Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1858-06-18
The President and the Adjournment.

to do his duty Understandings and to be President in
fact, as well as in name.
To the Senate and House of Representatives:
feel it to be an indispensable duty to call your at
tenon to the condition of the treasury On the 18th
day of May last the Secretary OF the Treasury submitted
report to Congress on the present condition of the
finances of the government In this report he states
that after call upon the heads Of departments he had
received official information that the Of $4,000,
900 would probably be required during the first two
quarters of tie next fiscal year. from the first of July
til the LIST of January This sum- the Secretary says
does not include such amounts may be appropriated
bv Congress over and above the estimates submitted to
them by the departments, and | have data which
to estimate for such expenditures. Upon this point
Congress better able to form correct opinion than
am"
The Secretary then estimates that the receipts in
to the treasury from all sources between the lst OF July
and the LIST of January would amount to 1000,
leaving deficit of $15,OOO000, inclusive of the Of
about $3OOOOOO, the least amount required to be in
the treasury at all times to its successful opera
ton. For this amount he recommends loan. This
loan it will be Observed was required after close cal
cuation to meet the estimates from the different depart
ments and not such appropriations as might be made
by Congress over and above these estimates.
There was embraced in this Of $l5,O0O,OO0 est-
mates to the amount of about 81 100000 for the three
volunteer regiments authorized by the act of Congress
approved April T. 1858 for two of which, if not for
the third no appropriation will now be required 10 this
extent portion of the loan of 81 100000 may be ap
piled to pay the appropriations made by Congress be-
yond the estimates from the different departments refer
red to in the report of the Secretary of the Treasury
To what extent probable deficiency may exist in the
treasury between the LIST July and the st January next
cannot be ascertaned until the appropriation bills,
well as the private bills containing apprOprla-
tons, shall have finally passed.
Adversely teaches useful lessons to nations well
individuals The habit of exravagant expenditures fos
NV 1oroo rrrr1c in no m ~
corrected, the country will be involved in serious
financial difficulties.
Under any form of government extravaganza IN ex-
pendture must be the natural consequence when those
who authorize the expenditure feel responsibility in
providing the means of payment. Such bad been for
number of years our condition previously to the ate
monetary revulsion in the country Fortunately at
least for the of public economy, the case is now
reversed and to the extent of the appropriations what
ever these may be- engrafted the different appropra
ton bills, well those made by private bills,
and above the estimates of the different departments it
will be necessary for Congress to provide the means OF
payment before their adjournment. Without this the
treasury will be exhausted before the first of January
and the public credit will be seriously impaired This
disgrace must not fall upon the country.
1t is impossible for me, however, now to ascertain this
amount does there at present to be the least
probability that this be done, and the necessary
means provided by Congress to meet deficiency which
may exist in the treasury before Monday next at II
o'clock, the hour fixed for adjournment, it being
Saturday morning at halfpast II o'clock. To accom-
pish this object the appropriation bills have
finally passed Congress- must be before and time must
be allowed to ascertain the amount of the moneys appro
prated and to enable Congress to provide the necessary
means. At this writing it is understood that several of
these bills yet before the committees of Conference,
and the amendments to of them have not been
printed.
Foreseeng that such state of things might exist at
the close of the session. stated in the annual message
to Congress of December last that from the practice of
Congress such examination Of each bill as the con-
stitution requires has been rendered impossible" The
most important business of each session is generally
crowded into its last hours and the alternative present
cd to the President is either to violate the constitutional
duty which he owes to the people and approve bills
which, for want of time it is impossible he should have
examined by his refusal to do this, bect the
try and individuals to great loss and inconvenience
For my own part, 1 have deliberately determined
that shall approve bills which have not examined
and it will be case of extreme and most urgent neces-
sy which shall induce to depart from this rule
The present condition of the treasury absolutely
qures that should adhere to this resolution the pre-
sent occasion for the which have heretofore
presented.
In former times it believed to be the true charac-
ter OF an appropriation bill simply to carry into effect
listing laws and the established policy of the country
practice has, however grown up oate years to engrat
on such bills at the last hours of the session large ap
preparations for and important objects not provided
for by preexsting laws and when time is left to the
Executive for their examination and investigation. No
alternative is thus left to the President but either to
approve without examination or, by vetoing
an appropriation BILL seriously to embarrass the opera
tons Of the government. This practice could never
have prevailed without surplus in the treasury suffi-
GENTLY large to an indefinite amount of appropri-
atoms Necessity cOmpels to arrest it, at least
so far to afford time to ascertain the amount appro-
priated, and to provide the means of its payment.
For all these reasons, recommend to Congress to
postpone the day of adjournment for brief period.
promise that not hour shall be lost in ascertanng the
amount ofappropratons made by them for which it will
be necessary to provide. know it will be inconvenent
for the members to attend called session. and this
above all things desire to avoid.
JAMES BUCHANAN
Washington City, June II, 1858.
Later New Mexico.
ST. LOUIS June 9.-The government train from New
Mexico arrived at Leavenworth this evening. 1t left
Santa Fe May 18th and Fort Union on the 18th, in
company with the mail for independence; Major Sten
of the first dragons 1t Hastings Capt. cFerran of
the quartermasers department, with their families Oh
leave of absence also Mrs. General Garland, Messrs.
Southwic and Sawyer surveyors of the southern over
land mail route with an escort of twenty-five men, I'M
der 1t. Craig, accompanied the train.
Large bands of Cheyennes, Arrapahoes Keowas and
Camanche Indians, and large numbers of emigrants
bound to California were met on the plains The for
mer peaceably disposed. The Santa Fe road was in
excellent ORDER and the whole party came through in %
days.
1t is reported that continued efforts are being made
to organize territorial government Arizona Rich
gold deposits have been discovered in the neghborhood
of Tuscon.
Two Weeks Later from California.
New YORK, June 12-The steamer Star of the
West arrived here this morning, bringing about half
million in specie a" the mails of the 10th.
The news from California is unimportant Abundant
crops are predicted.
Considerable excitement existed in consequence of