Wyoming democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Wyoming Co., Pa.) 1867-1940, 1869-03-10

Washington and his successors, has been
rendered nugatory by partisan majority
OF two-thirds in each branch of the Nation
al Legislature.
The Constitution evidently contemplates
that when bill is returned with the Presi-
dents objections it will be calmly recon-
sidered by Congress. Such, however, has
not been the practice under the present
party rule. 1t has become evident that
men who pass bill under partisan infu-
ences are not likely through patriotic mo-
tives to admit their errors, and thereby
weaken their own organizations by solemn
ly confessing it under the official oath.
Pride of opinion, if nothing else, has in-
tervened and prevented calm and dispas-
sionate reconsideration of bill disapprov-
ed by the Executive Much as / venerate
the Cons titution, it must be admitted that
this condition Of affairs has'developed a de-
feet which, under the aggressive tendency
of the Legislative department of the gov
ernment, may readily work its overthrow,
1t may, however, be remedied without dis
turbing 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 GER
titled to the Supreme Court of the United
States for its decision. If its constitution
ality shall be declared by that tribunal, it
should then become q law. But if the de-
cision is otherwise, it should fail, without
power III Congress to re-enact and make it
valid. In cases in which the veto rests up
on hasty and inconsiderate legislation, and
in which no constitutional question is in
volved, would not change the fundamcn-
tai law, for. III such cases no permanent
evil can be incorporated into the Federal
system 1t is obvious that without such
an amendment, the government, as it exis-
ted under the Constitution prior to the re-
bellion, 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 not say-have lost p their lib
critics by IN unchecked and uncomfortable
majority in the law-making power; and
whenever 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 act
! IN, e ha
ton, while public attention has been care
fully and constantly turned to the past
and expiated signs of the South. and the
servants of the people in high places have
boldly betrayed their trust, broken their
oaths of obedience to the Constitution, and
undermined the very foundation of liberty,
justice and good government. When the
rebellion was being suppressed by the vol
unteered services of patriot soldiers, amid
the dangers of the battlefield, these men
| crept, without question, into place and
power in the national councils. After all
danger had passed, when no armed foe re-
mained-when penitent 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 before the nation and began to
pirate about the thousands of lives and mil
lions OF treasure sacrificed in the suppress
sion of the rebellion. They have since per-
sistently sought to infame the the preju
diccs engendcred between the sections, to
retard the restoration of peace and harmo-
ny, and by every means to keep open and
exposed to the poisonous breath of party
passion the terrible wounds of four years
war. They have prevented the return of
peace and the restoration of the Union in
every way rendered delusive the purposes,
promises, and pledges by which the army
was marshalled, treason rebuked, and re-
belion crushed and made the liberties of
the people,. and the rights and powers of
the President, subjects of constant attack.
They have wrested from the President his
Constitutional power of supreme command
of the army and navy; they have destroy
ed the strength and efficiency of the Exec
utive Department by making subordinate
officers Independent of and able to defy
their chief they have attempted to place
the President under the power of Il bold,
defiant, and treacherous Cabinet officer );
they have robbed the Executive of the pre-
rogative of pardon, rendered null and void
acts of clemency granted to thousands of
persons under the provisions of the Con-
stitution, and committed gross usurpation
by Legislative attempts to exercise this pow
er i'll favor of party adherents. They have
conspired to change the system of our gov
ernment by preferring charges against the
President in the form of articles of i'm
peachment, and contemplating before hear
ing or trial that he should be placed in an
rest, held in durance, and it became their
pleasure to pronounce his sentence, driven
from place and power in disgrace. They
have, in time of place, increased the ma
tional debt by reckless expenditure of
the public moneys, and thus added to the
burdens which already weigh upon the peo-
pie They have permitted the nation to