Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1857-12-08

several years past for important portion of the
of sustaining and extending its operations Their rapid
growth and expansion shown by decenna statement
of the number of post Offices and the length of post
roads, commencing with the year 1897. In that veal
there were 1000 post offices in 1887 II, III in 1847
Is, l46 and in 1857 they number $685. In this yea,
l725 post offices have been established and 704 discon
tinued leaving net increase OF 12l The postinasen
Of 36S offices are appointed by the President.
The length of post roads in 1927 los, 1886 miles
in 1887, al 242 miles in lS47 1913 slS miles and in
GLIDING 70 $50 miles of railroad which the mails
| transported
The expenditures of the department for the fiscal
ending the 30th June, 1857 adjusted by the Audi
tor, amounted to $40 To defray these expendi
titles there was to the credit of the department the LIST
July 1885, the of $3.50 500; the gross OF
the year, including the annual allowances for the trans
poration of free mail matter produced So ISL and
the remainder supplied by the appropriation from the
treasury of So O0O granted by the act of Congress
approved August 49, 1896, and by the appropriation OF
S666;SS3 made by the act of March 8, 1857 leaving
6S 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
selected with my full concurrence the one, in my
Judgment best calculated to attain the important objects
contemplated by Congress.
The late disastrous monetary revuson may have one
good effect should it both the government and the
people to return to the practice of wise and udcous
economy both in public and private expenditures.
An OVERLOOKING treasury has led to habits of prodgal-
ity and extravaganza in legislation 1t has induced
Congress make large appropriations to objects for which
they would have provided had it been necessary to
raise the amount of required to meet them by
increased taxation by loans We are now compelled
to pause in career and to scrutnze expenditures
with the utmost vigilance and in performing this duty
pledge my cooperation to the extent of my constitu
| tional competency
1t ought to be observed at the same time that true
public economy does not consist in withholding the
necessary to accomplish important national objects in
trusted to by the constitution end especially such as
may be necessary for the coinoh defence In the pres
crisis of tile country it is our duty to conne our APP
preparations objects of this character unless in cases
where Justice to individuals may demand different
course In all ought to be taken that the
money granted by Congress shall be faithfully and Geo.
nomically applied. ... IL
Under the federal constitution 'every bill which shall
passed the House of Representatives and the Senate
shall before it becomes law be approved and signed
by the President and if not approved, he shall re-
turn with his objections to that house in which it orig
inated In order to perform this high and responsible
duty sufficient time must be allowed the President to
read and examine every bill presented to him for ap
prevail Unless this be afforded the constitution becomes
dead letter in this particular and even worse IL be-
comes means of deception. Our constituents seeing
the Presidents approval and signature attached to each
act of Congress- induced to believe that he has act
ally performed this duty when, in truth, nothing u.s. III
many cases, unfoundcd.
From the practice of Congress, such an examination OF
each bill as the constitution requires has been rendered
impossible The most important business OF each session
generally crowded into its last hours and the alternative
presented to the President either to violate the cons
tutiona duty which he to the people, and approve
bills which, for want of time, it is impossible he should
have examined or by his refusal to do this subject the
country and individuals to great loss and inconvenience
Besides q practice has grown up of late years to egis
late in appropriation bills at the last hours of the session.
on new and important subjects This practice constrans
the President either to suffer measures to become laws
which he does not approve OF to incur the risk OF stop
ping the wheels of the government by vetong an appro
pration bill Formerly such bills confined to spe
cifc appropriations for carrying into effect existing laws
and the established policy of the country, and little
time was then required by the President for their exa
| nation.
For nv own part have deliberately determined that
shall approve no bill which l have not examined
and it will be of extreme and most urgent neces
sity which shall ever induce to depart from this
rule. therefore respectfully, but earnestly, recon-
mend that the two houses would allow the President at
least two days previous to the adjournment OF each
sion within which no new bill shall be presented to him
for approval Under the existing joint rule day
is allowed but this rule has been hitherto SO con
stanty suspended in practice that important bills con-
tnue to be presented to him up till the very last moments
of the session. In large majority of cases no great
public inconvenience arise from the want o time to
examine their provisions, because the constitution has
declared that bill be presented to the Presidelt within
the last ten days of the session he is not rcqud to
turn it, either with approval with veto I'm which
case it shall not be law" 1t may then lie over and be
taken up and passed at the next session Greet ncon
venence would only be experienced in regard appro
pration bills but fortunately, under the late excellent
law allowing salary instead of per diem, to members
of Congress- the expense and inconvenience of called
session will be greatly reduced.
cannot conclude without commencing to your favor
able consideration the interests of the people of this Dis
trict Without representative the floor of Congress-
they have for this very peculiar claims upon
lust regard TO this know, from my long acquaintance
with them, they are emnenty entitled
JAMES BUCHANAN.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 8, 1851