Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1869-03-12

dictator and tyrant in bis startling expe-
riment?
We find that in the time which has
since elapsed human nature and exigen-
cies in government have not greatly
changed. Who. fewyears past, in con-
|templating our future could have supposed
that in a brief period Of bitter experience
everything demanded in the name of mil
itary emergency. or dictated by caprice.
would come to be considered as mere mat
ters of course; that conscription, confsca-
ton, loss of personal liberty, the subjec-
ton of States to military rule. and dis
reimbursement, with the extension of the
right of suffrage merely to accomplish par
ty ends, would receive the passive submis-
sion. if not acquiescence, of the people Of
the Republic
It has been clearly demonstrated, by
recent occurrences. that encroachments
upon the Constitution cannot be prevent
ed by the President alone, however de-
voted or determined he may be. and that
unless the people interpose there is no
power under the Constitution to check a
dominant majority of two-thirds in the
Congress of the United States. An ap-
peal to the nation, however, is attended
with too much delay to meet an emergen-
cy. While, if left free to act, the people
would correct, in time, such evils as mi ght
follow legislative usurpation, there is dan
ger that the same power which disregards
the Constitution will deprive them of the
right to change their rulers. except by re-
volution. We have already seen the ju-
risdiction of the judiciary circumscribed
when it was apprehended that the courts
would decide against laws having for their
sole object the supremacy of party, while
the veto power, lodged in the Executive
by the Constitution for the interest and
protection of the people, and exercised by
Washington and his successors, has been
rendered nugatory by partisan majority
Of two-thirds in each branch of the Ma
tional Legislature. The Constitution evil
dently contemplates that when bill is re-
turned with the Presidents objections it
will be calml y reconsidered by Congress.
Such, however, has not been the practice
under present party rule. 1t has become
evident that men who pass-a bill under
partisan influences are not likely, through
9atEa.ia a
and thereby weaken their own organiza-
tions by solemnly confessing it under an
official oath. Pride Of opinion, if nothing
else, has intervened, and prevented a
calm and dispassionate reconsideration of
bill disapproved by the Executive.
Much as I venerate the Constitution, it
must be admitted that this condition of
affairs has developed defect which. un-
der the aggressive tendency of the legis-
lative department of the Government,
may readily work its overthrow. 1t may,
however, be remedied, without disturbing
the harmony of the instrument.
The veto power is generally exercised
upon constitutional grounds. and whenever
it is so applied. and the bill returned with
the Executives reasons for withholding
his signature, it ought to be Immediately
certified to the Supreme Court of the
United States for its decision. If its
shall be declared by that
tribunal. it should then become law
but if the decision is otherwise, it should
fail, without power in Congress to reenact
and make it valid.
In cases in which the veto rests upon
hasty and inconsiderate legislation, and in
which no constitutional question is involv-
ed, would not change the fundamental
law; for in such cases no permanent evil
can be incorporated into the Federal sys-
tenn.
It is obvious that without such an a.
mendment, the Government, as it existed
under the Constitution prior to the rebel
lion, may be wholly subverted and over
thrown by two-thirds majority in Con-
gress. 1t is not, therefore, difficult to
see how easily and how rapidly the people
may lose-shall I not say, have lost .
their liberties by An unchecked and un-
controllable majority in the making
power; and. when once deprived of their
rights, how powerless they are to regain
them.
Let us turn for moment to the history
Of the majority in Congress. which has
acted in such utter disregard of the Con-
stitution While public attention has
been carefully and constantly turned to
the past and expiated sins of the South,
the servants of the people. in high places,
have boldly betrayed their trust, broken
their oaths of obedience to the Constitu-
ton. and undermined the very foundations
of liberty, justice. and good government.
When the rebellion was being suppressed
by the volunteered services of patriot SOL
diers amid the dangers of the battlefield,
these men crept, without question, into
place and power in the national councils.
After all dangers had passed, when no
armed foe remained, when punished and
people bowed their heads to the
flag and renewed their allegiance to the
Government of the United States, then it
was that pretended patriots appeared be-
fore the nation and began to prate about
the thousands of lives and millions of trea-
sure sacrificed in the suppression of the
rebellion. They have since persistently
sought to inAame the prejudices engen-
dered between the sections, to retard the
restoration Of peace and harmony, and by