Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1848-12-13


tutes quorum, and the majority of that
quorum is competent to pass laws. 1t might
happen that quorum OF the House OF rep
resentatives consisting Of single member
more than half OF the whole number elected
might pass bill by majority ct a single
vote, and yet in that case a fraction more
than one fourth of the people Of the United
States would be represented by those who
voted for it. 1t might happen that the
same bill might be passed by majority OF
quorum of the Senate, composed OF Sena-
tors from the fifteen smaller States, and
single Senator from sixteenth State, and II
the Senator voting for it happened to be
from the eighteen Of the smallest OF those
States, it would be passed by the votes ot
Senators from States having but fourteen
Representative YES in the House OF Representa-
tives, and containing less than one sixteenth
of the population OF the United States.
This extreme case is stated to illustrate
the fact that the mere passage OF bill by
Congress is not conclusive evidence that
those who passed it represent the majority
of the people of the United States or truly
reflect their will. If such an extreme case
is not likely to happen, cases that approxl-
mate to 1t are Of constant occurrence. 1t
is believed that not a single law has been
passed since the adoption of the constitution.
upon which all the members elected to both
Houses have been present and voted. Ma
nv of the most important acts which have
passed Congress have been carried by close
vo e in those Houses. Many instances OF
this might be given, indeed our experience
proves that many Of the most important acts
If Congress are postponed to the last days
aid often the last hours OF a session, when
they a.e disposed Of in haste, and by Houses
but little exceeding the number to constitute
quorum.
Besides, in most of the States, the MEM
bers Of the lower House are chosen by plu-
ralities and not by majorities of all the vo-
ters in their respective districts, and it may
happen that majority of the House may
be returned by less aggregate vote of the
people than that received by the minority.
Ii the principle insisted on be sound, then
the Constitution should be so changed that
no bill shall become law unless it is voted
fer BY members representing in each House
a majority If the whole people OF the United
States. We must remoddle our whole sys-
TEN, strike down and abolish not onl y salu-
tary checks lodged in the Executive branch,
but must strike out and abolish those lodged
in the Senate, also, and thus practically i'll
vest the whole power of the Government in
a majority of a single assembly;a majority
uncontrolled and absolute and which may
become despotic. 10 conform to the doc
trine Of the right Of majoritles to rule indie
pendent of the checks and limitations of the
Constitution, we must revoutionize our
whole system. We must destroy the con-
stitutional compact by which the several
States agree to confederated Union and
rush into consolidation, which must end in
monarchy Or despotism. No one advocates
such a proposition and yet the doctrine
maintained carried out must lead to this
result.
One great object of the CONSTITUTION in
conferrlng upon the President a qualified
negative upon the legislation of Congress,
was to prevent minor1ties from injustice and
oppression by majoritiss. The equality Of
their Representation in the Senate, and the
veto power OF the President over Congress
are guarantees which these smaller States
have that their rights will be respected
Without these guarantees, all interests
would be at the mercy Of majorities, repre-
senting the larger States. In the smaller
and weaker States therefore, the preserva'
ton of the power and its exercise upon prop
er occasions demanding it, are Of vital inl-
portance. They ratified the constitution
and entered into the Union, securing to
themselves an equal representation with
the larger States in the Senate, and they
agreed to be bound by laws framed by
Congress, upon the express condition and
none other, that they should be approved
by the President, or passed his objections
to the contrary notwithstanding, by vote
of two-thirds OF both Houses. Upon this
condition they have right to insist, as part
of the compact to which they gave their
assent ..--=.
A bill might be passed by Congress a.
gainst the will Of the whole people OF par
tlcular State, and against the votes Of its
Senators and all its Representatives,; how
ever prejudicial it might be to the interest of
such State, it would be bound by it if the
President should sanction it or it should be
passed by vote of two-thirds of both
Houses but it has right to demand that
the President shall exercise his constitutions
al power, and arrest it, if his opinion is
against it. If he surrender this power, or
fail to exercise it in case where he cannot
approve, it would make his formal approval
a mere mockery, and would be itself vio-
lation of the constitution, and the dissenting
State would become bound by law which
had not been passed according to the sane
ton of the constitution.
The objection to the exercise of the veto
power is founded upon an idea respecting
the popular will, which, if carried out, would |
annihilate the State soveignty and substi-
tute for the present federal government a
consolidation directed by supposed nu-
merical majority. A revolution Of the gov
.rnment would be silently effected and the
States would be subjected to laws to which
they had never given their constitutional
consent.
The supreme court of the United States
isinvested with the power to declare, and
has declared, acts of Congress, passed with
the concurrence of the Senate and House of
Representatives, and the approval of the
President, to be unconstitutional and void !;