The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1848-06-21
From the Charleston Courier.
GENERAL TAYLoRs BATON ROUGE
LETTER.


LETTER.
The sentence which is supposed TO mark
Gen. Taylor as consolidalionisis, in his
Baton Rouge letter, receives luminous
illustration from remark by which
II is Immediately preceded. "The po..
err, says he, gwen by the Constitution
TO the Executive 10 in,erpose his veto, is
high conservative power but in my cpin. /
ion should never lie exercised 10 cases of
clear pioldtion Of The Constitution, or 10
manifea haste and rant Of consideration
6y Congress" II is impossible To imaglne
a more clear and comprehensive definition
oi the veto power more IN hafnony
with the theory Of the Constitution and IN
closer conformity with the line Of jus, de.
markaiion between the Legislative aud
Executive departments Of tina Govern.
ment. Gases Of clear violation Of the
Constitution may occur under The iinu.
ence Of parry excitemen, as " NANTES,
haste and want of consideration NAV fol.
low from the contagion OF that sympathy
which Is sometime communicated To LIE.
gIsla,ures from the masses. The two ey.
Ireincs into which legislative bolies ars
prone 10 rush, are precipiiancy aud the
passions Of party. The counterpoise To
these can bn found no where excep, 10 the
veto. General Taylor has u correct ap.
preciaiion Of lis virtue when he sgnatcs
II "a high conservative poser," aud he
expresses due, sense Of ITS limits when
he remarks, that The action Of Congress
oaghi no, TO be controlled by the personal
opinions Of the individual who may happen
to occupy the Executive chair"
These arc not the dpctTlnes Of consoli.
datiopisi. There is IN hem no ,inclure Of
political dogmItI'm NO proofs Of tenn
per tina, would engross and centtalzs pow.
er. Ga the contrary the statesman who
would declare that his wish, on being
clothed with Executive authority, was 10
lessen the personal Influence Of the incum.
bent, and exercise on farc occasions the
check with which he is invested by the
constitution, gives the very best assurance,
II he ~ 10 be believed, that he is the emo
ny of consollda,inn. The occupant Of the
Executive chair who aims at the conccn
ifaiion Of power does not feel respect FOR
those lines Of division between the two
great departments of the government which
keep each within lis appropriate sphere.
lie seeks TO confound them. He exercises
Tho veto as olien as lie dare interposc thls
Executive prerogaiise. lie Dictates. lie
dosmai,zes. lie appeals 10 the mercena.
~ impulses ol those Who are open 60 the
lures Of Office. Ile employs the patronau &c
Of official station, to Win over TO his opin.
ions the members of the national lc.isIa.
turc. lie uses the power of appointment
10 office lavIshly, that he may establish a
dlhaslye influence throughout the Union.
These are oil adJunc,s TO thai larger cxef.
else Of personal Influence oset Congress,
combined with the frequent inlerposi,ion
Of The veto, which constitute the sources
Of consolidation.
81 have thought. says Gen Tay Tor, that
f3r many years past, the known opinions
and wishes OF the Executive have excr.
clsed an injurious iH,luencc upon the Le.
eis,ali,e department Of the Government;
and for tins cause have thought our sy3
tenn was IN danger Of undergoing great
change from its true theory" These are
pfec ious words. They contain pregnant
truth. They indicate great sagac,'y.-
They are tho sentiments Of patriotic
staiesman. our syscn Is ~ do"scr OF
undergoing great change from rs true
theory aud from the Cause briefly md ca.
ted by Gen. Tayior, TO wit the personal
,naucncc OF the Executive on The Iegl~'a
tive Department Of he Government. Oar
political system IS pefcepubv departing
from the original simplicity of IS charac.
Ter, and the dlfcctncss winch should char
ncierHe lls administrator. Patronage,
With The influence arising from II, Is every
DAY drawing within Is meshes those who
arc Hing TO lie thus entangled. De-
moctanc Government may lose IT'S purity
.h,lc all the checks against official mai.
AdminIs'rl'ien' gu. c,rcc. A Republican
into practices, not corrupt, buf'iL. dawn
corruption, while ;he genus Of democracy
- thought TO he cuthroned IN the very
capital II our Government has this proc.
ttvlty, lie, US seek to bring il again within
the sphere II rs severe simplicity, hy Ma
eng at us head one who combines the
s'rlctness Of Roman virtue with the moral
courage TO enforce It's prccepts.
4 BUENA VISTA.