The National Constitution: Bill and Objections
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 shall 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 Objections at large on their Journal, and proceed to reconsider it. (This power is given to the President to arrest hasty or unconstitutional legislation, and to operate as a check on the encroachment on the rights and powers of one department over another, by legislation. It is not absolute, as the context shows, as it may be set aside by a vote of two-thirds of the members of the Senate and House of Representatives, who passed it.) If, after such Reconsideration, two thirds of that House shall agree to pass the Bill, it shall be sent, together with the Objections, to the other House, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by two thirds of that House, it shall become a Law. But in all such Cases the Votes of both Houses shall be determined by Yeas and Nays, and the Names of the Persons voting for and against the Bill shall be entered on the Journal of each House respectively. If any Bill shall not be returned by the President within ten Days (Sunday excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the Same shall be a Law, in like Manner as if he had signed it, unless the Congress by their Adjournment prevent its Return, in which Case it shall not be a Law.
Approval and veto powers of President.
Every Order, Resolution, or Vote to which the Concurrence of the Senate and House of Representatives may be necessary (except on a question of adjournment), shall be presented to the President of the United States; and before the Same shall take Effect, shall be approved by him, or being disapproved by him, shall be reposed by two thirds of the Senate and House of Representatives, according to the Rules and Limitations prescribed in the Case of a Bill. (This requirement is made that Congress may not pass, with the name of order, resolution, or vote, what, as a bill, the President has already vetoed, as his method of returning a bill, with his objections, is called.)
Powers vested in Congress.
To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts, and Excises; to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts, and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States; (The power of Congress to lay and collect duties, etc., for national purposes, extends to the District of Columbia, and to the Territories of the United States, as well as to the States; but Congress is not bound to extend a direct tax to the District and Territories. The stipulation that the taxes, etc., shall be uniform throughout the United States, is to prevent favors being shown to one State or section of the Republic, and not to another.)
To borrow Money on the credit of the United States;(This was to enable the Government to provide for its expenses at a time of domestic insurrection or a foreign war, when the sources of revenue by taxation and impost might be obstructed.)
To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian tribes;(This power was lacking, under the Articles of Confederation. It is one of the most important powers delegated by the people to their representatives, for it involves national development and prosperity.)
To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization,(The power of naturalization was possessed by each State under the Confederation. There was such want of uniformity of laws on the subject, that confusion was already manifested, when the people, by the Constitution, vested the power exclusively in Congress. Thus a State is prohibited from discouraging emigration, or casting hindrances in the way of obtaining citizenship. By a decision of the Attorney-General of the Republic, every person born within its borders is entitled to the rights of citizenship. It is a birthright.) and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies (Since the adoption of the Constitution of the United States, a State has authority to pass a bankrupt law, provided such law does not impair the obligations of contracts within the meaning of the Constitution (Art. I., Sec. 10), and provided there be no act Congress in force to establish a uniform system of bankruptcy conflicting with such law.) throughout the United States;
To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures; (This was to insure uniformity in the metallic currency of the Republic, and of weights and measures, for the benefit of the people in commercial operations.)
To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United States;
To establish Post Offices and Post Roads;