Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1848-12-12

ant acts OF Congress are postponed in the,
last days and often the last hours of the
session, when they are disposed OF in
haste, and by Houses but little exceed
Ing the number to constitute quorum
Besides, in most of the States, the
members Of the lower House are chosen
BY Pluralties, and not by maiorities of
ali the voters in their respective districts,
and i may happen that a, majority Of the
House may be returned by a less aggre-
gate ofthea people that received by the
minority. If the principle insisted on be
sound, then tie Constitution should be so
changed that no bill shall become a law
unless it Is Voted for by members repre-
senting in each House O majority of the
whole people ofthe United States. o
We must remodel our whole system.
strike down and abolish NOT only salutary
clerks lodged in the Executive branch
but must strike out and abolish those
lodged in Senate, also, and thus practi-
ca!ly invest the whole power Of the Gov
eminent in a majority Of single assem-.
bly,; majority uncontrolled, and absO.
Lutte, and which may become despotic.--I
To conform 10 the doctrine of the right
Of majorilies TO rule independent OF the
checks and limitations ofthe Constitution,
we must revolutionize our whole system
We must destroy the constitutional com
pact by which the several States agreed
toa confederated Union and rush into
consolidation, which. must end in mon.
archy or despotism. No one advocates
such proposition and yet the doctrine
maintained and carried out must lead to
this result. -, -rs ...r,.-.. l.,..
One great object Of the Constitution in
comforting upon he President qualified
negative upon the Legislation of Congress.
Yves TO prevent minOrites from injustice
and oppression by majorilies he equali
~ Oftheir representation in the Senate,
and the veto power Ofthe President over
Congress, are guarantees which these
smaller States have that their rights will
be respected. Without these guarantees,
their interests would be at the mercy of
.majorilies representing larger States In
smaller and weaker States, therefore, the
preservation Of the power and IFS exercise
upon proper occasions demanding it, are
of vital importance. They ratified the
Constitution, aud entered the Union, Sc
curing to themselves an equal represen-
taIion with the larger States in the Senate
and they agreed 10 be bound by laws
framed by Congress, upon the express
condition and none other, that tAey should
be approved by the President, OF passed,
his objections TO the contrary n0tw Tristan
ding, by a vote Of two thiIas OF both
houses. Upon this condition they have a
right to insist as part OF the compact TO
which they gave their assent.
lie A bill might be passed by Congress
against the will of the whole people OF a
particular State, it would be bound by it
ifthe President should sanction it, or II
should be passed b. vote OF two'Ihirds
of both Houses; but it has right to de-
smand that the President shall exercise
his constitutional power, and arrest it if
his opinion is against it. 1t he surrender
his power, or fails to exercise it in case
where he cannOt apProve,he would make
his formal approval a mere aockery, land
would be OGitself violatieR of The con
stitution, and the dissenting State would
become bound by law which had MOI.
been passed by the sanction of the Con-
--stitution. gr g,s,..gsss a.ts t.-.- -Ese. .
The objection to the exercise of the
veto power is founded upon an idea rest
ihe popular will, which if carried out,
would annihiate the State sovereignty
and substitute for the present federal
government; consolidation directed by a
supposed numerical majority. A revo.
luton of the government would be silently
effected, and the State would be subjected
to laws 10 which they had never given
their constitutional consent. -,.-.-
o. The Supreme Court OF the United States
is Invested With the power to declare, and
has declared acts of Congress,passed with
Ehe concurrence of the Senate and House
of Representatives, and the approval oil
the President to he unconstitutional and
void; and sc; none, it may be presumed,
: can be found who will be disposed TO strip
.iths highest judicial tribunal uader tae
constitution of this great, acknowledged
power--a power necessary alike TO its
Independence and the rights Of individ
s.uals. sad saa as.s.yo4a 5sg sa.
81, Il is obvious that, to preserve the sys-
!; TEN established by the CONSTITUTIONS, each
eof the CO. coordinate branches OF the govern
. insnl--the Executive the Legislature,
!. and the Judiciary must be left in the
exercise Gifts appropriate powers. .--.
.agIfihe Executive or the Judiciary branch
be deprived of powers, conferred upon
- either, as checks on the Legislature. the
prepohaeTance of the latter will become
diepropottionate and absorbing, and the
others impotent for the, accomplishment
ofthe purposes for which The were es-
lablishsd. Organized as they were, BY
The eehstitution, they, harmouize together
!. TOR the public good; II the Executive and