Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1856-01-24

President were intended, by the trainers Oh
the Constitution, to be considered by the
two Houses of Congress, and entered at
large upon their Journals, before the recon-
sideration Of bill.
The Supreme Court ofthe United States
has decided that long and uninterrupted
practice, under statute, is good evidence
Of its construction 8 Cranch, %. 1.-THE same
principle is equally applicable to the Con-
stltution. Let us examine, therefore, the
practice of the Federal Government, under
the clause of the Constitution in question:,
and see what evidence it furnishes Of its con-
structon.
The first veto under the Federal Consti-
tuition was April 1892. The entry upon
the Journal is as follows:
A message was received from the Presi-
dent OF the United States, by MIR. Leas, his
Secretary, who, by command Of the Presi-
dent, returned to the II use the bill passed
BY two Houses, entitled" act for the APP
portionment of Representatives among tho
several States, according to the first enume-
anu pTtSbluCu " t1C IOi
his appreciation on Monday, the twenty
sixth of March, to which bill the President
having made objections, the same were de-
livered by the Secretary, who then with
drew.
The said objections were read, and or
dered TO be entered at large on the Journal,
as follows:
Then follows the message, and just after
it the following:
Resoiaed, That tomorrow be assigned for
the reconsideration of the said bill, in the
mode prescribed by the Constitution of the
United States.-TH. Journal, Sd and 4th
Congress, 1887, pages 1877, 1928; Annals
of Congress, 4th Congress, I'd Session,
l,726, 1877, pages 2,327-9-9-3o.
How precisely these precedents, the first
in Government, follow the Constitution =
1t required the bill to be returned within
ten days Sundays excepted, else it be-
come law; the Journal in the first case,
shows it was presented TO the President on
the 26th of March, and returned April the
9Th (nine days,) in the second, pre-
sented the 22d returned the 28th six
days.) 1t required the objections to go in
with the bill; 'the same were also deliver
ed in by the Secretary" 1t reqired them
to be entered at large on tbe Journal: they
very so entered. Its reason required them to
be read and considered with the bill, they
were read, and time given to put them on
the Journal and 10 consider them.
Washington, in both cases, was the Pres
dent-he was also the President of the
Convention. Five Numbers of the Conven-
ton were in the Congress of 1892, and
three in the Congress of 1856, and voted
on the veto messages, among them James
Madison. 1t is hardly possible to conceive
amore authoritative practice"
have not had access TO all the Journals
of Congress, but have examined them in
reference to twelve vetoes, exclusive of the
two already considered, including the ad-
ministrations Of Jackson, Tyler, Polk and
Pierce, beginning in 1880, and ending in
1854 and in every case, every one, the
objections are entered at large on the Journ-
|! ais, before the reconsideration; and in every
case but one, the Journals show they were
<read. That one Is Piercc's veto message Of
August the 4th 1854; and even in that case
the reading was called for, and the Speaker
decided that it could not be read, because a
vote, just taken, by yeas and nays, on a
motion TO adjourn, disclosed the fact that
there was no quorum present." Congress
adjourned on the 18th, three days afterwards,
and the bill and objections were not reached
again.-H. Journal, lst Session, 32d Con-
gress, 1884, pages l34l, 1915.
In the discussion which followed the veto
of the River and Harbor Bill, by President
Polk, the question under consideration was
incidentally noticed. The message was
read and Mr.. Wentworth moved to refer it
to the committee on Commerce. Mr.. Sims
moved to amend so as to provide also that it
be spread upon the Journal. The Speaker
remarked that his motion was not necessary
as the message, Of course, would 20 on the
Journal. Mr.. Schenck inquired whether
it was 10 be considered in the character Of
aveto message, which was to be spread
upon the Journal, and to require the subse-
quent action Of the House. The Speaker
said the Chair understands from the clerk
there are various presidents in which
similar messages have always been spread
upon the Journal. Mr.. Schenca questioned
it.-GCongressional Globe. lst Session,
Both Congress, "a, 30, But the clerk was
right, as the practice of the Government, in
such cases, abundantly shows. 1t is rarely
safe to dispute with clerk about the pre-
cedents. This discussion manifestly con-
templated an entry on the Journal, and sub
sequent consideration.