September 13

"Legislation can neither be wise nor just which seeks the welfare of a single interest at the expense and the injury of many and varied interests."

Andrew Johnson, 17th President, 1865-1869- From his Veto Message regarding the proposed Copper Bill, February 22, 1869.- Johnson, barely surviving an impeachment attempt by Congress in 1868, was ever at odds with the legislature. A former governor of Tennessee, Johnson had been advocated as a unifying Vice-Presidential candidate from the South for Lincoln's second term. Johnson did support the Constitution and favored keeping the union together, but wanted to keep the Constitution as written, still permitting slavery. Now, however as the leader of the entire country, such a position certainly would not gain him favor with the general population from the north. Furthermore, he saw himself as a man "of the people" and did not support the Southern land owning aristocracy, nor the northern industrialists. Set against the seething political turmoil of the time, Johnson did not not have much chance to be an effective leader. In part, here is the text of his veto: To the House of Representatives: The accompanying bill, entitled "An act regulating the duties on imported copper and copper ores," is for the following reasons, returned, without my approval. Its immediate effect will be to diminish the public receipts, for the object of the bill can not be accomplished without seriously affecting the importation of copper and copper ores, from which a considerable revenue is at present derived. While thus impairing the resources of the Government, it imposes an additional tax upon an already overburdened people, who should not be further impoverished that monopolies may be fostered and corporations enriched....The enactment of such a law is urged as necessary for the relief of certain mining interests upon Lake Superior, which, it is alleged, are in a greatly depressed condition, and can only be sustained by an enhancement of the price of copper. If this result should follow the passage of the bill, a tax for the exclusive benefit of a single class would be imposed upon the consumers of copper throughout the entire country....the legislative intervention proposed in the present instance will diminish, not increase, the public receipts...and by increasing their cost to expose them most unfairly to the effects of foreign competition. Legislation can neither be wise nor just which seeks the welfare of a single interest at the expense and to the injury of many and varied interests at least equally important and equally deserving the consideration of Congress. Not surprisingly, Johnson's veto was overridden and this copper tariff measure was passed by Congress. Two weeks later Ulysses S. Grant became the 18th President on March 4, 1869.