Buy this book on-line

Clarke, Beverly Leonidas : The Veto Power--Relation of Parties. Speech of Hon. B. L. Clarke, of Kentucky, in the House of Representatives, Monday, June 26, 1848. In Committee of the Whole on the State of the Union, on the Civil and Diplomatic Appropriation Bill

Printed at the Congressional Globe Office, Washington, D.C.

Original publisher's beige paper wrappers. Text printed in black ink. No date, circa 1848. 5 3/4" x 9." Eight pages, complete. Pages are clean and intact except for light age toning throughout, moderate amount of foxing or spots of discoloration, a few small dampstains limited to margins along spine, and moderate chipping and splitting along spine. A Very Good copy. A speech that was originally delivered before the United States House of Representatives on June 26, 1848 by Beverly Leonidas Clarke (1809-1860), an American lawyer, diplomat, and politician. He served as a U.S. Representative from Kentucky from 1847-1849 and U.S. Minister to Guatemala and Honduras from 1858-1860. He was a Democrat. In this speech, Clarke levels criticism at Zachary Taylor, the Whig candidate for the 1848 presidential election. Clarke first questions why the Whigs are backing Taylor and portraying him to be a proponent of peace when Taylor, as a general, was instrumental in the prosecution of the Mexican-American War. Clarke then examines various statements made by Taylor and questions his political competence. He contends that Taylor is showing incompetence by not clearly stating his political views or having inconsistent opinions. On multiple occasions, Clarke criticizes Taylor for stating that he is "a Whig, but not an ultra Whig." He argues that Taylor does not understand the Whig platform. Clarke also denounces the Whigs' general platform of opposing the Tariff of 1846, supporting the Tariff of 1842, and centralized governance of public infrastructure projects. He also examines Taylor's past correspondence as a way to back his arguments that Taylor is unfit for presidential office. Clarke takes issue with Taylor's opinions about Henry Clay as well. In the later part of his speech, Clarke discusses the executive veto power. He appears to be generally in favor of the executive veto as a way to limit Congressional power. Clarke vehemently denounces Taylor's opinion of the veto. Taylor had stated he would only use it should in cases where a bill is clearly unconstitutional or if Congress were trying to hastily pass legislation without public approval. Clarke depicts Taylor's conservative approach to the presidential veto as being unconstitutional and a danger to democracy.. Book. Book Condition: Very Good. Binding: Soft cover

Bibliophile Bookbase for antiquarian books, maps and prints.