Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1857-12-17

treasury. as it has been compelled to do
for several years past, for an important
norton of the means of sustaining and ex
tending its operations. Their rapid growth
and expansion are shown by decennisl
statement of the number of post offices,
and the length of post roads, commencing
with the year 1897. In that year there
were 1000 post offices; in 1887, 11,177;
in 1S47. Is, 156; and in 1857 they num-
Der 70, $50. In this year, 1,725 post Off
ces have been established and 704 discon-
tinued, leaving net increase of l.O2l.-
The postmasters of 36S offices are appoint
ed by the President
The length of post roads in 1877 was
los, 1856 miles; in 1887, 141 ,242 miles; in
in lS47, 153.SlS miles; and in the year
1857 there are 2I2, 60l miles of post road,
Including 22,530 miles of railroad, on
which the mails are transported.
The expenditures of the department for
the fiscal year ending on the Goth of June,
1857, As adjusted by the Auditor, amount
ed to Sll ,507 $40 To defray these eX
penditures there was to the credit of the
department on the lst of July. 1856, the
sum of $3.50, 500; the gross revenue of the
wear, including the animal allowance for
the transportation of free mail matter, pro-
,luccd sS.053 ,951; and the remainder was
supplied by the appropriation from the
treasury of %. $50. 900, granted by the act
of Congress. approved August 1856, and
by the appropriation of 1866, SS3 made by
the act of March 8, 1857, leaving, 1852.
7tj3 to be carried to the credit of the de-
partment in the accounts of tn? current
year. / commend to your consideration
the report of the overland mail route from
the Mississippi river to San Francisco,
California. The route was selected with
NV full concurrence, as the one, in my
Judgment. best calculated to attain the
impertsnt objects contemplated by Con
Sress>
Public Expenditures.
The late disastrous monetary revulsion
NAV have one good effect should it cause
both the government an,l the people to re-
turn to the practice of a wise aud iudicious
economy both iN public AMI private cxpen-
Aisu~s.
An Overlooking treasury has lei to hab-
as Of prodigality ami extravaganza in
our legislation 1t has induced Congress
to make large appropriations to objects
for which they never would have provided
hal it been necessary to- raise the amount of
revenue required To met them by an in
creased taxation or By loans. We are now
compelled to pause i'll our career, ami to
srrutinize or expenditures with the ut
most vigilance and in performing this duty.
/ pledge my cooperation to the extent of
any constitutional competency.
IL ought to be observed at the same
time that true public economy does not
consist in withol ling tn, NJ an, n, 'eSsary
"a accomplish imp prtant national objects
intru,tel 10 It's by the constitution, an eS-
j.. lilly ~ Ii as may be necessary for TIA.
common defence. Ia ti.e present crisis of
tic ceuntry it is cur duty to coniine our APP
preparation, to objects ef thi character. I'M
les, in caseS. where Justice to individuals
snay ,lemau different course. In al ca
>cs ear, ousIt to be taken that tn money
sram:el bE CeMsre>s shall be faithfully an
nnemi.-slls s3rlic,t
y;ne Re n red for T. aininafro, &c Bills
Tn Ter the Federal Constitution. every
bill which shall have PASSED the House oi
representatives AMI the Senate sha |. he
fore it becomes a law. be approved an!
sigued by the President: AMI, ifuot approx
Il. "hc shall return it with his ehie tions
10 that hsl,c IN Viii h it originated" In
nt-!er To p7'.fa.m this hi i AM resp onsi-
ID i Il. suffer nj time must be ALLOW
81 he President tn rca anl examine every
bill presented to him for approval Ina,
A'-s this be Afforded the Constitution be
comes deal lettter in this particular; an
even worse. it becomes a means OF de
'ption. Oar constituents, seeing the
Presilea approval an signature attached
10 eath at OF Congress. are inluccl to be-
lfere that h has .tually pc form | his du
ty. when, in truth. nothing Is. in many ca
ses. more unfounlel.
From the pa tice of Congress, such an
examination OF each bill as the en~titution
acquires, ha, been rendered impossible
The most importaa; business si each ses-
zion !, generally crowded into It's Lax hours,
and the alternative presented to the Pres
j lent is either TO violate the constitutional
duty which he gives to the people. aal ap-
prove bills which, for want of tiinn it is
impossible he should have examined or,
l,y his refusal to do this, Subject the coun
Try AMI individuals to great less.eEl incon-
Venience
Besides, practice has grown up of
late years to lcgislate M appropriation
bills, at the last hours of the session, on
new and important subjects. This prac-
tice censtrains the President either to suff-
'er measures to bee ,mc laws which he does
mot approve, or to incur the risk of stop
ping the wheels of the government BY We
'toing an appropriation bill Formerly.
such bills were confined to specific appro-
priations for carrying into effect existing
laws AMI the vel established policy of
the country. au.l little time was then re-
quired by the President for their examina-
tion.
For my own part, | have deliberately
determined that | shall approve no bill
which ! have net examined, and it will be
n case of extreme and most urgent necessary
which shall ever induce me to depart from
shlS rule. therefore respectfully, but
earnestly recommend that the two houses
would allow the President at least two