Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-01-23

/ MOI
than the fifth wheel to awagon. He Orc
ceeded to read from the Constitutions q
the various States the different Qualities
items of the veto power prescribed i
them-some requiring majority of tn
whole number elected, to overcome tn
veto, and others requiring a maio
rity of two-thirds; the State of Yer
mont alone requiring only majority O
the members present; and very larg
number requiring majority of two-third
of the members elected.
Mr.. Brown of Davidson, was and haC
been ever opposed to this veto power. 1
was commingling the Legislative and Ex-
ecutive Departments, whilst we declare
that there shall be three independent de
partments of government-the Executive,
Legislative and Judicial The better they
could be kept distinct and Independent of
each other, the more conformable would
it be to the theory of our government.
And although majority of the States of
the Union may have Incorporated the veto
| power into their constitutions, still he
held that no better reason can be offered
against it than that we have inherited it
rom the mother country. 1t was
monarchical feature, call it by what
name they would. The Governor
of the State was but man, and no wiser
perhaps than others, and there was no
guaranty that he shall possess in himself
more wisdom, self-control and sagacity,
than the 100 representatives of the people
in the General Assembly. He suggested
that now and then the pendulum swings
towards the one man power, and in many
instances in the history of this country it
had defeated the will of the people If
the will of the people is to be sovereign,
let it be the will of the people. Let them
pass their own laws. You are compelled
to give the Governor the pardoning pow
er, which is very delicate
one, and whoever may have
it placed in his hands will find it highly
responsible and full of trouble. And you
give the Governor the power, and you
make it his duty to recommend to the
Legislature such subjects of legislation as
should come before them. That presents
him wide field of labor and responsible
ity while reposing in his office and in cor
with all parts of the coun-
try. To suggest what supplements should be
made to the laws was also very impor-
tant function. The State Government
through all the years past had been with
out this veto power, and it was now pro-
posed for the first time We had gone
through troubles of Indian wars, domes-.
tic strife, civil war and times of great
public excitement and great pecuniary de-
preston; but when was it in the history |
Of the State that we would have been bet
ter by the interposition of this one man
powerI He insisted that no man is great |
enough, no man wise enough, no man
who has done service enough for his |
country, to entitle him to be endowed |
with this one man power. If the popu-
ar mind is tickle, or if the peoples rep
should show a want of sa-
yacity or wisdom, such as must show
hsir acts to be imperfect and unwise, let |
he responsibility fall on their own heads,
and let them correct their errors in the
lext two years.
He was Jealous of the one man
power; but he could bow to the people
II the people'srepresentatives. He spoke
It length, aud concluded by saying that
he Legislative and the Judicial Depart
nents of the Government are made up of
anger numbers of men, andhe repudiated
he argument that one man ought to know
)etter what ought to be done than mem
,ers chosen for the very purpose of doing
he public business.
Mr.. Sample pointed out what he con-
idered objections TO this amendment, and
bowed especially the difficulty of passing
bill over the veto, by the required ma
Ority of all the members elected-refer-
ing to the facility with which members
tep out and avoid the vote under the in
Iuences of the lobby or otherwise.
Mr. Brooks indicated an amendment
triking out the words ''the whole num-
yer elected to that house, ;" but did not in
ist upon it.
Mr.. Jones, of Giles, took a very differ
Mt view from that of the gentleman from
Davidson. He regarded the amendment
5 one of very great importance He
hould have been pleased to extend the
ERIN of office of this high official, but
hat was passed. 1t was said
hat the Governor was com
handler of the army and navy,
ut he hoped that after this Convention
hall adjourn there might be no more
se for commander of the armies and
avies of Tennessee. The Governor was
be representative of all the people of the
tate, occupying position not to be in
uenced by sectional or party feeling;
Consequently, in reviewing the legislation
f the State, he would not be under the
lfluence of sectional feeling; and the
question was whether he could not serve
be people against sectional influences 2
lis friend from Davidson asks
S to point out what injury the
eople of Tennessee had sustained by the
rant of this power in the Constitution of
1874. He urged, in reply, his own opin-
On that if the veto had existed in Ten
essee, the State would not be afflicted
o-day with apprehensions of bankruptcy
nd ruin. Who knows but with this
over in his hand, and looking carefully
} the interests of the State from his ;
tandpoint, the Governor might not have
etoed those ruinous bills which have
rOught the State into discredit and almost |
} reputation?
Who knows but that the time may
ONE when this State should be divided by !
ectiOnal questions, or when partisan in
uence may run into the Legislative halls
nd carry through them many rash and
measure, and should the
of the people have no
DICE to ask them to reconsider 1t is
OF the one-man power. as nv friend from
davidson insisted; it is the power of the
eople, exercised in the only manner in !
hich all the people can speak to the
legislature Let US look to the future,
nd see how important the exercise
f this power may be to give the
hole people an opportunity of be-
e heard to the extent at least of l
a reconsideration of what
ay be regarded as an incOnsiderate act
legislation. He would have preferred /
Ie amendment of the gentleman from t
atwood, but that being withdrawn he {
lould vote for the other.
Mr.. Turner was in favor of the propo- O
ton submitted by the gentleman from I
He desired to be per-
tilted to say, that the history of the
gislation of Tennessee for the last '
fteen or twenty years, demands that /
be set up asa checktoimprudent
gislation. 1t had not been fifteen '
ears since when the State debt of Tenn S
see was only three millionc; and to-day u
was forty millions of dollars, and we n
C on the very verge of bankruptcy; and =
| this resulting from acts of hasty legis- I
ton; and much of it, as he believed, b
Ould have been avoided by such prOvi- s
On as this in the State Constitution. 1t I
nc br,f 1-octordov or tho dow haforo