Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1874-06-11

is vice to virtue.
No church, no form of the Christian
religion, nor all churches combined,
make laws for this country,nor should
they !; they emenate from = majority
ofthe whole people ~ citizsns, and If
christian creeds shall override laws
40 made and especiallya creed depend
ant upon the dictxm Of one man,
claimed to be the infAllible maker Of
that creed, then the majority Of our
people do not rule in this country, but
We are ruled by that 90 called infalli.
bic head in Europe a. Brigham Young
attempts to rule in Utah.
In . full Congress tho two branches
are constituted az follows: Z
Seventy four Senators and two hum
dred and ninety-two Representatives,.
To pass bill in . full Congress,
would require thirty-four votes In the
Senate, and one hundred and forty
seven in the House. In case the Pres
dent exercises his constitutional veto
power, it then takes flfty votes In the
Senate, and one hundred and ninety.
five in the House, to pass bill over
his veto. Thus it 10 shown that the
Presidents veto power in the enact
ment Of laws, equals the votes oftwelve
Senators and forty-eight Representa-
tives.
In the history Of legislation ID this
country, the exercise OF the veto pow.
er has in the main been exercised
when there was discovered to be con-
stitutional objections to . bill. It has
occurred, however, with Jackson, Ty-
Ter and johnson, that the veto was
used in important matters on . differ
ence Of opinion between the majority
of Congress and the President. Re
Gently 1t has occurred with President
Grant, and there seemed to be some
very strong reasons for his assuming
to exercise the veto power ON the Fl
nance bill, because very many who
voted for 1t were mistaken - to it, Of
fects, and If it could have been return.
ed to Congress for its action, It Il
demonstrable, We think, that It would
not have again passed the bill
without amendment.
Now it appears that the President
has been consulted upon the financial
bill under advisement before the con-
ference committee of the two houses,
and that he put his views for resump-
lion in such strong terms ~ to even
Disagree with some of those who OPP
posed those, who would have an in
crease Of currency; certainly these
views the President now gives are Of
a very different character from those
he Annonnced TO Congress at tho open.
ing OF the session in December last.
One thing he presses, almost, II not
quite, in the nature OF an ultimatum, is
that resumption shall be placed at .
time, to come within his term Of the
Presidency.
We unhcsitatingly say that there is
no constitutional power vested in the
President but what he is right in excr-
cising, and, indeed, duty compels him
to exercise it in the light of his judg.
ment and conscience. While this is true
on all questions of doubtof liability to
err; all questions, where the best and
purest of minds differ greatly, it 10 not
his duty nor is it commendable that .
President should refuse TO COM
promise his views and meet op.
position at least halfway, and least
of all to stand aloof on . question Of
pride "a to the accomplishment Of .
desirable end, 80 40 to make it part
of his administrative record. Upon
questions wherein the most learned,
the ablest, those best qualified BY ex-
perience and those inferior to NO
others differ, it is not meet for the one
or the other, to assume and act -
though he knew it al, and 20 override
the opinions Of . half dozen or q dozen
Senators, or twenty-five or fifty Rep
resentatives. High, firm resolve to
stand by convictions Of judgment, ID .
noble quality, but tempered with .
kindly spirit Of compromise, in order
to reach action4to the views Of those
who are equally competent, equally
honest, betters such resolve.
The call for sn Anti Monopoly
County Convention in . neighboring
county puts it thus: 1.-THE people Of