Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1848-12-07
tons at large on their journal and proceed to

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solemn GuN " s'asu ~ 'le u's@. =. anu ISIS
'nehn. ne rIes'ae.' y poai,u ~ spp'ose OF
uisdPpio'e, e'esy oii which passes So"s'Sss
ana Is presented 70 hlii, LOT ms signature
Ihe constitution makes 'his ms on,y' ana ne
cannot escape II ne would ne pas no
elecuon' ~
In deeidtng upon any Dill pfesen'eu W
MIN, ne must exercise ms own Oes' luusinen.'
ii he cannot approve, the constitution com
mands him to return the bill 10 the House ~
which il originated, with his objections; and
if he fail to do this within ten days sundays
excepted II shall become law without ms
signature. Right or wrong. ne may pc over
ruled by vote of two-thirds OF each House;
and, in that event. the bill becomes law
without has sanction. II ms objections DE
not thus overruled, the subject IS only post
poned. and Is referred to the States ana the
people for their consideration and decision
The Presidents power Is negative merely,
and not affirmative. He can enact no law
The only effect, therefore, OF his withholding
his approval of bill passed by Congress, Is
10 suffer the existing laws 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 subject IN the
election of public agents who will carry out
their wishes and Instructions. Any attempt
to coerce the President TO yield bis sanction
TO measures which he cannot approve, would
be violation Of the spirit OF the constitution,
palpable and fragrant; and, II successful
would break down the independence OF the
executive department, and make the Presi-
dent, elected by the people, and clothed by
the constitution with power to defend their
rights, the mere instrument OF a majority OF
Congress A surrender, on nus part, oil me
powers with which the constitution mas IN
vested his office, would effect pracucai al
teration OF that instrument, without resorting
| TO the prescribed process OF amendment
With the motives or considerations which
may induce Congress 10 pass any bill, the
President can have nothing to do. he must
presume them to be as pure as has own, and
| to look only to the practical effect OF their
measures when compared win The consttu-
ton or the public good.
But it has been urged by those who object
TO the exercise of this undoubted constitu-
tional power, that ii assails the representative
principle and the capacity of the people TO
govern themselves; that there is gaeater safety
| in numerous representative body than in the
single Executive created by the constitution,
| and that the executive veto is zone man
| power" despotic in its character. To expose
the lallacy of this objection, it is only neces-
| sary Reconsider the frame and true character
of our system. Ours is not consolidated
empire, but coniederated Union. The
States, before the adoption of the constitution,
were coordinate, CO equal, and separate in
dependent sovereignties, aud by its adoption
they did not lose that character. They clothed
the federal government with certain powers,
and reserved all others, including their own
sovereignty, to themselves. They guarded
their own rights as States and the rights of
the people, by the very limitations which they
Incorporated into the federal constitution,
whereby, the different departments of the
general government were checks upon each
other. That the majority should govern is a
general principle, controverted by node; but
they must govern according to the constitu-
ton, and not according TO an underlined and
unrestrained discretion, whereby they may
Cypress the minority. -
The people of the United States are not
blind to the fact that they may be temporarily
mi cd n
tive and executive, may be mistaken or In
iiuenced in their action by improper motives.
They have therefore inferposed between
themselves and the laws which may De passed
by their public agents, various representa-
ions, such as assemblies sehates, ana COVER
nors IN their several states; house oil hep-
Tesentauves, senate, ana PRESIDENT oil the
United States. Inc people can by thelr own
direct agency make no law; nor can ine Rouse
OF Representatives immeoiateiy elected by
them, nor can the senate; nor can both to-
gether without tne concurrence OF the Presi-
dent, or 'ote OF two-,hifus OF poln houses.
Happily Tor themselves the people IN ira
ming our admiraoie system OIL government,
were conscious OF the inilrmities Of their rep
resentatives; and, In delegating TO them the
power OF legislation, they have fenced them
around with checks, to guard against the eff
fects OF hasty action, OF error, OF combination
and OF possible corruption Error, selfisnness
and faction have often sought to rend asunder
this web OF checks, and subject the govern
ment to the control OF fanatic and sinister in
huences; but these efforts have only satisfied
the people OF the wisdom OF the checks which
they have imposed, and OF the necessity of
preserving them unimpaired.
The true theory oil our system is not to
govern by the acts OF DEGREES OF any one set
poses checks upon all branches of the govern
ment in order to give time for error 10 be