Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1857-12-16

may then be disposed of at public or entered al
nrivats salem unlimited quantities.


private salei in unlimited quantities.
Speculation has of late years prevailed to igreat
extent in the public lands. The consequence Mas
been that large portions OF them nass sUd tbns
the price is greatly enhanced to those VINO ueSne
to purchase for actual settlement. In oruer ~
limit the area of speculation much as possiDie U
extinction of the Indian title and the extension u
the public surveys ought only to keep pace WIZ"
the time of emigration. ,,.gA 80.
IF Congress should hereafter grant alternate Sec
lions to State or companies, as they nave Snte
heretofore, recommend that the intermeolase
sections retained by the government snouia oe SUI
ject 10 presumption by actual settlers; ..,.o
II oucht ever to be our cardinal policy to reserve
the pubic lands much as may be I0r ac'Iai ses
tiers, and this at moderate prices. We shall tnus
not only hest promote the prosperity OF the new
States and Territories and the power OF the Union
but shsll secure homes for our posterity LOT many
The extension of our limits has brought within
our jurisdiction many additional ana PoPuioos
tribes of Indians, lurge proportion Oh "hiDn
wild untractabe, and difficult to control. fIeua.
tory and warlike in their disposition and HABITS IL
is impossible altogether to restrain them from COM
hitting aggressiOns on each other, as wen as upon
our frontier citizens and those emigrating 10 our
distant States and Territories Hence expensive
military expeditions are frequently necessary "
overawe and chastise the more lawless anu h1sel1
The present system of making them 'aluapie
presents to influence them to remain at peace mas
proved Intellectual. 1t is believed to De the pet.e.
pocy TO eoonize them in suitable localities, where
they can receive the rudiments OF educatlon anu SC
gradually induced to adopt habits OF lnIusty I'D
far as the experiment has been tried, it has WORKED
web in practice, and it will doubtless prove W We
less expensive than the present system. IT,
The whole number of Indians within our territo-
rial limits is believed to be, from the pest oa'a III
the Interior Department, about S25,O
The tribes of Cherokees, Choctaws, Chickasaws,
and Creeks, settled in the territory SET apartlor
them west of Arkansas, are rapidly aavancing iH
education and in all the arts OF CIVILIZATION anu sen
government, and we may indulge the az ~
ficipation that at no very distant day they VIII DC
Incorporated into the Union as one OF the sover-
II will be seen from the report of the postmaster
General that The Post Office Department still contn
ues to depend on the treasury as II mas eeen COLL
need to do for several years past for important
portion of the means of sustaining ana extenoing
It's operations The rapid growth and expansion are
shown BY decennial statement OF the NUMBER OF
post Offices and the length of post roads, commenc,
ing with the year 1927 In that year mere was ~
post offices; IN 1887 11.l7; in 1S47, 10, and In
iS57 they number $685. In this year l,72o post
offices have been established and 704 discontinued,
leaving net increase of 1921. The postmasters OF
1868 offices are appointed by the President :,
The length of post roads in 1927 was NO. S3S miles
in 1887, l4l 242 miles; in 1s47, 1888 miles, and
in the year 1851 there 24260l miles ofpost road
including 1850 miles of railroad, on winch the
mails are transported. :,
The expenditures of the department for the fiscal
wear ending on the S0th June, 1885, as adjusted by
the Auditor, amount to ll, go To defray these
expenditures there to the credit OF the depart
ment on the lst July 1856, the sum OF 1888 the
gross revenue of the year, including the annual al
owances for the transportation OF free mail matter
produced IS, ,95l and the remainder was sup
piled by an appropriation from the treasury of ST..
ESQ 900, granted by the act of Congress approved
August 49, 1856, and by the appropriation OF $685.,
$50 made by the act of March 8, 1851 leaving $780,
1888 to be carried to the credit of the department In
the accounts of the current year. commend to
your consideration the report OF the department In
relation to the establishment OF the overland mail
route from the Mississippi river to San Francisco,
California. The route was selected with my full
concurrence as the one, in my Judgment, best calcu
lated to attain the important object contemplated by
Congress.
The late disastrous monetary revulsion may have
one good effect should it cause both the government
and the people to return to the practice Of wise and
udicious economy both in public and private expen-
ditures.
An overfowing treasury has led to habits of prod
igality and extravaganza in our legislation 1t has
induced Congress to make large appropriations to
objects for which they never would have provided
had it been necessary to raise the amount of reye
nue. required to meet them by increased taxation or
by loans We are now compelled to pause in our
career and to scrutinize our expenditures with the
utmost vigilance; and in performing this duty,
tutional competency.
II ought to be observed at the same time that true
public economy does not consist IN withholding the
means necessary to accomplish important national
objects intrusted to by the Consultation, and es-
pecally such as may be necessary for the common
defence In the present crisis of the country 1T Is
our duty to conne our appropriations 10 opJects Oh
this character unless in cases where justice TO ind
yidusls may demand different course. In all cases
care ought to be taken that the money granted by
SSflsS. shall be ''''''"''' ANS 49,
Under the Federal Constitution, 'every bill which
shall have passed the House of Representatives and
the Senate shall, before it becomes law, be ap-
proved and signed by the President; and if not APP
proved, "he shall return it with his objections TO
that house in which it originated. In order to per-
form this high and responsible duty sufficient 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
means of deception. Our constituents, seeing the
Presidents approval and signature attached to each
act of Congress- induced to believe that he has
actually performed this duty, when, in truth, moth
ing is, in many cases, more unfounded.
From the practice of Congress, such an examina
ton of each bill as the Constitution requires, has
been rendered impossible. The most important bus
mess of each session is generally crowded into Its
last hours and the alternative presented to the Pre-
sident is either to violate the Constitutional duty
which he owes to the people, and approve bills
have examined Or by his refusal to do this, subject
the country and individuals to great loss and incon-
venience.
Besides, a practice has grown up of late YEAR, to
egisate in appropriation bills at the last hours OF
the session, on new and important subjects. This
practice constrains the President either to suffer
measures to become laws which he does not approve,
or to incur the risk of stopping the wheels of the
government by vetoing an appropriation bill. For
merly such bills were confined to specie approprla-
tons for carrying into effect existing laws and the
well established policy of the country, and little
time was then required by the President for their
examination.
For nv own part have deliberately determined
that shall approve no bill which have not exam
ined and it win be case of extreme and most ur-
gent necessity which shall induce me to depart
from this rule therefore respectfully, but earnest
", recommend that the two houses would allow the
President at least two days previous to the adjourn.
ment Of each session within which no new bill shall
be presented to him for approval. Under the exist
ing joint rule one day is allowed but this rule has
been hitherto constantly suspended in practice,
that important bills continue to be presented to him
up till the very last moments OF the session. In
large majority of cases no great public inconvenience
can arise for the want of time to examine their pro-
Visions because the constitution has declared that if
bill be presented to the President within the last
ten days of the session he Is not required to return
it, either with approval or with veto, Gin which
case it shall not be law" II may then lie over,
and be taken up and passed at the next session.
Great Inconvenience would only be experienced In
regard to appropriation bills but fortunately, under
the late excellent law allowing salary, instead of
a per diem, to members of Congress- the expense
and inconvenience of called session will be greatly
reduced.
/ cannot conclude without commencing to your
favorable consideration the interests of the people
of this District. Without representative on the
floor of Congress- they have for this very Pc
culiar claims upon our just regard To this know,
from my long acquaintance with them, they are en-
inently entitled. JAMES BUCHANAN.
WASHINGTON, Dec. s, 1857.
49,, avn wINTpp CToTuINc rhe