Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1858-01-07
The post-fnasters Of S68 Offices are
q. IL D-~~s<losxk

The post masters or 800 0lnceS are
appointedby the President.
The length Of post roads in 1927
was 105,339 miles; IN 1887, AL
S22 miles; in 1347. 1913, 8l6 miles;
and in the year 1858 there are S42,-
COL miles Of post road, including
22,530 miles Of railroad oh which
the mails are transported.
The expenditures of the depart
ment for the fiscal year ending on
the Goth Of June, 1857, as adjusted
by the Auditor, amounted to SILL
507, $40. TO defray these expen-
ditures. thers was to the credit Of
the department on the lst Of July,
1856, the sum Of S789,599; the
gross revenue of the year, including
the annual allowances for. the trans
portation Of free mail matter, pro-
duced s3,053, 95l; and the remain
der was supplied by the appropria-
ton from the Treasury Of S2,250,-
900, granted by the act Of Congress
approved August Is, 1856, and by
the appropriation of S666,833 made
by the act of March 8, 1857, leav-
ing S252.763 10 be carried to the
credit Of the department in the ac-
counts Of the current year. COM
mend to your consideration the re-
port Of the department in relation to
the establishment Of the overland
mail route from the Mississippi river 10
San Francisco, California. The route
was selected With my full concurrence,
as the one, in my judgment, best
calculated TO attain the important
objects contemplated by Congress.
The late disastrous monetary
Revision may have one good effect
should i. cause both the govern
ment and the people to return to the
practice of a wise and judicious
economy both in public and private
expenditures.
An OVERLOOKING treasury has led
to habits Of prodigality and extray-
lagance in our legislation. 1t has
induced Congress 10 make large
appropriations to objects for which
they never would have provided
had it been necessary to raise the
amount of revenue required to meet
themby increased taxation or by loans.
We are nov compelled to pause in
our career, and to scrutinize our
expenditures with The utmost yigi-
lance, and in performing this duty,
! pledge my cooperation to the ex-
tent Of my constitutional competency.
thought to 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, aud especially
such as may be necessary for the
common defence. In the present
lcrisis of the Country it is our duty
| to confne our appropriations to OBJ
jects of this character, unless 10
cases we're justice to individuals may
demand 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
aevery bill! which shall have passed
the House of Representatives and
Senate. shall before it becomes a
law be approved and signed BY
the President, and If not approved,
.she shall return it With his objec-
lions to that house in which it orig
mated 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 partic-
ular; and even worse-it becomes
means Of deception. Our constitu-
ents, seeing the Presidents approx
al and signature attached to each act
Of Congress, are induced to believe
that he has actually performed this
duty, than which, in truth, nothing
is, 10 mAny cases: more unfounded.
From the practice of Congress,
such an examination 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
is either to violate the
duty which he owes to
the people, and approve bills, which,
for want If firno II ic imnoscihla ho I