The Alleghanian

The Tariff bill, Force bill and Land bill have all passed, by large majorities in Congress. The two first have received the signature of the President, and are now the laws of the land; the latter has experienced a different fate; the president having refused to sign it.

We can not see upon what ground the President has decided in this instance, and can not but view the exercise of the veto power relative to this bill, as an arbitrary unwarranted act on his part. We thought the veto power was given to the President to prevent the ill effects of hasty legislation, to keep congress within their constitutional limits; not to be exercised in any case upon a difference of opinion between the legislative and executive departments, as to the expediency of a measure.— Whilst we are disposed on all occasions, to give the executive our unreserved & hearty approbation, where we see any thing to approve, we feel at equal liberty, yea claim it as a right, to decry where censure is due. In the present instance we think the executive was more influenced by personal feelings towards the framer of the bill, than by any public consideration; in addition to which, he has transcended his authority, by exercising a controul over the legislature, in a case never contemplated by the framers of our constitution, when they invested him with the veto power. If legislation is to depend on the will of a man who is governed by no fixed principles, but can take his own prejudices and whims, on all occasions as his guide, then is the legislative branch of our government a mere pageant, a useless burden on the people, the sooner they get rid of which the better. But we have not yet arrived at that state of feeling (or rather of corruption) which should induce us to withdraw our confidence from our immediate representatives, and place our liberty and rights at the mercy of any individual. This is certainly the case now, unless there be firmness and independence sufficient in the national legislature, to resist and put down such unwarranted, reckless encroachments on the part of the executive. Let Congress see to this the next session.