Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1857-12-10


In that year there were 1000 post
offices +; in 1887, HIT; in 1917,
Is. l46: and in 1851 they number 26,5S6, In
this year LBS post Offices have been establish
ed and 704 discontinued, leaving a net increase
of l,02l. The postmasters of 268 Offices are
appointed by the President.
The length of post roads in 1897 was 1885,
226 miles; in 1897, al ,242 miles: in lS47,
l5S, SIS miles: and in the var 1857 there q e
2I2, COL miles of post road, including 22530
miles o. rail road, on which the mails are trans
ported. :
The expenditures of the department for the ifs
cal year ending on the 30th June, 1857, as adjust
ed BY the Auditor, amounted to Sll ,507 SO To
defray these expenditures there was to the credit
of the department on the LIST July, 1856, the sum
of S189, 500; the gross revenue of the year, inclu-
ding the annual allowances for the transportation
of free mail matter, produced So, 053, 951; and the
remainder was supplied by appropriation from the
treasury of 81, $50, 900 granted by act of Congress
approved August Is, 1856, and by the appropri-
alton of $500, 1888 made by the act of March 3,
1857, leaving $252, 763 to be carried to the cred
it of the department in the accounts of the cur
rent year. Icommend to your consideration
the report of the department in relation to the
establishment of the overland mad rapts from
the Mississippi river to San feAri7E6 Califor-
MIA. The route was selected N7<h II con-
c~urrenee, as one, in my judgment. eeet calcula-
ted to attain rhe important objects c~ontemplated
by Congress.
good effect should it cause both the government and
the people to return to the practice of . wise and iu-
dieisas economy, both in public and priyate expendi-
An overaowing treasury has led to habits of prodi-
gality and extravagance in our legislation. 1t has in
duced Congress to make large appropriations to objects
for which they never would have provided had 1t been
meet them BY increased taxation or BY loans We are
now compelled to pause IN our career ana 70 scruuI
in performing this duty, | pledge my cooperation to
the extent of M constitutional competency.
1t 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 us by
the constitution, and especially such as may be
necessary for the common defence. In the pres
ent crisis of the country it is our duty to coniine
our appropriations to objects Of this character,
unless in cases where justice to individuals may
demand Il different course. In all cases, care
ought to be taken that the money granted by
Congress shall be faithfully and economically
applied.
Under the federal constitution, "every bill
which shall have passed the House of Repre-
sentatives and the Senate shall, before it be-
comes a law" be approved and signed-by the
President; and, if not approved, 'he Shall re-
turn it with his objections to that house in
which it originated" 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 approval I'm
less this be afforded, the constitution becomes
a dead letter in this particular; and even worse,
it becomes a means of deception. Our constlt-
uentS, seeing the Presidents approval and sig.
II - II, - g an -
duced to believe that he has actually performed
this duty, when, in truth, nothing is, in many
cases, more unfounded.
From the practice of Congress, such an exam,
~ination of each bill as the constitution requires,
has been rendered impossible. The most I'M
portant business of each session is generally
crowded into its last hours, and the alternative
presented to the President is either to violate the
constitutional duty which he owes to the people,
and approve bills which, for want of time, 1t Is
impossible he should have examined, or, by his
refusal to do this, subject the country and indi'
viduals to great loss and inconvenience.
Besides, a practice has grown up Of late years
to legislate in appropriation bills, at the last
hours of the session, on new and important
subjects. This practice conStrains the Presi'
dent either to suffer the measures to become
laws, which he does not approve, or to incur
the risk of stopping the wheels of the govern
ment by vetUing an appropriation bill. For
merly, such bills were confined to specific APP
preparations for carrying into effect existing
laws and the well-established policy of the coun'
try, and title time was then required by the
President for their examination.
For my own part, | have deliberately deter
mined that | shall approve no bill which | have
not examined, and it will be a case of extreme
and most urgent necessity which shall ever in.
duce me to depart from this rule. | therefore
respectfully, but earnestly, recommend that the
two houses would allow the President at least
two days previous to the adjournment of each
session within which no new bill shall be pre-
scented to him for approval. Under the exist.
ing Joint rule one day is allowed; but this ruiz
has been hitherto so constantly suspended ii
practice, that important bills continue to be
presented to him up till the very last moments
of the session. In a large majority of cases NJ
great public inconvenience can arise from the
want of time to examine their provisions, be-
cruse the constitution has declared that if a bill
be presented to the President within the last ter
days of the session he is not required to return
it, either with an approval or with a veto, sir
which case it shall not be a law" 1t may then
lie over, and be taken up and passed at the mex
session. Great Inconvenience would only bt
experienced in regard to appropriation bills; bu'
fortunately, under the late excellent law allow
ing a salary, instead of a per diem, to members
of Congress, the expense and Inconvenience Of
a called session will be greatly reduced.
| cannot conclude without commencing to
your favorable consideration the interests of the
people of this District. Without a representa-.
tive on the floor of Congress, they have for this
very reason peculiar claims upoi our just re-
gard. To this | know, from my long acquaint-
tnce with them, they are emimently entitled.
JAMES BUCHANAN.
WASHINGTON Dec. 6. 1857.