Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1848-12-13


him with his exalted trust, as by his oath
Of Office, which he may not disregard.
Nor are the obligations of the President
in any degree lessened by the prevalence Of
views different from his own in one or both
Houses of Congress. 1t is not alone hasty
and inconsiderate legislation that he is re.
quired to check, but if at any time Congress
snail, after apparently full deliberation,. re-
solve upon measures he deems subversive OF
vital interests Of the country, it is his solemn
duty to stand in the breach and resist them
After SO much experience it cannot be
said that absolute unchecked power Is safe
in the hands of any one set OF Representa-
tiyes, or that the capacity Of the people tor
self-government, which is admitted In lis
broadest extent, is conclusive argument to
prove the prudence, wisdom and integrity
OF those Representatives.
The people, by the constitution, have com
manded the President as much as they have
comma nded the Legislative branches OF the
Government, to execute their will. They
have said to him in theil constitution, which
they require he shall take solemn oath to to
support, that if Congress pass any bill
which he cannot approve, she shall return
it to the House in which it orig mated, with
his objections" In withholding from it his
approval and his signature he is executing
the will Of the people, constltuhonally ex-
pressed, as much as the Congress that pass
ed it. No bill is presumed to be in accord
ance with the popular will until it shall have
passed through all the branches of the gov
ernmeat required by the constitution to
make it law. A bill which passes the
House of Representatives maj be rejected by
the Senate, and SO bill passed by the
Senate may be rejected by the House. In
each case the respective House exercises the
veto power ON the other.
Congress and each house Of Congress hold
under the Constitution, check on the
President, and he, by the power OF the
qualified veto a check upon Congress-
When the President recommends measures
to Congress, he avows, in the most solemn
form. his opinions, gives his voice in their
favor, and pledges himself in advance to ap-
prove them if passed by Congress. If he
acts without due consideration, or has been
influenced by improper or corrupt motives
or if for any other cause Congress or either
House of Congress shall differ with him in
opinion, they exercise THEIR VETO upon
his recommendat tons and reject them; and
there is no appeal from their decisions but
to the people at the bollot box. These are
proper checks upon the Executive, wisely
lnterposed by the Constitution. None will
be found to object to them, or to wish them
removed. 1t is equally important that the
checks upon the Legislative
branches should be preserved.
Ifit be said that the Representatives of
the popular branch are chosen directly by
tae people, it is answered that the people
,lect the President. Ifboth Houses repre-
sent the States and the people, SO does the
President represent in the executive Depart
nent the whole people of the United States
Is each member OF the legislative depart
nent represents the portions of them.
The doctrine Of restriction upon Legisla-
i've and executive power, while a well set
lied public opinion is enabled within a rea-
sonable time to accomplish its ends, has
made our country what it is, and has open
ed to us career Of glory and happiness
to which all other nations have been stran-
gers.
In the exercise of the power Of the veto.
the President is responsible, not only to an
public opinion, but to the peo-
pie OF the whole Union, who elected him, as
the Representatives in the Legislative
branches, who differ with him in opinion,
are responsible to the people Of particular
States or Districts. TO the President, the
exercise of this power, would be to repeal
that provision Of the Constitution which
confers it upon him. To charge that its
exercise unduly controlled the Legislative
will, is to complain Of the Constitution itself
Ii the President veto be objected to upon
the ground that it checks and thwarts the
public will, upon the same principle the
equality Of the representation OF the States
in the Senate should be stricken out oh the
Constitution.
The vote of Senator from Delaware has
equal weight in deciding upon the most i'm
portant measures with the vote of Senator
from New York and yet the one represents
a State containing, according to the exist
luS 0l plCoCutotisCS Al
The House, representatives of but one thirty
fourth part of the population Of the other.
By the Constitutional composition Of the
Senate, a majority of that body from the
smallest States, represent less than one
fourth of the people of the Union.
There are thirty States, and under exist
ing apportionment of representation, there
are $50 members in the House of Repre-
Sixteen of the smaller States
are represented in that House, but by fifty
and yet the Senators from these
States contribute majority Of the Senate;
so that the President may recommend
measure to Congress and it may receive the
sanction and approval of more than three
quarters of the House Of Representatives,
and Of all the Senators from the large
States containing more than three-fourths OF
he whole population; and yet the measure
nay be defeated by the vote of the Senators
rom the smaller States. None, it is pre-
'umed. can be found ready to change the
organization of the Senate on this account,
'r to strike that body practically out of ex-
stence, by requiring that its actions shall
De conformed to the will of the more numer.
JUS branch.
. Upon the same principle that the veto of
he President should be practically abol-
shed, the power Of the Vice President to
rive the "a stino yo4a ,,,,, -, .o,,,1 J;,; ;,;o,