Weekly Trinity journal., 1874-04-04
EXECUTIVE ABUSE OF POWER.

Many years ago Henry Clay enunoiated !
the doctrine that the power of interposing
the Executive veto was dangerous one,
and his words struck a sympathetic chord
in the party of which he was the ac-
knowlcdged leader. The late course Of
events in the legislation Of this State
show clearly enough th.at the fears enter
tanned that there might, at times, be
an undue exercise of this prerogative,
were not wholly groundless. And while
There are doubtless instances In which
the Executive can act with a delibcra-
ton and unswayed by the prejudices of
the hour which, to some extent influence
all elective bodies, it is a question if it
would not, in the long run, be more con-
ducive to sound legislation if this prcrog-
atiye Of the Executive were altogether
taken away.
We have no cause of complaint that
this power was used to any great extent
during the session which has just closed,
there boing, we believe, but four cases
Ill MnlCu IL was liltl lpOSCus 4NOl NlC WV
disposed to cavil at the action of the Ex-
ecutve in all these instances. But what
is to be remarked as significant in this
connection is, that in the case of only one
Of these vetos was the Executive action
overruled and that was in the case Of
the bill to remove the legal disabilities in
the case of Harry Meiggs in which case
the Governor before sending in his mes
sage declared himself Influenced by no
feeling in the matter, but should inter-
pose objections Of legal nature only
leaving the unavoidable inference that he
would not feel rebuffcd if the Legislature
chose to enact the bill into a law without
his approval. But in each of the other
stances there was a lamentable backing
down upon the part of the law makers
Measures which were originated and pass
ed with scarcely dissenting vote, could
not command even bare majority, much
less the necessary two thirds vote when
the question stood "Shall the bill be-
come law the objection of the Governor
to the contrary Notwithstanding. 1t
would certainly seem that if, after due
discussion and investigation by commit
tees bill was passed, that its friends in
the first instance should be prepared to
stand by it in all its stages, unless grave
constitutional objections were urged. SO
when, in the cases of the bills creating the
county Of Vallejo for the relief OF the
drivers and conductors of the San Fran
/. cisco street cars and Tor the election of
IIarbor Commissioners, the question was
referred back to the house in which the
measure originated, the Executive veto
proved fatal to the bill. Itseems strange
that members should so readily yield up
their own opinions and sense of duty to
that of another that the very objections
which had been raised by their fellow
members without carrying conviction
should be possessed Of such force when
embodied in an Executive message I; that
they should so easily lose their own in
dividuality and sink it in that of the Gov
ClllOl. l)ub utlC GOllltS III II lllllC CAIJlbIl-
alton, by no means creditable to any of
the parties concerned. Many of the hon
orable Senators and Representatives have
some little bill'' affecting their own To-
cal or some other pet interest, which has
been delayed until the closing days o.
the session, and they fear to arouse the
gubernatorial wrath by reversing his ve-
tos, lest their bills be "pocketed." We
say this explanation is not creditable
one to either the members of the Legisla-
ture or to the Governor. Local and 9TH
er interests of kindred character, gener-
ally pass the ordeal of legislation with
out opposition, and there is no excuse for
such measures being delayed until the
last ten days Of the session, which is the
only time in which the Governors priv
ilege Of pocketing" has an existence
And we are told that the Governor threat
ened to withhold his signature from all
measures until the General Appropria.
ton Bill was in his hands, the two Hous-
es being at " deadlock" upon the SEN
{ ate amendment striking out an appropri.
alton to pay the illegal salaries of the
Board of Examiners, (of which Board
the Governor is a membcr.) If an Ex-
ecutive uses his prerogative only to dra-
goon the Legislature into his way OF
thinking, the quicker the Constitution is
so amended as to strip the Office of its i'll
used power the better it will be.
G ..-.....--------