The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1857-12-18
.. BIDDEFORD, DECEMBER 49, 1857


frontier citizens and those emignting to our
distant States and Territories Hence expen-
sive military expeditions are frequently nee
essary To oyerawe and chastise the more law.
Les aud hostile.
The present system Of making them valua-
bio presents to influence them to remain ut
peace, has proved Intellectual. 1t is believed
to be the better policy to colonize them in
suitable localities, where they can receive the
rudiments Of education, and be gradually in.
duced to adopt habits Of industry. So far rs
the experiment has been tried. it has worked
we'll in practice, and 1t will doubtless prove
less expensive than the present system.
POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT.
The Postmaster Generals report states
that his department has depended upon the
public treasury for several ycars past, for an
important portion Of tho means OF sustaining
and extending Its operations. Its rapid
growth and expansion are shown by decen.
NAL statement of the number Of post Offices,
and tho length Of post roads, commencing
with the year 1897. In that year there were
1000 post Offices in 1887, Hit; in lS47,
Is, LAG, and in 1857 they numbered %, $50.
In this year l725 post Offices have been estab-
lished, and 704 Discontinued, leaving net
increase of 1921. The postmastcrs of3S6 Of.
fees are appointed by the President.
The length Of post roads in 1897 was lOj,.
1886 miles in 1887, l4l 90 miles; in lS47
l53,8l8 miles and in the year 1857 there
arc 242, Col miles Of post road including
22,530 miles Of railroad. on which the mails
arc transported.
The expenditures Of the department for
the fiscal year ending on the 30th' June, 1857
Us adjusted by the Auditor, amounted to
gil ,507 go. To defray these expenditures
there was to the credit of the department on
the let of Jnly, 1856, the sum OF $7S9 500 ;
the gross revenue Of the year, including the
annual allowances for the transportation OF
free mail matter, produced $S,953, 65l and
the remainder was supplied BY the appropri.
alton from the treasury Of g., $50 900, grant
ed by the act of Congress, approved August
Is, 1856, and by the appropriation OF S96G.
$50, made by the act OF March 3, 1857, ieav,
ing $685., 1853 to be carried to the credit o
the current year. commend to your con
sideration the report Of the department in re
lation a. the establishment of the Origina
mail route frcm the Mississippi river to San
Francisco, California. The route was select
ed with my full concurrence US tho one, il
my judgment. best calculated to attain th'
important objects contemplated by Congress
PUBLIC ECONOMY DEMANDED.
The late disastrous monetary revulsion ma,
have one good effect should 1t cause both th,
government and the people to return to Thu
practice Of wise and judlcious economy
both in public aed private expenditures. :.
An overlooking treasury has led to habit
Of prodigality and extravagance in our legis
lation. Ii has induced Congress to max,
largo appropriations to objects for which they
never would have provided had 1t been nee
essary to raise the amount Of revenue required
to meet them by increased taxation or by
loans. We are now compelled to pause il
our career, and to scrutinize our expenditure
with the utmost vigilance; and in perform
ing this duty, pledge my cooperation t
the extent Of my constitutional competency
1t ought to be observed ut tho same time
that true public economy does not consist In
Withholding the means necessary to accom-
plish important national objects entrusted
to us by the constitution, and especially sucl
as may be necessary for the common defense
In tho present crisis of the country 1t is our
duty to confnc our appropriations to objects
of this character, unless IN cases where JUS
tice to individuals may demand different
course. In all cases caro- ought to be taken
that the money granted by Congress shall be
faithfully and economically applied.
TIE APPROVAL CT BILLS.
Under the federal constitution, .eyery bill
which shall have passed the House Of Repre-
ssntativcs and the Senate shall, before it DO.
comes law" DO approved and signed by
the President md IL not approved, he
shall return it with his objections to that
house in which 1t originated. In order to
perform this high and responsible duty, suf-
ficient time must be allowed the President
to read and examine every bill presented to
him for approval. Unless this be afforded,
the constitution becomes dead letter in this
particular and even worse, 1t becomes q
means of deception. Our constituents, seeing
the Presidents approval and signature Mt.
tached to each act Of Congress, are induced
to believe that he has actually performed
this duty, when, in truth, nothing Is, IN ma
ny cases, more unfounded.
From the practice of Congress, such an
examination of each bill Us the constitution
requires, has been rendered impossible. The
most important business of each session Is
generally crowded into its last hours, and
the alternative presented to the President is
either to violate the constitutional duty
which he owes to the people, and approve
bills which, for want of time, IL is impOssi-
BILE he should have examined, or by his re-.
filsal to do this, subject the country and in
dividuals to great loss aad inconvenience.
Besides, practice has grown up Of late
years to legislate in appropriation bills ut
tho last hour of the session on new and i'm
portant subjects. This practice constrains
the President either to suffer measures to be-
come laws which he does not approve, or to
incur the rish of stopping the wheels Of gov
ernmcnt by tho vetoing an appropriation bill.
FOrmely, such bills were confined to specific
appropriations for carrying into effect exis-
ting laws and the well established policy Of
the country ,ahd little time s..thcn required
by the President for their examination.
For my own part, have deliberately de.
termined that shall approve no bill which
have not examined and IL will he care OF
extreme and most urgent necessity which
shall ever induce me to depart from this
rule. therefore respectfully, but earnest.
ly, recommended that the two houses would
allow the President ut least two days previ.
Gus to the adjournment Of each session with.
In which no new bills shall be presented to
him for approval. Under the existing joint
rule one day is allowed but this rule has
been hitherto 70 constantly suspended in
practice, that important bills continue to be
presented to him up till the very last mo.
ments Of the session. In large majority Of
cases, no great public inconvenience can
arise from tho want of time to examine their
provisions, because the constitution has de-
clared that ifa bill be presented to the Pres
ident within the last ten days Of the session.
he is not required to return 1t. either with
an approval or with veto. "in which case
IL shall not DO law" It may then lie over,
n -