent ionns-one BY Mr. Madso"
vetoed the bill distribute the proceeds of the sales of tina
public lands among The several States. These make the
eleven.
The remaining veto was by Gen. Washington and il I,
remarkable hatt should be the most questionable exercise
ond and last veto on the LIST of March, 1897 and but h
days before he retired from office, the "Act and
ary OF e uned a h s the mill
there wasa majority OF nearly two thirds In the House Of
act, Notwithstanding the objections Of the Father Of bis
Country The vote fifty five in the afr native thirty.
the military Establishment of the country and day will
probably never again arrive when any President will
ted States.
Then in the range of time since the year 1885, there have
been but twenty and eleven OF these related only
three subjects WHICH have radically divided the great
political parties of the country With the exception of
twenty al the which have passed Congress have
been allowed to take their without any Executive
interference.
That this power has been abused clear as the
light of the sun ask senator's and appeal to you sir
whether the American people have sanctioned eyery
of the veoes the three great subjects which have
referred Yes sir every excepting those on the ifs
cal bank and fiscal corporation leading measures Of
the session. Notwithstanding the solemn denunca.
their appeal the people, there has been election held
since that session in which the people have not declared
Of President Tyler shall not upon tie present OCCASION
discuss the question whether all OF these yetoe
they have all been approved by the American people.
The character of the bills vetoed shows concusivey the
striking contrast between the veto power when nusrd
conferred upon European sovereign as royal prerog
tive All the which American President has
posed any important Of Congress- except the
by Gen, Washington, which have alluded, have been
SO many instances Of selfdenal These acts have albeen
returned, accompanied by messages demonstrating against
the extension OF Executive power, which they proposed
tine int which these so
made long strides towards the attainment OF monarchca
power. Had national bank been established under his
trOl fhe of
the country had splendid system of internal improve
mens been adopted and placed under his direction,
sentlDg prospects OF pecuniary advantage almost
individual throughout the land and in addition to all this
mad Inc states become pensioners On The bounty Of the led
Of the public lands, we might soon have Witnessed
different from the plain and upre,endng President rsco
missed by the constitution The general government might
would have sunk nothing Thanks the of
Presidents, and not to Congress- that Of these evils
the President, it is my firm that the
himself would as deeply have depored the consequences
regretted his own agency in substantially changing
the form of government fad these bills become laws;
the executive power would then have strobe over ali
the powers of the constitution and them indeed the
senator might have justly compared the President Of the
dents had the selidenyng rmness render all these
attempts abortive to bestow themselves extraordinary
powers and have been confne themselves to
those powers conferred them by the constitution They
protected the rights OF the States and of the people
from the unconstitutional means of influence which Con-
gress had placed within their grasp Such have been tho
consequences OF the veto in the hands OF elective
chief magistrate :.
But sir this veto power, which humbly apprehend to
be useful in every State government, becomes absolutely
necessary under the peculiar and complex form of the fed
eal government To this point desire especially to d.
was work of mutual compromise and concession; and
the States which became parties it take the evil
with the good majority OF the people within each OF the
several States have the nheen, right change modify and
amend their constitution at pleasure Not with repeco
the federal constitution In regard it, majority OF the eo
pie OF the United States exercise such power. And
in consideration OF obtaining by this surrender all the bless
ings and benefits of our glorious Union. 1t requires two
thirds OF the representatives OF the States in the Senate
and thirds OF the representatives of the people IN the
House, even TO propose amendment to the conshu
ton and this be ratified by three tourths oil The
States before it take effect Even if wenh five OF tho
twenysix States OF which the Union is composed should
determine to deprive 'te Delaware" Of her equal repre-
ntaton in the Senate she coud defy them all, whilst this
constitution shall endure. 1t declares that ono State with
its consent shall deprived its equal suffrage in tho
Senate"
As the constitution could not have been adopted except
by majority OF the people in every State of the Union,
the members OF the convention believed that it would %
reasonable and just to require that fonrths OF tho
States should concur in changing that which all had ADOPT
ed and to which all had become parties TO give bind
ing force upon the conscience of pubc unctonaV
each senator and representative, whether Congress OF
the several State legislatures, and every executive ana W
dIcial officer, whether State federal bound solemnY
to swear or affirm that he will support the constitution
All the beauty and harmony and order Of the universe
arise from couneracting influences When its great Author
In the beginning, gave the planets their proecte impulse
they would have rushed in straght line through the realms
OF boundless space had h restaned them within heH
prescribed orbits by the countcracng influence OF grava
ton All the valuable inventions mechanics consist III
blending simple powers together, and regu
late the action of each other moi
that imposed by arbitrary and Irresponsible power but by