The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-03-11
The Public BusIness,

We do not like to interrupt the very inter
estlng discussion going ON in the House of Re
representatives., by calling the attention Of the
Opposition to the necessity of making some
provision to preserve the credit and honor Of
the nation. An article like the following from
the New York Journal Of Commerce ought to
fall like bombshell among the takers in the
House. 1t is important, we admit, to settle
distinctly and with precision the degree and
extent OF the responsibility which attaches to
Judge DOUGLAS for the recent articles in the
Democratic Reuie,c. This is a point Of
primary interest, and we propose at an early
day to discuss it ourself, and settle it sat
isiactorily one way or the other. Then we
shall discuss the degree and extent of the re-
i sponsblIty which attaches to the reputed edi-
TOR of the Reriec for the creation Of Presiden.
tial candidate in Judge DOUGLAS. This will
present some interesting topics of investigation
and remark; and we assure our Democratic
| friends in the House that we shall endeavor "a
do justice TO Young America on all the points
We hope that the friends of the respective
candidates wilftake note of the mode in which
the business Of the country is blocked. The
! Quartermaster General has called for nearly
two millions Of dollars to supply the deicien-
cles IN the appropriations for his department for
the fiscal year ending the 30th Of June next
Meanwhile the expenses of the service are ne
cessarily running on. and Indebtedness is daily
accruing, for which there is no provision
made by the National Legislature. OF
course it is not practicable to break up the
posts and disband the army, and the conse-
quence is that the country is liable every day
to he disgraced by some new transaction like
this Of the dishonored draft for $4,000. There
is an amount Of about 81 600 left in the hands
Of the Quartermaster General for incidental ex-
| penses, and he has not another dollar to meet
the maturing liabilities embraced in the two
million deficit which Congress is called upon to
supply.
Here is a state Of things which calls loudly on
Congress The matters about Judge DOUGLAS
can be settled by and by there is really no
great hurry in the case. Letus have no more pro-
tested notes, however; they are a crying shame.
! Non payment Of a liability on demand is only
one remove from absolute reputation; and we
do hope, therefore, that the House will post
pone the Presidential question just long enough
to pass the bills necessary TO keep the Govern
ment agong, and prevent the recurrence of
such paragraphs as those we subjoin:
! GovERSnEST BILLS uSDER PRoTEsr.-we al
| luded few months since to the protest of a bill
accepted by an officer of the Government, in hia
official capacity, who found it inconvenient to pay
| il on the day Of maturity. We have noticed re-
Gently quite a number Of cases where bills drawn
| by authorized agents Of the Government, have
| been protested, either for want Of funds TO the
credit Of the proper department. or owing to a die
arrangement in the affairs of some particular of.
| fee. bill for $4,000, drawn by the purser Of a
| United States ship the Pacific coast upon the
| Department nj Washington, and endorsed by the
commander, was cashed at San Francisco and for.
wardcd 10 New York for collection On presenta-
ton at Washington payment was refused, and II
was returned to California Within few days =
| bill for Government supplies to the amount Of
! $4,000 drawn by Captain S. Van Yliet
upon the Qusrtermaster's Department, and the
4 draft forwarded by the cashier Of ono Of our
banks to Washington for collection. Yesterday II