Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-08-19

i
raigned without an indictment and condemned with
out hearing, by Judge who is not only accuser
and witness, but cumulates upon these disquaifca-
lions the fragrant one of being supremey interest
ed to condemn Congress, in order that he the Exc
cutive, may discredt the Legislature and add its
power to his own. In such proceedings, we have
another consequence, equally inevitable and intoe
rable, of the Veto power, exercised under the
Jacksonian system. 1t permi.s--nay, encourages
an Executive, himself completely irresponsible, at
once TO annu the most deliberate, wholesome acts
of the Legislature, (Which Madison and the other
founders of the Constitution supposed and there
fore intended to be the strongest branch of our CO.
vernment,) and thus to PROSTATE their immediate
authority before his own, and undermine all pub
lie confidence in them, and bring them into perma
| nent discredit and contempt, by casting upon them
just when it suits his passions or designs the infa-
nous and gratuitous charge Of corruption when
the fact is, according to reason and all experience,
shat almost the only danger Of the Representative
body's becoming corrupt arises ever from the Exc
cutive, and that when he quarres with it, YOU may
be sure it is not for its corrupness, but because it
is not as corrupt as he would have it. Certainly
there have been corrupt Legislatures but, in such,
who were the incorrupt? Who but those that re-
fused to bend to personal power to the prnceo or en-
peror or ruler under no matter what other name
The Roman Senate grew SO corrupt that is supple)
that at length even the foolish as wicked Domitian
could insult them, by Governing them to deliberate
over huge turbot which he had received, and 10
advise how it should be cooked but he did not
quarrel except with the few who, in that degraded
assembly, stood the monuments of antique virtue
and the marks for tyranny. For
Long before had Freedoms face been yelled,
And Anarchy assumed her attributes;
Till every lawess soldier that assaiIed
Trod on the trembling Senate's slaysh mutes,
Or raised the venal voice Of baser prostitutes.
Cromwell drove the Long Parliament, Napoleon
the French Council of Five Hundred, ignominious-
ly out of their halls: not because they were pur-
chasabe, but because they could not buy them.
What sovereign, what ruler what Minister ever fell
out with debauchable Legislature! Did he whom
Col. BENTON has made so well known, Sir Robert
Walpole, do it! Did Charles |. quarrel with the
servile part of his Parliament of 1910, or with
Pym and the rest Of the ndomitable Five Members
The French Chambers under Louis Philippe were
not very pure: but was that the reason why he
disiked them One thing, at least, has been, ever
since Anglo-Saxon liberty began, fixed, instinc-
tive political rule among the race of which we
come: that whenever our Representatives and our
Executive 60 to loggerheads, zoe have always stood
by our Parliament; zoe have always known that
cannot afford to let the King get the better. IT'S
like an Africans choice of sides between his bro
ther-man and lion whom he finds fighting: as to
the cause, the royal beast may, by accident, have
justice on his side; but the Hottenot dares not
think SO, under penalty of being presently torn to
pieces himself: so, without any refining, he helps
tokillthe savage monster, helps to drive him back
| to his den.
| There could scarcely be an apter commentary
upon the spirit in which the Veto power is assert
ed by Locofocosm than is TO be found in the fact
that not only does it cling to this obsolete preroga-
tive Of the Stuart and Tudor Kings, but absolutely
with the amiabe weakness of mother who, hav-
ing an ugly brood and haply one among them more
foul and deformed than all the others put together
cherishes that ugly lump with peculiar iondness,
and cherishes it for the very reason of its deomi-
y. 1t doats upon Veto, not such as old Repub-
icansm thought might be endured at tmes-of
cautious use for single purpose, rarely to occur
but an ever-present, ever-acve, ever-malgnant mis-
chief and plague, the bane Of all independent autho-
rity, the scourge of all Legitimate public action A
Veto such as our founders meant, and thought must
be allowed to guard the Executive it does not want
and will not have: its heart is vowed to furious,
fighting, flaming Veto, that shall not be the
Executive shield, but its laundering weapon, smit-
ing all the while, yet Staying Legislation at every
stroke. With it. the President is to be not the
peaceful minister Of the laws, their busy admins
traitor, their careful guardian, with enough for any
human wit to do in that wide, watchful, and benef-
cent charge: no, all that is too tame, too humble
he must leave all that undone; and, instead of
keeping watch over his own province, he must run
abroad by continual excursions to disturb and dis
order, not govern, the domain Of Legislation, within
which he has no business TO set his foot. As if the
other departments Of the Government swarmed
with gorgons and hydras and chimeras Dire" and
he were Hercules, he must be all the while play
ing the demigod and the destroyer. Meantime, if
there be any quarter where monsters abound and
have holyday, it is just his own there, a thou
sand giant abuses infest the land and offer employ
ment for his heroic arm WHY moi abata ,ben, ?