The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1848-12-16

mower. tbnt il nssuils the representative prln
riple and the capacity Of the people TO gov
crn themselves that there Is Ercnler sNiell
, in u numerous representative houy lUh, u
! IIIe single Executive crcnicu ny the CohslN"
ton, and llnt the Executive veto Is "ou'
man power" dGspoIic III lis character j
exuoss The inllncy of his objection, il is only
necessary 10 consider tho frame aud true
character of our system. Ours IL not II con
solilnrcd empire, but conicderhed Union
! The Stntcs before the adoption of tho con
stimtion, were coordinate, coequnl, aud sep
nlnio independent Sovcreignties, and by us
adoption they tlid not lose that character
Thry clothed the federal government with
certain movers, and reserved all others, inclu-
ding their own sovereignties, TO themselves,
They guarded their own rights us Suites aud
the rights of the people, by tho very llnll'a-
tons which they Incorporated INTO llie icdcr-
al constitution, whereby The different depart
mcnts oflhG general government were CHECKS
anon eucl other. That the MINORITY should
govern. is II general principle, controverlcd
Inv none; but they must govern according to
lie constitution, and not according 10 nm I'M
defined nid uureslrnined discretion, Whereby
hey may Cypress The minority.
Tho people of the United States are not
blind 10 the fact ,hut they may be teinporori-
" misIcd, and that their representatives, leg
islativc and executive, may he mistaken or
influenced IN their action 10y improper mo-
lives. They have therefore nierposed ne
tween themselves aud the laws which may DC
passed ly their public agent, various repre-
sentniions. such us assemblies, schaics, ana
governors in their several States;a House OF
REPRESENTATIVES,, II Senate, and President
Of the United States. The people can, 10y
their own direct agency make no law; nor
can tho House Of Representatives lmmcd'-
atcly elected 10y them; nor eau the Senate;
nor can both together, without he concur
renee orlhc Prcsidcut,or Il veto Of IWo-llIlrds
of boIh Houses.
Happily for themselves, the people, in
framing our admirable system OF government
were conscious Of the iufrnilics of Their rer-
rcsenativcs; and, in delegatinS to them the
power of legislation, they have fenced them
around with checks, TO guard against The ell
fects of hasty action, oferror, of combination,
and of possible corruption. Error, SELFISH
ness, and faction have often sought 10 rend
asuuder Ills web Of checks, and subject the
government to tie control of fanatic and SIN
lister influences; hut there efforts have only
satisfied the people of the wisdom OF We
checks which they have imposed, ana OF
the necessity oipreserlng them unlnpircd.
The true theory Of our system is not 10
govern Nv ilG uClS w tNtlNNo VI 10y ~ -
of representatives. The constitution mpo-
SEES checks upon all branches of the govern
mcnt, in order to give time for error TO be
corrected and dclusion 10 pass away; but 1t
the peoplc settle down into firm conviction
different from that Of their representatives
they give effect to their opinions 10y chang
ing their pulIic servants The checks which
the people imposed on their public servants
ia tie adoption Of the constitution, are the
best evidence of their capacity for sell-sor-
ernmeut. They know that the men whom
they elect to public stations are OF like III,
fir,nitics aud passions with themselves, ana
not TO be trusted without being restricted 10y
coordinate authorities aud constitutional Inn
tatious. who that has Witnessed the legIs-
n,ion of Congress for the last thirty years
will say that he knew of no instances in
which measures not demanded by The public
rood have been carried? Who will deny
that in the State governments, 10y conbina-
lions of individuals and sections, in deroga-
ton of,he general interest, banks have been
chartered, systems of internal Improvement
adopted, and debts entailed upon The people
REFRESHING their growth, and impairlnS Their
energies for years 10 come?
Ailer so much experience, it cannot he
said that absolute unchecked power is safe
in the hands ofany one set of representatives
or llltt tue CdpWClNJ VI NV l'S'l'N - 49,
ernment, which is admitted in It's broadcast
extent, is IL conclusive argument to prove the
prudence, wisdom aud integrity of their rep
resentutiveS. .. ...
The people, by the constitution, have com
nandod the President as much us they have
commanded the legislative branch oIthc gov
ernment to execute their will. They have
said to him in the constitution, which they
requir9 he shall take solemn oath to sup
port, that if Congress pass any bill which he
cannot approve, "he shall return 1t to the
House in which it originated, with his objec-
lions" In Withholding from it his approval
and signature, he is executing the will of The
people constitutionally expressed, as much
as the Congress- that passed it. No bill Is
presumed to be in accordance with the pop
ular will until it shall have passed through all
the branches ofthe government required by
/ The constitution to make it law bill
which passes through all the branches OF the
| government required by the constitution Ia
make it law A bill which passes the
House of Representatives may be rejected
by the Senate; and so u bill passed by the
| Senate may be rejected by the House. ID
each case the respective house exercises the
veto power on the other
| Congress, aud each house otCongress,hoId
under the Constitution n check upon the
| PreSiuenV, ana lie ny inc power vi 'le Nu"'i'
fed veto, cheek upon Congress. Wher
the President recommends measures to Con
gress, he avows, in the most solemn form
his opinions, gives his voice in their favor
aud pledges HIMSELF in advance to approve
them ifpassed by Congress. lfhe acts with.
out due consideration iras been influenced
by improper or corrupt motives-or if from
any other cause Congress, or either house
of Congress, shall differ from him in opinion
thew exercise their veio upon his recommen
dations, and reject them; aud there is no APP
neal from their decision, but to the people
at the ballot box. These are proper checks
upon the Executive, wisely inlerposed by the