Year: 1874

While we in California contemplate call
ING a convention at no distant day for the
purpose of amending. or remodeling, oul
Constitution, it is well-indeed, it is i'm
peratve-that all proposed amendments
should be thoroughly and impassionately
discussed Whatever we may have to say
on the subject, whether it be regarded wise
or otherwise, will be said with that earnest
ness and impartial sincerity which the i'm


portance of the question demands.


The Bee, in fever Of disappointment
we fear, after commenting on the power of
the Judicial and Executive departments Of
our government, and the evils which, it
says, sometimes arise from them, goes on
thus: "There may not be ready remedy
for this Judicial evil but there is one for
the Gubernatorial, and that is to so alter the
Constitution as to allow majority to pass a
bill over Veto From this proposition
which, in effect would be to annul the veto
power altogether, and leave the Legislature
free from any restraining power, whatever,
we dissent. We have considered it one of
the wisest provisions in our Constitution,
both National and State, that the Legisla-
tive power, which is always more or less
empassioned by political excitement, should
be well guarded. Strip the Executive of
this power, and his department would soon
be swallowed by legislative encroachments,
and his constitutional authority, if not taken
from him entirely, would be SO weakened
as to be Of no avail, and the position Of
nonentity. Then, again, in times of tenn
porary political excitement, Or violent party
spirit, rash, improper, and unconstitutional
laws are often enacted by legislative bodies
In such cases the veto power cannot be over
estimated. And the very fact, more than
any other, that this power is already quail
ifed-not absolute-gives to our govern
ment its liberal or true Democratic feature
outstanding the wisdom of Roman Sen
ators and Consus, their actions were sub
.ect to defeat by the single expression, 81
Forbid" from the Tribune. This their
wisest lawmakers regarded necessary to
prevent any hasty or improper action on
the part of men continually engaged in
spirited controversy. In England the veto
power is regarded Of so much importance
that it is made absolute There is no APP
peal. Our torefathers had full realization
of the Importance of this checking power,
but in their wisdom provided that it should
not be absolute, but qualified; and it is just
such wise and well guarded, liberal provis-
ions in our organic laws that has made us
the greatest and freest nation on the globe.
In passing upon veto legislators are apt to
vote with greater deberation, and while
the Executive, by his veto, checks hasty or
improper action on the one hand, a two
thirds vote can generally be relied on to de-
feat any personal design or arbitrary action
on the part of the Executive. 1t is usually
only in such cases where veto is defeated,
and it is usually only in such cases where
its defeat would be for the best. No, the
provision. we claim, is a good one, and its
power sufficiently restricted, and it is our
serious belief that to annul this function of
the Executive would be to abrogate The
wsest provision Of our government.