Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1848-08-19

such was the fraud-such was the establish
ed rule and iron law under which General
Cass received his nomination.
Let us inquire in connection with this,
what are some of the other doctrines OF the
party to which General Cass has been conn
PEELED to subscribe. Among other things,
there stands prominently the assertion OF the
great right and duty of the President of the
United States TO exercise the Veto Power,
without reference 10 the limitations prescrIb-
ed by the fathers of the Constitution. EV-
cry one who has perused the "Federalist,"
knows that Mr. Madison and his associates
uniformly maintained, that the great object
Of the veto was to enable the Executive
Of the United States 10 defend the Constl-
tuition and the executive power within ITS
limits. No man Of their day pretended u
was designed that the veto power should be
extended, ms IL has been, TO every act OF or
binary legislation, and every instance IN
which party might by the aid of it elevate
or sustain inself against the interests OF the
whole country. IT never was imagined by
any member Of the Convention which form
ed the Constitution, that the veto clause IN
that instrument could be so construed by the
most latitudinarlan exposition, as that the
President of the United States should be ell
abed, by the force Of that clause, to become
a part of the legislative power of the coun-
ltry Now, however, you find the doctrine
laid down by this party boldly in their pub
lie prints, that the President constitutes a
part of the legislative power of the country,
and that the veto power is unlimited, and
was so intended to be by those who made the
Constitution. Let me call the attention OF
the Senate 20 n consideration of the rrincI-
pies upon which this veto power was insert
ed in the American Constitution. The first
sentence Of Inc Constitution declares that all
"the Legislative powers herein granted shall
be vested in the Senate and House of Rep
resentatives." No part of the legislative
mower is given to the President of the Uni
ted States. In the judgment of the fathers
ofthe Republic the Executive never constI-
tuted nm essential component part OF the
legislative power. qualified power of re-
vision was given to him; but it was never
intended that he should exercise any legisla-
tive power. In order that we may under
stand this subject, which enters largely into
the great question now before us, let me
read n portion of the debate on the adoption
of the Constitution. ] am particularly de-
sirous Of the attention Of the Senate to this
point, because wish it 10 sec by whom
/ these extreme notions in relation TO the veto
power were originally advanced. During
this session Of Congress we have heard the
honorable Senator from Ohio (Mr. ALLEN)
utter very strong denunciftion against Colo
mel Hamilton ms the intentional advocate OF
kingly and monalchin doctrines, and a trai-
tor 10 the cause of liberty | do not stand
here for the purpose of branding one OF the
greatest men the country ever produced
with ignominious charges; but desire TO
show that the great leader of the Federal
party, when this subject was first presented
/ 10 the consideration of the old Continental
Congress, was the very man TO press this
veto power upon the convention, and to in
sist upon its being made absolute and I'M
qualified