Vice President Martin Van Buren believed the principle of non-interference by the government which he had shared with his President, Andrew Jackson. when he became Jackson’s hand-picked successor as President in 1837, he made it VERY clear that he had no intention of of using his executive authority to put the government in places he did not believe that it belonged.

He also made it clear that as the executive power was “vested” in himself, he could also decide what things the government would not do.

And when Congress disagreed, it took the Supreme Court about five minutes to explain to the President just who was in charge here…