Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-08-15
From the n. Y. Independent.
Revenue Legislation and the Veto
Power.

The Cincinnati Convention, in attempt
ing to play a dodge game on the tariff
question, concluded to ''remit the dis
cussion of the subject to the people in
their Congress districts, and to the de
cision of Congress thereon, aCh0Uy free
IF EEecuti0e interference or djct0tjOR. ]"
Mr. Greeley, in his letter of acceptance,
saws
THAT the raising of revenue, whether
by tariff or otherwise, shall be recog-
nized and treated as the peoples Imme-
date business, to be shaped and directed
by them, through their representatives
in Congress, whose action thereon the
President must neither Og6rrule By his
06t0, attempt to dictate, nor presume to
punish, by bestowing office only on those
who agree with him, or withdrawing it
from those who do not"
According to this construction of the
Cincinnati tariff resolution, the candi-
date announces to the public beforehand
that, in the event of his election to the
Presidency, he will never exercise the
veto power, immaterial what may be his
own Judgment in respect to any bill
passed by Congress for 1.-THE raising of
revenue, whether by tariff or otherwise. p"
On this one subject he will not, as Pres
ident undertake to have any opinion,
but will leave the whole matter to the
exclusive discretion of Congress. Should
he be elected, he will, before entering
upon the duties of his office, take the
following oath:
II do solemnly swear Cor affirm that
| will faithfully execute the office of
President of the United States, and WILL
to the best of my ability, preserve, pro-
tect, and defend the Constitution of the
United States"
If Mr.. Greeley will turn to article
first, section seventh, and subsection
second of the Constitution, he will find
the following instruction in respect to
the exercise of the veto power:
every bill which shall have passed
the House of Representatives and the
Senate SHALL before it become a law. be
presented to the President of the United
States. If he approve, he shalt sign it {;
but, if not, he shall return it, with his
objections, to that House in which it
shall have originated, who shall enter
the objection at large on their journal,
and proceed to reconsider it.
The Constitution assumes that the
President will always know enough to
have an opinion in respect to the merits
of every bill passed by Congress. 1t
makes it his duty officially to express this
opinion, either by signing or withhold
ing his name, as the case may be.
When he enters upon his Office he 3wears
that he will faithfully perform this
duty. Yet Horace Greeley, proposing
to improve the Constitution, says in adj
vance that in respect to all bills pertain
ing to ''the raising of revenue, whether
by tariff or otherwise" he would, as
President, disregard this duty and his
own oath of office. The Constitution
requires the President to sign such bills
if he approves of them; but he says
that he would sign them whether he APP
proves of them or not. The COnstitu-
ton says that, if the President does not
approve Of such bill, che shall return
it, with his objection; but he says that
he would not perform this duty In re-
spect to all bills referring to ''the raising
OF revenue" Mr.. Greeley pledges himself
before hand that, if the people will only
make him President, he would abdicate
his responsibilities, ana become a mere
writing-machine, signing whatever Con-
gress chooses to pass, without asking any
questions as to eXpediency or constitu-
tionality. And if so in regard to rev.
enue bills, why not equally so in respect
to all others? There is nothiug in such
bills to distinguish them from any others
that may be presented to the President
for his consideration. The Constitution
does not make them EXCEPTIONS and
why should he do so?
The political necessity of Mr. Greeley's
position leads him thus to run his head
. point blank against the Constitution of
the United States He is-or, rather,
was-.'a ferocious Protectionist, by his
own acknowledgement; and yet he
wants the votes of the authorizations
lists to elect him to the Presidency. For
getting the duties which the Constitu-
ton imposes upon the office, he pledges
himself that he would not, as President,
stand in the way of the Free Trade poll
icy. As President, he would be entirely
neutral in respect TO all revenue legisla-
ton. OF course, he would not recon-
mend to Congress, as he is directed to
do by the Constitution, ''such measures
as he shall judge necessary and eXpedi-
emit" provided they referred to ''the
raising of revenue :" and, when it comes
20 the business of signing or not signing
revenue bills, then Free Trade need have
no anxiety as to the course of the neu
trail President. He will sign all bills of
this character that come to him, no mat
ter what they contain.
One feels a sense of relief in turning
from this position, alike silly and UNI
constitutional, and reading the plain and
honest words of General Grant, uttered
in his inaugural at the commencement
Of his administration, as follows:
''On all leading questions agitating the
public mind | will express my views to
Congress, and urge them according to
my judgment and, when | think it adj