The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1857-12-09

will he inrovrnvsfed into ts Union 6 one OF the
sovereign States.
It viii lie sven from Tho repart "a the postma.
Ter General that the Poss 0iEcs Department stu
.ssatinues to 'ieFand OF the treasury. ms u hss
tween compelled 10 do Tor several years past tor ~
important portion Of the means Of sustaining 81.
extending is operations. Their rapid growth and
expansion are shown by decelnial statement y.
she number of post ofices and the length OF re '
,ads. commanding with she year lsS. 10 10
IL Iss7. fs.lss: and in fsss they number %. sse
Ia this year f525 post offices have been
and TU4 discontinued. lesving mes increase %
l.92f The pretaasteis OF 35s . hcesats spi ntei
~ the President. ;,
IN lxs7 iSIasa miles, In tst. ls miles and 70 the
year 1881 there are e sa % MICH Ss. ,h Saa mali r.
IN" ~ a,iares Of the depart pont Cor the fi.cai
AUDITOR amount 10 i.p7 .67e To detfay these
penditnres there to bscredt Of the department,
"a the LIST Jnly 1856 tho sim of S5ses9; the
revenue of the year. III 'luding the annual allow
nees for the transportation III flee mail matter
produced Ssos3 ss; aud the remainder WAS supplied
ny the appropriation from the treasury OF 81 2g0si
rranted by the act OF Congress aprrosed August ~
's,a, and by the appropriation az seda ss3 made b.
be act at March 3 1857, leaving s25s, 563 10 be
red 10 the credit Of tho department in the accounts
the eurreet year. commend 10 your eHnsidPra-
tien The report Of the department n relation to the
Establishment ofthe overland mtil routs from the
Mississippi river 10 Saa Prancisco California. The
Fante was selected with my fuli concurrence as tn
m ooriant object contemplated by Congress
The late disastrous monetary reyuison bsay have
ne good ELECT should Il csuse boz Ia The government
md the pt ople 10 returv 10 the practice Of ami
iud'cion' economy both In public and private ex-
penditnres
An OVERT owing treasury has led 10 habits of
prod galty and extravaganza IN our LEGISLATION. II
mas inducs Congress 10 make large appropriations
T. oyecisinf which they never would have prov ded
lad IT bes n"ee-ssrs to raise the amount OF revenue
required to meet them by increased taxation OF
by losns. We are now comp He'd 10 pause in ou1
areer. and 20 scrutnze expeni itures with the
utmost vigilance; and IN performing this duty, !
ie"e NJ" 80" "rsiicn 10 the exteht Of my cOnstitu-
tional comI ct ncy.
10 ,"e observed at the same time that
rue pablo economy do-s not consist in Withholding
the means necessary to accomplish impair ant ."
onai objects entrusted 70 us by the constitution.
III especially snt may he necessary for the com,
aon defence In the FRS mt crisis ot the country II
n duty 10 ooarn- our appropriations to OBJ iect
fthis character unless in where Justice TO in
lividuals may demand a different course In all
cs.es care ought Ia be taken thatih oney granted
III pIe cnsre'' stall be faithfully and economically ap
Under the federal n,,itution. "evsry b1l which
hall nave PASSED the tAouse cf KeI Tesentatives an
senate shaft befo'e it becomes law" be approved
and sigued by the resident; ami. II nos approved
he sh al return il with bis objections to that house
Ia which II originated" In order T. perform this
align snd responsible duty, sufficient time must be
flowed the President to read, and examine every
bill presented to him for approval Unlts. thi, be
forded, the constitution becomess dead letter ii
tus Particular; and even worse. it becomes mean.
IF deception. Our constituents, seeing the Presi-
Congress, are Induced to believe that hs hes &C.
uslly Performed this duty when, in truth, nothins
- in many cases more unfounded.
From the practice of Congress, such an examina-
ton OF each bill rs the constitution requires has
been rendered impossible. The most important husi-
iess of each session is generally crowded into it,
last hours and the alternative presented the Pres
iisnt is either violate the constitutional duty
which be owes to- the peo"le, ard approve bilfs
which, for want of time. it is impossible he shonld
have examined or. by bis refusal to this subject
the country and individuals 90 great loss and iuc
yenience.
Resides a practice has grown up Of late years ia
iegislate in appropriation bills at the last hours of
the session. on rev and important subjects. This
practice strains the President either to suffer
measures TO become laws which he does not approve
or N incur the risk - stopping the wheels of the
vernment by Vetoing an appropriation bill For
merly such biia confined to sp~ofic apprs pra.
ions fnr carrying into effect Existing laws ard the
Well established policy OF the country, and little
animation
For mg own part / have deliberately determines
that stall approve no bill which have not exam
nei, ald it wills he Of extreme and most Ut
| gent necessity which shall induce me TO de-
part ffsm this Tuis therefore respectfully bu
rarnest = rec mmend that the two houses wanid al
low tbs President at least two day previnus 10 the
adjournment of each session within which no new
bill shall be presented to him for approval Under
the exiting Joint rule one day is allowed; but tn
| rue has been hitherto so constantly suspended in
prsctce that important bills continue to be presen
ed to him up till the very last moments Of the SIS
.ioIl. In large majority of cases great public
iucouye ieuce can arise from the want If time n az
anime their prov isioDa because the constitution has
decla ed that If bill De presented to the President
within the last ten daJ OF tbs SEES ion h is not r.,
gured to return it, either with approval or VITO
in which case 1t hall not be a law 1t may then
10 over and be taken mp and passed at the next
| on. Great inconvenience would only he excel len
eel In regard to appropriation iils but fortunate.
~. uder the late scrent law lowing u salary, in
stead of per diem, TO members OF Congress the ex
pensc and Inconvenience of called session win be
| sreatly reduced
| cannot conclude without commenting to your f.
yorsbe consideration the inter rsts of the people o
| Sp hnnI
OF Congress, they have for this worry II ason pecus!
| claims upou our just regard. To this know fror:
| my long acquaintance with them, th,y eminent
| II entitle l. JANIS BUCHANAN
L WASHINGTON Dec s