Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-03-09
WAsFp .sToN NEWS AND GOSSIP.

y the President for the exercise Of TINS pre-
given him by the Constitution which
he has sworn to uphold. We extract the ioa'
lowing:
of the veto need say but little. There
can be scarce q doubt tn at unpreJudlce9 men,
ALI over the country, will feel that In this act
the President has usurped and exercised q
tvranical power most dangerous to the libef.
ties of the Republic. His MESSAGES overflow
ing with the cant phrases Of small demsgoguss,
about economy, monopoly and all that sort
of thing. With the Collins contract the
President has nothing to do. That contract
was made before the country had discovered
anything of Franklin Pierce, except that he
had tainted in Mexico.
Franklin Pierce will yet learn that the
veto power is no. an inc xhaustible element of
popularity, upon which weak, vascilating,
Ill judging President can draw ad Hbitum in
the expectation that his capacity for mischief
may blird he world to the want Of neral
power over the affections. sentiments or respect
of the masses n 4
There is something very singular about
this veto. The day before il came in tho Prts.-
dent told distinguish he'd Senator, as l am in
formed, that he icoHtd approve the bill. The
idea of veto of an Appropriation bill under
these circumstances was deemed utterly pre-
posterous; and the most intelligent among the
active opponents Of the measure, in each
House, freely pronounced all such limitations
to be utter nonsense! But IL turns out that
common sense, as they etimated ii, and Franz
lilo Pierce are not SYNONYMOUS terms
1t is reported here that there was time
when this Washington correspondent of the
Times was every day seen coming from the
White House, and that the object Of his visit
there was to obtain information In order
to make the Times more interesting. Then
no such Language appeared in his letters but
instead, only such words were used as would
rather please than offend.
We have been versed in newspaperdom for
some time, and have learned that when a
weathercock turns it is q sign that the wind
has shifted. We are not posted in the details
Of this matter at all, and would like to know
whats In the wind ROW.
As - the exercise ofthis power by the Presi
dent, We have only to say, that from the time
OF jackson down to the last veto Of President
Pierce, each veto has been sanctioned by Iu' .
lie sentiment as soon as the people had time 10
reflect. Ii is useless to speak Of the uses Of
this power, as we have already doue so al
length. We will subjyin the remarks of the
New York San on tie sui ject:
"The repeated exercise of the veto power by
President Pierce, and the doubts Of its propri-
ely which may have been excited in the minds
Of many, suggested the desirableness Of some
Comments On the subject Il has been favo
rite aim with a certain class Of partiZan press
es and jobbiDg legislators TO decry the veto
power, and create prejudice in the popular
mind sgaInst its exercise, as il it threats r ID
some great danger to the country, but a very
cursofy examination of the matter will salts
fy the unprej Idiced mind ths. the veto power
is an important check on the hss,y. bad, OF
corrupt legislation, wisely plac ed in the hands
of the Executive by the Constitution, and to be
applied by him whenever, in his unbiased
judgment, the public interests demand it.
The veto power, wisely used, is a most valua-
Bile element in the system OF ''chtcks and bal
ances," with distinguishes the orgapisIn of
our government from that Of all others, and
gives il its priceless value "a a conseryator and
dlflser Of freedom"
A Letter Writer'S Boach.-"Oss.ryer," who
writes from this city for the Philadel phia
LedgeT, IN late letter, says that Gen. Persi.
| Ter Z. Smith /" has been appointed brigadier
general, The President being afraid to appoint
! Gen. shilds On account Of bis foreign birth -
IL Is scarcely necessary to say, there is nc
truth in this story. No appointment has been
made for tie position of brigadier general
and in all probability will not be, previous tc
thu meeting of next Congress. This story has
been circulated no doubt by the writer in
question to crafty his spite against the Presi
dent, who failed to commission him as consul
| to MsrseilIes
Observer" the New York Eveatng Pos,
says ais an Austrian by birth, and Swiss
byprOfession." His foreign birth, we presume.
was the least OBI 'ction to him; there were far
more weigh:y reasons than that. The facility
"ith which the pen that fes days ago prai Q |,
caa now abuse, is proof that the Post W. ?
right in ita estimate Of the profession of the
man who guiles it,
The California Repu blie-Californians who
yet rem ain in Washington laugh heartily a,
the lates. fabric alton about the ,llen STATE
published In the shape of letter in tina,
originator Of falsohoods-,he N. Y. Hsyaid-
giving the pretended outlines of grand eel eme
to start an independent Republic in that re
sion. a eotomPorary truthfully remarks:
1T /; one Of the tricks to which Bennstt is
continually resorting, III order TO attract at.
teation to his paper. If he succeeds in selling
a lew extra copies By tho fraud upon the pub
lie, he Is quite content 10 have his falsehoods
exposed the next day. The only wonder is
that the people do not get tired of being
Cheated 60 often by ihese lying seIibblers."
An Interesting Case Ar interesting case
10 no" being tried before tho Supreme Court,
In which the United States Is plaintiff and the
Illinois Railroad L B'idge Company defend
ANITA This case Involves two questions, one is
he right Of the State Of Illinois to run rail-
road through Rock Island, which is a Govern.
Ucut reservation. tle ctbs, III. r;oh. os a.