Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1855-02-27
LYNCHBURG IIRGINIAN.
TUESDAY MORNING. .FEB'Y %. 1855.
The Veto Power.
(CohtiHutd.


legitimate character of TIE claim they maze, TO
have descended from jefferson and establishes
an intimate relationship between them ard the
early Federalists. No rejecting man, Who will
make an intelligent retrospect into the times when
the sage of Monticello contributed The prayers 81
PATRIOTIC heart, and the powers ni a nighiy III.
tellect. 10 moulding the institutions aud dlT'ei-
ing the political sentiments OF the country can
fail to be impressed with the integral aud iunda-
mental variance between the dccirne~ h. taught
aud the practices of Modern Denioeraey
Prominent and principal among the eternal
truths OF political wisdom. which he sought to
establish. was the abolute right Of the people 10
govern them selyes. through then own chosen
representatives. in Congress, instead OF being
subjected to and tyranized over by the more per
manent and independent dopositaries OF power.
Upon this very question he separated from John
Adams. 10 whom he was attached by oil tho ties
of long and intimate ussociation-hy all the
hopes and struggles aud dangers Of the revolution
and by common and glorious fame. In letter
written 10 that immortal patriot IN the year l-l3.
h. says:
But as soon a the constitution put into
motion. the line of division again drawn
the government different direction The one
fhe Republican party) 10 strengthen rHE MOST
POPULAR BRANCH, iCongrcss) III 9TH TIE
MORE PERMANENT BRANCHES and 10 sTtfad thtif
permGRenet. Here roa aud separated Tor the
first time and party placed 5ouI name at
their hoad-the other selected mIae
And here was the orr ;iu NJ. Jefferson might
have added, Of the Old Federal and Republican
parties. We leave the reader to draw his own
conclusion, as to the rightfune,s OF the preten
ton by which the self styled Democratic party
of our day seeks toidentify itsci with the latter
Mr. jefferson, foreseeing the danger to our nsti-
iions, from plethora of power in the admins
trative department, allowed no opportunity to es
cape Of impressing upon the people the cordial
truth-the living principle Of RePubIicanisrn
that there was no constitutional power above the
popular viii legally announced aud none tint
could thwart it, sovereign beh',ts. In h, IN
angural address, whist summing ap the duties
and benefits OF good government he concludes II
b. regarding it that (which shall re
strain men from injuring one another, lcar-
ing them otherwise free 10 regulate their
own pursuits Of industry and Improvement
and be enioins .'ub-olute aequicscenco in
the decisions Of the maj fity' a. the vital
principles ofrepublicr from vh Ella there is no
appeal, but to force Let the reader consider
how these principles concur with the qa-tulate
of the late message, which imposes afan the
President the obligation OF negatisiug every act
of Congress, Of the cxpshency OF "laeh hat
functonary is not convinced.
But it is not from The annuncieiiou Of geu,Hd
principles, alone, that we me to infer what Nj.
Jeffersons understanding Of the true import and
rightfu use Of the veto power wa. When call
ed on by Washington a. one of his constitutional
advisers to give, in writing, hi- opinion of thu
oonstitutonality of the first Bank Charter, while
opposed to the Bank, he yet took occasion to re
mind our great first President that the veto
power was lodged with the Executive to pro-
tect from the encroaehments of the Legislature
the constitutional rights of; first thu Executive:
second the Judiciary: and third, the States and
State Legislatures. And even IN those cases,
he thought the encroachment should be clear,
before the President should assume to defeat the
legislative will In addition to this aud a. prnc.
teal exhibition of his construction of the veto
power, we believe are correct IN stating that
he never employed ii in his whole eight years
occupancy of the Presidential office.
The message Of President Pierce intcrprets
the veto as popular power. as they do who insti-
tute analogy between it and the ancient Tri-
bunitian power, in Rome. In our former article,
ge endeavored 10 point ont the fallacy of this
view. It's exercise, ander our government, is al
ways antagonistio To the presumPtlve will of the
people, for the simple reason. that tho House Of
Representatives is nearer 10 the people-more
diractIv snruur frntn tbpfn flui, tIp EXpCutiyp.