Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1848-12-21

Inc constitution provides that every Dill
which shall have passed the House of Rep.
resentatives and the Senate, shall, before il,
becomes law, be presented to the Presi-
dent of the United States; if he approves
it, then he shall sign ii, but if not he shall
return il with his objections, TO the House
in which it originated. who shall enter the
objections at large in their journal, and pro.
coed TO reconsider it,"
The preservation Of constitution from
infraction, is the Presidents highest duty.
He is bound to discharge that duty at what
ever hazard of mourning the displeasure Of
those who may differ with him in opinion.
He is bound to discharge il as well by OBJ
legations to the people who have clothed
him with his exalted trust, as by his oath of
office, which he may not disregard. Nor
are the obligations of the President in any
degree essened by the prevalence Of views
different from his own in one or both Hou.
ses of Congress. Ii is not alone "hasty and
inconsideratc legislation" that he lis required
to check but if at any time Congress shall,
after apparently full deIiberation, pass a
measure which he deems subversve Of the
constitution or of the vital interests of the
country, it is his solemn duty to stand in
the breach and resist them. The Pres
dent is bound to approve or disapprove
every bill which passes Congress, and is
presented TO him for his signature. The
constitution makes this his duty, and he
cannot escape it if he would. He has no
election of deciding upon bills presented TO
him; he must exercise his own best judg.
ment, and if he cannot approve it, the con-
stitution commands him to return the bill
to the source in which it originateds with
his objections; and if he fails to do this
within ten days-Sundays excepted--it
right or wrong He may be overruled by
two=thirds of each House, and in that event,
the bill becomes a law without his sane
ton. If his objections be then overruled,
the subject is only postponed or is referred
to the States or the people for their consd-
Grafton and decision. The consideration
is, however, negative, merely, aud not af.
firmative, and can enact no law. The only
effect therefore, of his Withholding his ap-
probation of the bill passed by Congress
is to suffer the existing law to remain un
changed, and the delay occasioned is only
that required to enable the States and the
people TO consider and act upon the subjec
in the election of public agents, who shall
show their wishes and instructions. Any
attempt to yield his sanction to measures
which he cannot approve, would be VIC
la,ion of the spirit of the constitution, pal
pabIe and fragrant, and if successful, would
break down the independence of the Elk
ecu,ive Department, and make the Presi
dent elected by the people and clothed by
oe,:t,t;op with lof onl thai
rights, the mere instrument of the jori
~ of Congress, and would be a surrender
on his part of the power with which tn
country has invested him-his Office woult
effect practical alteration of that instru
ment without resor,ing 10 the prescribe'
process Of amendment.
With the motives or considerations whc
may induce Congress to pass any bill, tn
President can have nothing to do. He mus
presume them as pure as his own, and looI
only to the practical effect of their meas
ures, when compared with the constitu,io
or the public good.
But it has been urged by those who OF
iect 10 the exercise of this undoubted cor
s,itutional power, that il assails the repre-
sentative principle and The capacity of Oh
people TO govern themselves; that there
greater safety in numerous representativ
body, than in the single Executive, create
/. by the constitution; and that the Executiv
is "a one man power" despotc in its char
acter. To expose the falacy of this OF
lection, il is only necessary 10 consider th
frame and true character of our system.-
Ours is not a consolidated Empire, but
J confederated Union. The States befor
the adoption of the constitution so ordaine
CO. equal separate and independent sove
eighties; and by lis adoption they did nj
lose thai character they clothed the feeders
government with such certain powers, an
reserved all others, including their own so,
eighty, to themselves. They guarded the
own rights as States, and the rights Of III
people, by the very limitations which the
incorporated into the federal constitution
whereby the different departments of III
: general government are checks upon eac
= other. That the majority should govern.
general principle, controverted by non
: but they must govern according to the COZ
l stituton, and not according to an underline
and unrestrained discretion, whereby The
i may Cypress the minority.
| The people OF tho United States are not blind
y the fact that they may be temporarily misled ar
that their representative legislatures and execuIi'
J. may be mistaken or influenced in their action
: Improper motives. They have therefore int
n ferred between themselves, which may be caus
i by their public agents-various representative
such as assemblies, senates, governors in tht
J. several States and House Of Representatives
r. Sapata and praSidant of Ihe limited States II