The Democratic pioneer. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1845-1853, 1849-01-05

which it originated. with his objections,
and If he fails TO do this within ten days,
Sundays excepted) il shall become a law
without his signature.
Right or wrong, he may be overruied
by vote Of two.thirds of each House,
add in that event, the bill becomes law
without his sanction. II his objections
be not thus oser>raled, the subject is only
postponed, or is referred TO tue States
and the people for their consideration
and decision. The Presidents power is
negative merely, and not affirmative. He
can enact no law. The ohlyl effect. there.
fore, of his withholding his appropriat ion
from bill passed by Congress, is to suf
fer the existing laws 10 remain un.
changed, sod the delay occasiohed is oily
that required TO enable the States aud
the people TO consider and act upon the
sui 'ject IN the election of public agents
who shall know their wishes aud instruc-
tions. ANY attempts of the President to
yield his sanction to measures which he
cannot approve, would be a violation Of
the spirit of the constitution, pal pa bic
and fagranti and if Successfully would
break down the independence of the Ex-
ecutive department, aud make the Presi
dent elected by the people and clothed
by the constitution with power to defend
their rights, the mere instrument of a ma
jority of Congress. A surrender on his
part, of the power with which the consti-
| tuition invests his Office, would effect the
practical alteration Of that instrument
without resorting to the prescribed pros
cess of afiendment
With the motives or considerations
which may induts Congress to pass any
bill, the President can have nothing to do.
He must presume tLSm to be as pure as
his own aud look only to the practical eff.
feet of their measures, when compared
with the constitution or the public good.
But il has been urged, BY those who OBJ
| ject 20 the exercise of this doubted
constitutional power, that it assails the
representatives. principles and the ca
pac'ty Of the people to govern themselves,
that there isgreater safety in a numerous
representative body than in single Ex-
ecutiye, created by the Constitution, aud
that the executive veto is a zone man pow
err despotic in its character. TO ex.
pose the falIacy OF this objection it is on
Al
improved character of our system. Ours
ls not consolidated empire, bu; cen
federate Union. The States, before the
adoption Of the Constitution were CO or.
d,nate, coeval, and separate, independ-
ent soverelgnties, end by its adoption
they did not lose that character. They
clothed the Federal Government with
certain powers, and reserved all other,
including their own sovereignty, to them
selves. They guarded their own rights
as States. and the rights OF the People, by
the very limitations which they incorpo
rated 10 the federrl constitution. where.
by the different departments Of the gen.
eral government were checks upon each
other. That the minority should govern,
is general principle, controverted by
none; but they must govern according to
the constitution aud not according to all
undefued and unrestrained discretion,
W hereby they may oPpress the majority
The people Of the United States are not |
blind to The fact that they may be tenn
porarily misled and their representatives
leg gisIative and executive, may be mista-
ken or Influenced in their action by i'm.
proper motives. Therefore, it appeared
between themselves and the laws which
may be passed by their pdblic agents in
various representations, such as Assem-
blies, Senates, and Governors, 10 their
several states, the House of Represents
tives and Senate and the President Of the
U. States. The people can by their own
direct agency, make no law; nor can the
H ouse of Representatives Immediately
elected by them; nor can the Senate; nor
can both together without the concur
i
thirds of both houses.
Ha ppily for themselves. the people, in
framing our admirable system of the gov
ernment were conscious of the in6rmities
Of their Representatives, aud in deiega.
ling to them the pow er oftee isia,ion, they
nave fenced them around with checks to
guard against the effects of hasty action,
IF error, Of combination and of possible
Error, sel6shness and fac
ion have often sought to rend as under
his best of checks and subject the gov
10 the control of fanatics and
inisier influences; but their efforts have
,nly satisfied the people of the wisdom Of
he checks which they have Imposed. and
,f The nsesssitv of preserving them unim.