Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1857-12-18

:" :. has been compelled to do for seyefai years
a' ~ e. - ;,ororsant portion of ths means OF
Ppnot,i,iuo Pas aud extending its operations. insii
;I 9th and expansion are Shown Oy de-
To- s+atement of the number OF post oinces,
"a tl tbe l.notb Of post roads, commencing witl,
atiu 'ne 1851 1851 h that year there were .o0O
ost w otices: in 1887, III, III; IN lsfl, l9,l46
pOS' = 1887 thew pamber 26,ooe. In this
auu = roc nost oiiees hare been established
"a "a -aI diseontiDusj, leaving net increase
ana ~ ia Tt sas,aasters Of 36S Offices are
'ig'a Tho to,a;b II post roads in 1927 was 1885,
ose n,;ios.;s 1887, al, ,242 miles; Ii 1877,
9So oIS .s. and ia :he year 1857 there are
aI., en- eiles Of post road, including 1850
i-'Ooi 5ailroad, or which the mails are ;rans-
ported. ,,... - soa,r.,,on4 g. -
e.,aI vesr ending on the Both June, 1887, as
a3;ustrd by the Auditor, amounted TO Sll,-
1000. To aefray these expenditures there
,1.s 10 the credit Of tie department on the lst
yglg. 1856, the sum Of STS9,599, the gross
revenue of the year, including the annual al
lowanees fer the transportation of free mail
matter produced SS,053, ,95l; and the remain
der was supplied BY the Appropriation from the
treasury Of 1,250,000, granted by the &C; OF
Congress approved August Is, 1856, and by
the appropriation Of S666,SS3 made by the act
of March 3, 1851 leaving S252,76 to be car
ried 10 the credit of the department in the ac-
counts Of the current year. / commend TO
your consideration the report of the department
in relation to the establishment of the overland
mil route from the Mississippi river to San
Francisco, California The route was selected
with ny fun concurrence, as the one, in my
Judgment, best calculated to attain the impor-
rant objects contemplated By Congress.
An oyerfowing treasury has led to habits of
prodigality and extravagance in our legislation.
II has induced Congress to make large appro-
priations TO objects for which they never would
have provided had il been necessary TO raise
the amonnt oi revenue required to meet them
BY increased taxation or by loans. We are
new compelled to pause in our career, and to
scrutinize our expenditures with tina utmost
vigilance: and in performing this duty,
pledge Ing corporation to the extent Of my con-
stitutolal competency.
IL ought 10 be observed at the same tine that
true public economy does not consist IN with
holding the means necessary TO accomplish i'm
portaut national objects intrusted TO us By the
constitution, and especially snch as may be ne
cessaay for the common defence In the pres
eat crisis Of the country it is our duty to cons
fine our appropriations to objects Of this char
aeter, unless in cases where Justice to ndividu
ais may demand different course. 10 eil
cases care ought to be raken that the money
granted by gress shall be faithfully and eco
uoiuisaily applied.
federal cyli
shall have passed the House of Representatives
and :hs shah, is.issrest n law, - b
approved and signed by the President; and If not
approved, ''he shah return it with his objections
tn that house IN which it originated" In order
10 perform this high and responsible duty, suffi
cIeut time must be allowed the President to read
and exImine every bill presented 10 him for appro
val. Unless this be afforded, the constitution be-
comes a dead letter in this particular; and even
worse il becomes q means of deception. Our
constituents seeing the Presidents approval and
Siguiture attached 10 each act of Congress, aIe in
dUced 10 believe that he has actually performed |
this duty, when. in truth, nothing is, in many ca
ses more unfounded.
From the practice Of Congress, suca an exami- |
nation Of each bill as the constitution requires, |
has been rendered impossible. The most impor
tant business of each session is generally crowded
into lis last hours, and The alternative presented
10 the President is either 10 violate the constu.
tio2a dgty which he owes to the people, ane ap-
prove bids which, ior want Of time, It IS imposs
Bic ne should have examined, or, by his refusal 10
do,this, subject the COZ ntry and individuals to
great loss aEd Inconvenience.
BESIDES, practice has grown up Of late years
10 legisllte in appropriation bills, at the last hours
OF the session, on new and important sublects.-
This practice consIains the President eth ar to spf
icf measures 10 become laws which he does rot ap
pIove,or 10 incur the risk of stopping the wheels
o. gose,Nment by yetoing an appropriation 5ili.-
otmeF'y Seeh bills were confined to specific appro |
priauons lot caEying into eff ct existing laws and
thc "ei-es'4'i policy Of the countay, and lit
their examination.
Formy own part, have deIberatelv determined
that SHAH approve no tii whics 7 have NOT exam |
ined, andIt viii be case OF extrea,e and most mr.
gent necessity which shall ever indnc. no 20 o.-,
from TINS rule. therefore respectfuHy but earn |
estly, recommend that the two houses ,zould allow
the President at least two days previous ~ tho All
journment Of each session within which 10 aew hill !
shall be presented to him for approval ITndar tho
existing joint rule day is allowed; but tris r,la
has been hitherto SO constantly suspended in ,,rac
tice, that important bills continue to be presented
TO him up till tue very last moments of the session
In large majority Of cases no great public incop
veniencc can arise from the CT time to exam
Inc their provisions, because the constitution has
declared that II 0l be presented to the President
within the last ten days of the session he is not
required 10 return it, either with an approval or
Win veto, Ftln which case it shall net be a law
II may then he over, and be taken up and passed
at the next sess ion. Great Inconvenience would
only be experienced in regard 10 appropriation bills
Snt ntortunatey under the late excellent law allow
sl'oWlhg salary, instead of per diem, to MEM
oeis OF Congress, the cx penss ana inconvenience
o. called session viii be greatly reduced.
cannot conclude without commencing to your
IaFoIable consideration the interests Of TIE peo.
PIE oi 'hs Dictfict. Without representative on
ue h9oF Of Congress, they have for this very reo-
son peculiar claims upon our just regard. TO this
Gov, from my l5ng acc quaintance with them, they
enInently entitled. JAMES BUCHANAN.
"A'HrSGTGN, Dec. 8, 1857.