Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-12-09

gres and predicted that it aught with incacu
liable mchie and must result in serious injury the best
interests of the country For series Of years their wise
counses unheeded and The system established. 1t
apparent that its practical operation unequal and
urus upon different portions Of the country and upon the
people engaged in different pursuits, All equally en
tied TO the favor and protection Of the Government II is
tered and elevated the power enriched the
ed few Ey taxing labor and at the expense OF the many is
effect snake the rich richer and the poor poorer
Its tendency create distinctions in society based
wealth. and 10 give to the favored classes undue control and
sway in Government II organized money power
which resisted the popular will and sought to shape and
troll the public policy.
Under the perncous workings Of this combined system Of
measures the country Witnessed alternate of tempo
ay apparent prosperity of sudden and disastrous comer
cn reusiops; Of Unprecedented fuctuaton Of prices and
depression of the great interests of agriculture navigation
and commerce; of general pecunary suffering, and OF fu3
bankruptcy Of thousands After struggle Of moe
than quarter OF century, the system ovcrhrown.
The baqk has ben succeeded by practical system of
nance, conducted and controlled solely by the Government.
The constitutional currency has been restored the public c
dit maintained unimpaired, in period Of foreign war
add the whole country has become satisfied that banks Ia
ona State, not necessary fiscal agents of the Gov
eminent Revenue duties have taken the place OF the pruec
tive tariff The distribution of the money derived from The
sale Of the public lands has been abandoned and the corrupt
ing system Of internal improvements il hoped, has been
efectually checked.
II is not doubted that if this whole train of measures de-
signed to take wealth from the many and bstow il upon the
few, prevail, the effect would be change the entire
character Of the Government One only danger remains 1t
is the e5uctonso that branch of the system which consists
in inter al improvements holding out does nduceslens
the eope Of particular sections and localities embark the
Government in them without stopping calculate the neya-
BILE consequences This branch of the system intimately
combined and linked with the Others that surely Ell
feet produced by adequate cause be esuscaied and
revived and firmly established it requires sagacy fore
that it will necessarily and speedily draw after il the
establishment of national bank, the revival of protective
ariH tba IL
posponement the distant future of the payment of the pre-
sent national debt, but its annual increase
entertain The solemn conviction that if the internal i'm
proSement branch of the American system be not firmly
resisted at this me the whole of composing
will be speedily established aud the country be thrown
back from lis present hgh state of prosperity, which the exist
ing policy has Produced and be destined again witness all
the evils commercial reyuson depression of prices and pc
cunary embarrassments through which have passed dur
ing the last twenty five years. e..#a D.,
To guard against consequences runous object OF
high national importance, involving in my judgment, the
tnued prosperity of the country
have felt it TO be imperative obligation to withhold
my constitutional sanction from two bills which had passed
the two Houses of Congress- involving the principle of the
internal improvement branch of the "American sysem, and
conflicting in their provisions with the views here expressed
This power conferred upon the President by the constitu
ton have on three occasions during my administration Of
the Executive Department OF the Government deemed
duty 10 exercise and this last occasion Of making Con-
gress annual communication g of the state of The Union
II Is not deemed inappropriate TO the principles and
sderalons which have governed action. deem This tine
necessary because after the lapse of nearly
since the adoption of tho constitutions the popey of the
erce OF this undoubted constitutional power by the President
has for the first time been drawn seriously in question by
portion of my fellow citizens.
The constitution provides that bill which shall have
passed the House of Representatives and the Senate SHALL
before become law be presented 10 the President Of the
United States if be approve, he shall sign it, but if not be
shall return II, with his objections, that House which it
shall have originated who shall the objections
their journal and proceed to reconsider it." -.-.
The preservation of the constitution from nacion is the
Presidents highest duty He bound dischegc that Duty
at whatever hazard of mourning the dpeare Of those who
may differ with him in opinion He is bound to discharge it,
well by his Obligations to the people who have clothed him
with his exalted trust by his oath Of Office, which he may
not disregard Nor the obligations OF the President in any
degree lesened by the prevalence of views different from his
own in or both houses OF Congress alone hasy
and aconsderae legislation that he required check; but II
any time Congress SHALL after apparently full debrration
resolve which he deems subversye the cnns
tuition, Of the vital interests OF the country is his solemn
duty stand in the breach and resist them The President
Is bound TO approve, dsappove every bin which passes
Congress aud presented 10 hm for his signature The
sulIon makes this his Duty and he cannot escape IL II he
would. he has election. In deciding upon any bill pre-
sened him. he bis own best Judgment II he
cannot approve the constitution commands bin return the
bill 10 the House in which originated with his objections
and nc fail TO do this within ten days. Sundays excepted
II shall become law without his signature Right wrong,
he may he oNeuutd by vote Of wo-,hds of each House
and, in that event. the bill becomes law without his sanction
II his objections be thus overrued the subject is only
postponed and Is referred the States aud the people
their consideration and decision The Presidents power
negative merely, and not affirmative He law
The only thct therefore, OF his Withholding his approval Of
bill passed Ivy Congress is suffer the existing laws
main unchanged and the delay Uccloned is only that
CURED 10 enable the States and the people consider and
upon the subject IN the election Of public agents who viii carry
out her wishes and Instructions Any attempt the
President TO yield his sanction which be
approve would be violation Of the spirit OF the contuou
paPC5e and fragrant and if successful would break down
the independence of the executive department. aud make the
President elected by the people, and ohed by the constu
ton with power 10 Eend their rights the instrument Of
majority u Congress. surrender, his part, Of the
powers with which the constitution has invested his Office
would tect practical alteration OF thai instrument, without
resoring to the prescribed process Of amendment
With the motives considerations which may induce Con-
gross to pass any bill the President have nothing do
He must presume them to be pure his own and 'ok
only 10 the practical elect OF their when compared
with the constitution or the public good.
Bot has been urged by those who object to the exercise
Of this undoub,cd constitutional powell tha, asss the
preventative principle and the capacity Of the people govern
themselves that there greater say in repre-
sentative body than in the single Exc, created by the
constitution, end that the executive veto pow
e despotc in its character. TO expose the hscy Ibis
Objection, Is only necessary 10 consider the frame and
character OF system. Ours a consolidated empire
bat confederated Union The States before the adoption
Of the constitution, coordinate co-equa and separate
independent suvsreignte, and by its adoption they did
lose that character They clothed the Federal Government
with certain powers, and reserved oil Others including their
sovereignty, TO themselves They guarded their
rights States and the rights Of the people BY the very hm