The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1849-03-13
TUESDAY MORNING, MARCH "a, 1919,
The Union and other Democrats Jour

because he has dared to assert, in his lnau-
gural, the supremacy Of Congress over The
Legislative powers granted by the Consiltu-
tion, or, in other words, because he has pre-
sumed 10 recognize the exclusive power Of
Congress over all the subjects Of legis'at'oh
enumerated in the Constitution
Ii was not TO be expected, that our oppo-
nenis would not take exception to Tins part
IL the inaugural. They have always con-
tended, that the power Of Congress over the
Legislation or the country was not exclusive,
hut was shared in By the Executive in an
equal, nav in superior degree, and We will
DO their party the justice to acknowledge,
that ii has faithfully practised what II has
preached in this particular, when in power.
But we did not expect, that they would, SO
soon and so tiercely, charge the administers
ton with dereliction Of constitutional duty,
upon this point, seeing that one Of the prn-
cpal doctrines which General Taylor avowpd
in the late canvass, was his determination, If
elected, to acknowledge the binding force
oil thai Article Of the Constitution, which
declares all legislative powers, granted BY
the Constitution, 10 be vested IN Congress,
and that this doctrine had been endorsed by
the electoral body in making him President.
We had thought, that the opposers Of this
doctrine would have recognized the night
and propriety Of the President to reduce it
to practice and would have waited, until
they saw its working before beginning to
find fault
But, il seems, that they are not willing 10
wait. They are resolved to make the re-
cognition by the President, Of the binding
force and obligation Of the FIRST section in the
first article Of the Constitution, to be vio-
lation by the Executive Of his constitutional
duty, and though tllcir arguments are more
I'D hominem than ad rem, we are not indis-
posed 10 examine some Of the points upon
which they most rely to sustain their posi-
ton.
/. They urge, that the power OF the Execu
tive over Bills presented to him for his con-
sent in the last resort, makes him partici-
pator, by implication, in the Legislative pow
era exclusively granted to Congress by the
Constitution, and that, quoad hoe, the pow
ers Of Congress over the subjects Of legisla-
ton enumerated by the Constitution, are not
exclusive lfthis argument be sound, then the
Executive is necessarily part or branch Of
Congress, for the first inference cannot be cor
rect, unless il carries with it the last That the
whole basis Of this fabric is mere assump-
tion, and nothing else, a reference TO the first
section in The first article Of The Constitution
is proof sufficient. Here il IS: GAN legisla.
tive powers, herein granted, shall be vested
:" in d Congress Of the United States, which
shall consist Of a Senate and House Of
Representative. This language is ex-
plicit, positive. II declares, absolutely, that
the Congress Of the United States shall con-
sist Of Senate and House Of Representa-
lives Nothing whatever is said about the
Executive, as beng a component part Of
that body. He sno part or parcel Of Con-
gress, and is, by the terms Of the declara-
tion, absolutely forbidden from being consid-
cred in that relation even BY implication.
Ii he is no part or portion OF parcel Of Con-
gress, he cannot be admitted to have any
share whatever in its legislative powers, any
more than a stone lying on the top Of the
Rncky mountains can be considered as a
part OF parcel Of the capitol, because il is
built Of stone. Indeed, the possession by
the Executive Of the power TO prevent bill
from becoming law, goes with much more
force to sustain the exclusive powers Of Con-
gres3 over .the Legislation Of the country,
than to admit him 10 a share in those pow
srs. The very process Of Congressional de-
liberation is, by the Constitution, adverse 10
the idea Of Executive participation in the
Legislative powers Of Congress 1t is true,
the Executive is directed TO recommend
measures to Congress, but there his power
ronstitutionally stops, until the result Of Con-
gressional legislation shall reach hun, in the
form OF bill from both houses. And even
then, il he should refuse to sign it, his rciu-
sal does not de ;troy the exclusive power OF
II only RENTS the bill to lis authors and the
Constitution provides for the yndcation Of
the supremacy OF Congress over the legis-
lation OF the country, against the wrong
Judgment or caprice oil the Executive, be the
gift Of the right to make The returned bill "a
law, if two-thirds Of the Congress should
consent. Every provision Of the Constitu-
ton looks constantly preserving the SUI
premacy Of Congress over the powers Of
Legislation granted by that instrument
2. The opposition contend, that the re-
commendatory power granted to the Presi-
dent by the Constitution, is equivalent to the
power to initiate laws, and that the power
granted 10 him over bills 10 the last resort is