The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-09-06
DEFERRED DEBATE.
SEPTEMBER 4, 1850.
SENATE.
SENAIH.
POST OFFICE APPROPRIATIONS.

SENATE.
Posr OFFICE APPROPRIATIONS.
| Mr. DICKINSON. Mr.. President, It not the bust
ness oil the Committee Finance upon any
ther than 10 take he estimates Of the ds"aenl and as
certain whether they authorized by law, and bring
them TO Just standard by such amendments to the bill
pertain to their particular province Undoubtedly, if
Congress thinks TO be its duty to enter upon the bust
ness Of avoiding contracts that have been provided,
they Will be at liberty to set aside most, il not all the
the mail, either by Or by land This Bremen
tract was entered into originally upon considerations OF
the highest State and commercial policy II belongs
properly to the Committee the Post Office and Post
Roads, the Committee Commerce, and the Committee
on Foreign Relations to that the government suffers
detment in that respect and not to the Committee
Finance. We are committee OF ways and means to
provide the finances called for, and properly called for by
the government This service has not been entered upon
been strictly performed The mail contracts are not
usually strictly fulfilled We can scarcely get mail
from New York recently short Of the time took to
yey II in 1910. do not know that any has proposed
legislation upon that subject great deal of this grows
out OF the casualties OF the service. The department
deem this branch to be highly necessary and ad-
proper officer OF the department, and should think il
would be hazardous 70 enter upon the matter in a
without recommendation or examination. Il may inter-
fere very seriously with the arrangements OF the depart
ment and the public service, and disturb other i'm
porant relations still Their arrangements are all made
and hardly understand them all their bearings
but it is for the Senate say what is TO be done respect
ingit The Post Office Committee have charge over it,
and call for their views concerning it,
| MI. YULEE. Mr.. President. il is precisely because
concur with this very suggestion, because think ap
preparation bill should not be made the instrument
through which contract should be entered upon
that moved the amendment. This is a new contract
which is proposed in an indirect way and to which it is
proposed n this manner to obtain the sanction OF Con-
gress think phase in business to introduce
this into appropriation bill to come before Congress
for it's express sanction PROPOSE therefore, separate
from the appropriation bill, to which 1t does not prop
Mr. DICKINSON Why, Mr. President, the senator
has had nine months OF session to bring it before Con-
gress if he had chosen to do The appropriation
here by the authority of law in the only shape it
come, and comes from the House OF Representatives.
Mr.. YULEE We do not know anything Of it, This
Mr.. DICKINSON Then, sir, Congress has not read
the report Of the Postmaster General nor the estimates
That is all say about Congress daughter II has
had the opportunity TO know something about it.
| Mr. YULEE Point US TO it.
/ Mr.. DICKINSON. The report OF the Postmaster Gen
eral full upon the subject and the estimates for this
service by placed upon tables months and months
since, and now upon our files 1t is indirect way
OF sanconng anything that here al this late period
of the session; for it is the ordinary appropriation, to be
made according to law, and ought 10 be made, unless
Congress chooses to take advantage of persons engaged
in the public service for not having made particular
vice full That is the whole matter Ii it is designed to
blame the department. would that they have sent in
their estimates in the usual way They have through
the House OF Representatives and received its sanction
and they here, and the Committee Finance,
after considering all the circumstances have unanimously
recommended the appropriation. will repeat what said
before that probably if called upon to take notice OF all
fauts we would not have single contract In existence
| in the mail service
Mr. DAVIS of Massachusetts Mr. President If /
understood the chairman of the Committee on Naval AT
fairs, he states that this contract made in the first
place for five years and was subsequently extended by
the Postmaster General 10 ten years and if understood
him correctly. he said the extension authorized
| by law.
Mr. DICKINSON did not say, anything of that
kind. II was left at the discretion OF the department.
| Mr.. DAVIS. | was endeavoring to state what un-
dersood the chairman OF the Committee on Naval AT
fairs said, and not what the senator IRON New York
said.
| Mr.. DICKINSON. | was mistaken | beg pardon
| MIR. YULEE said this, sir, that the original con-
tract for five years. shown IN the memorandum
furnished by the chairman OF the Committee Finance,
and sanctioned by Congress- and that last year s49)
the Postmaster General, upon his own authority ex
tended the term TO ten years, under the general act OF
ls45, and extended the time within which the service
should be complete 10 July /, 1850, instead OF ls47
That has never received the sanction OF Congress- and
he comes here, for the first time, to receive pub
lie sanction.
Mr.. DAVIS. Mr. President, what ! was desirous of
knowing was, whether the chairman of the Committee
on Naval Affairs denies the authority of the Postmaster
General TO make this extension
| MIR. YULEE, | said this, sir that considered the
act OF s45 TO be somewhat doubtful-thai is probably
he had not the power | know the department stated
distinctly that they did consider that act in force
This statement was made either in lsas or 1s4s
i
making up my opinion upon that matter to hear from
the chairman OF the Committee the Post Ofce and
Post Roads. acted upon the supposition throughout
that this contract extended legally TO the time
toned, and that acting legally IN making an APP
preparation carry out that contract III acting
illegally, would be glad TO know upon what authority
the Postmaster General undertook TO make extension
which the law does not authorize Ii seems TO me
| uaordinary exercise Of power
| Mr.. DICKINSON. | have the law here. II is vi
olaton OF law.
Mr.. RUSK Mr. President, this is no violation OF law
upon the part OF the Postmaster General The opinion
simply expressed by the department that the law OF
1916 was not in force An investigation af the whole
matter took place in 1Sis and IL ascertained that il
remains in force, and that the contract made under
that law. Now the only condition in which we should
place the government by striking out this appropriation
would be this The nvesg alton before the Postmaster
General will show that he has transcribed his
thority He was carrying ont the law. He made con-
tract which TO go into effect at particular time II
strike out this appropriation, violate the contract
with these Individuals anday ourselves justly and equl
aby liable to pay any damages that may result from it.
This precisely the condition Of the matter under
stand it,
The Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads have
had the subject of the steamers before them and
would have reported before this time, but this is mat
ter that requires great deal of investigation, and the
committee desire to present facts; and for that reason
they have not yet made report. This contract was
made clearly under the provisions OF lawit was made
by the Postmaster General and il strike II out now,
the government will become liable for damages II it is
desired TO change tfe system to stop II altogether that
must be done by general law upon the subject, ms
way of making contract and then violating viii keep
up a state Of confusion all the time had no expeou-
A. a..