The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1849-01-02

branches OF Congress-, involving tho primo
Iple'ofithe Internal Improvement branch 9
ihe "American System1 and conflicting i
their provisions with these views. 49,.
This power, conferred upon the Presiden
by the constitution, have, oil three otca
sions, during my administration ofrhe exc
cuilye,deparimenl oflhe government, ,deemet
i my duty TO exercise; ,hl on this last oc
caslon Of making to Congfess an annua
communication on Tile state Of The Union, i
is not deemed inappropriate 10 review III,
principles and considerations wbichblye 90
ycrned my actions. ! deem this the more
necessary because, after a lapse of nearly
sixty years since the adoption Of the Consli
tutlon, the Iropriciy ofihe exefcss Of tbi.
undoubtedly constitutional power by the
President has. for the first time, been drawn
seriously inques,ion by portion of my fe
low citizens. Article ID Of the Cohstitu.
lion provided that "every bill! which shall
have passed the House of Representatives
and the Sennie, shall, before il becomes q
law, be presented TO the President Of the
United States; IL he approves, he shall sign
IL; butt finei, he shall reinrnit, with his OBJ
jeciions, 10 that House in which il shall have
originated, who shall enicr the obi, c,ons a,
large on their journal, and proceed 10 recon
slider it." 'a'h'. 'mf f'i AI sH'ir1g !i5 .
The preservation Of The constitution fion
infrac.ioD, is the Presidents highest duty.
lie is hound TO discharge that duty, al what.
ever hazard of incurring the displeasure of
those wlio may differ with hin in op mons
lleis bound TO dischargeii, as well -by his
obligations TO otlle people who have chosen
him 10 'his. exalted npsi, as by his oath oil
office, which he may moi disregard. Nor are
the obligations Of the President in any do.
gree lessehed by the prevalence Of views
diirIeh! from his own, in one or both Houses
Of Congress. 1t is not alone "hasty and in
cons;deraten legislation that he is required
To check, bat If al any time Congress shall,
after apparently cool deliberation, decide on
me, s1res which he deems subversiye of the
constitution, or of the vital interests of the
country, il is his solol,n duty 10 stand in
the breach and resist them. The President
is bound 10 oapprove or rethrn every bill which
passes Congress and is presented to him for
his signature. The constitution makes this
his duty, and he canno, escape il he would.
He has no election IN deciding upol bills
presented TO him; ho must exercise his own
just judgment. If he cannot approve, tie
constitution commands him to return the
bill TO the source from which it originated.
with his objections; and if no fails to, duthis
within ten days, Sundays excepted it shall
become a law without his signature.
Right or wrong, he may be overrulcd by
vote of lwo-ihirds of each House, and in
tht event, the bill becoiiics Eaw without
his sanctiun. If his objections be not thus
ovcrmled, tie subject is only postponed, oI
is referred TO The States and the people for
their consideration. The Presidents pow
er is incentive merely, and not Affirmative
IIe ear enact no law. The only effect,
therefore, of his wi, hbolding his appreciation
from bin passed by Congress, is to suffer
the existing laws TO remain Unchanged, and
the delay occasioned is only that required TO
enable the States and the people to consid.
or aud act upon the subject ii the election
ofpublc agents who shall know their wishes
and inslruc,iohs. An3attefhpts Of the Pre-.
sideni to yield his sanction 10 measures
which he cannot approve; would be a viola
lion Of the spirit OF the constitution, palpa-
ble and Aagrani; and if successful, would
break down ,ke independence of the Exc
cutive department, and make the President
elected by The people and cloIhed by the
constitution with powerto defeat their rights,
the mere instrument of a majority Of Con
gress "A surrender on hispart, OF the power
with whichth The constitution invests his office,
would effect the piactical alteration of that
instrument without resorIing TO the prescribed
process Of amendment.
With the motives or Considerations which
may induce Congress to pass any bill, the
President can have nothing 10 do. lIe must
presume them TO be as pure as his own and
look only TO tie practical effect Of their
measures, when compared with the consti.
tuition or the public good. But il has been
urged by those who OBJECT to the exercise Of
this undonbted constitutional power, that j.
assails the representatives principles and
The capacity of the people to govern them
selves, that there is greater safely in num- |
elous representative body than in single
Executive, created by the constitution, and
thai tho Executive veto is q s'one man pow
err despotic in its character. To expose
the fallacy of this objection it is only me-
cessary to consider the frame and improved
character of our system Ours is not a con-
solidated empire, bu. confederate Union.
The States, before the adoption Of the Con.
stilu,ion were coordinate, coeval, and Sc
para,e, independent sovereigntes, and by
its adoption they did not lose that character.
They clothed The Federal Government with
certain powers, and reserved all other. in.
cludinp their own sovereignty, to themselves.