The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1859-12-28

Now. II this conditional and contingent DOW.
er could be constitutionally conferred upon the
President in the case of Paraguay. why may il
notbe conferred for thepurpose ofprotecting the
lives and property of American citizens in the
event that they may be violently and unlaw-
fully attacked In passing over the transit
routes to and from California, or assailed by
the seizure of their vessels in foreign port9
To deny this power is TO render the navy in a
great degree useless for the protection Of the
lives and property of American citizens In
countries where neither protection nor redress
can be otherwise obtained. - - /
POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT.
The Thirty Fifth Congress terminated on the
Sd of March, 1853, without having passed the
'act making appropriations for the service of
tbs Post Office Department during the fiscal
year ending the 36th June, ls6us This act
also contained an appropriation @to supply de-
hciences in the revenue OF the Post Office De-
partment for the year ending the Both of June
1852" / believe this is the first instance
since the origin of the Federal Government,
now mere than seventy years ago, when any
Congress went out of existence without having
passed all the general appropriation bills me-
cessasy TO carry on the Government until the
regular period for the meeting of new Con-
gress. This event imposed on the Executive
grave responsibility. It presented choice
of evils.
Had this omission of duty occurred at the
first session of the last Congress the remedy
,antIT -oo.Iled tbap, - -
IL; tlt -. =. - ~. o..
on tba Itb of nsrah las. 't.n us
tha thirt tbra cta,as ,,t;oh sssa.a y
o,n9 wion a.e hos eiee9ea
Congress been called together Immediately these
States woyld have been disfranchised. IF an
intermediate period had been selected several
of the States would have been compelled to hold
extra sessions of their Legislatures at GREAT ex-
pense and inconvenience, to provide for cleo
ttions at an earlier dav Than -tbs+ ,,ra1,;onslv
so,3 ~ - T. AZ, snas
80 - y ~ .a". n JUG iesuiai couase Ten ol
tnese etates Wooio noe eject until after the be-
ginning August, and hve OF these ten not until
October and November. ~ sd r-s[-t
On the other hand. when came to examine
carefully the condition of the Post-offioa do.
nortnoent did not n,aat .. 49,, - - soa+
6;o-,it;a ha5 = - leeS :~
uiacsi.ceS es as ! nou apPlenenueu. hao Tue OIL
Wnlcn laneo oeen connneo TO appropriations
for the fiscal year ending on the 30th June next,
| there would have been no reasons of pressing
Importance for the call of an extra session.
| Notbinu Iponld boooma -, oor,t-oot.
aIeso II .;ino1a u1e " eohslaoSS' n
S.nose VIZ iSiiioeu Ioinpanles only oAcePteoh
ior carr tns Tue man LOT tne nfst quarter OF tne
present nscM year, commencing on the lst OF
July, until the 1St OF December-leSS than one
week before the meeting of the present Con-
gress. The reason is that the mail contractors
for this current wear did not coonloto tber t;-e+
o-..t-, - - 60, tnoii
quaf.er serfice untn the oOtn september last;
and by the terms OF their contracts sixty
more days are allowed for the settlement of
their accounts before the Department could be
called upon for payment. -vts@
The great difficulty and the great bardsh;n
consisted in the failure to provide for the paw
ment of the deficiency in the fiscal year ending
the 30th June, 1853. The Department had en-
tered into contracts, in obedience to existing
laws, for the service OF that fiscal year. and the
contractors were fairly entitled to their compen-
saslGn as ~ h became DUE me de deficiency as sta
earefaI settement of ali tSe.s ccont eu' aIser er
been ascertained that it amounts to 81 298 600
! With the scanty means at bis command the Post
master General has managed to pay that portion
of this deficiency which occurred in the first two
quarters OF the past 1scai year, ending on the
Il Slst Decemoer las-. In the meantime the con-
. Sac.ors ilieiseSes, L Ineer tnese trying eroum,
ali commendat;en Tbev ~ hod Hsagner a4, worsny 2,
the midst of their embarrassments. After the
amount due to each of them had been ascertain.
ed and finally settled according to law, this be-
came specific debt of record against the United
States, which enabled them to borrow money on
LH lnis unquestloHaole security. Stiii they were
resg and IN nrnoiia ~ s s.ioa o u
receive interest from the fsover1msnt TS;s IN.
terest should commence from the date when a
} warrant would have issued for the payment of
the principal had an appropriation been made
for the purpose. Calculated up to lst December
wiz NOV sum n not TO pc taken
sontios enJ wiz. she greas al
private ebaraoter bofh to the neara ond 4bo to
States, which would have resulted from conye
ming and holding special session of Congress.
For these reasons l recommend the passage
of bill at as early day as may be practi-
cable, to provide for the payment of the a.
mount, with Interest, due to these last men
Toned contractors, as well as to make the ne
cessary appropriations for the service of thu
Post ufhee department Tor the current fsca
year.
REFLECTIONS.
The failure to pass the post office bill neces
sarlly gives birth to serious reflections. Congress
py refusing 10 pass the general appropriation
pnls necessary 10 carry ontne government ma,
NOT oniy arrest us aeton, put mlgnt even de
s.loy ils existence. Inc army, tne navy, tn'
Juu,oleiy, Ii suoI' every oepartnene oi the gen
, sot oau NJ ionse. peiioiln shel ueetAons
1855 Leiu9S Sue niorey n9SosSsiy ~
tneii support. !. tiiis iaiiure shouio teacn pn'
~ euc neoessiy Vi eieGlihg d tui congress
IL 'iiiie W enaole tle rtesioens to con
st.n la ~ any even ihnsuiasel ,,
Soe,, 'ae S,u s nas WIN nav'
'Sa piouaoIse 1 oI " steas goee IN tillie
t;o ,ob OIL :, +;o,,. ,,,,,st - l.,
a., t rtuss W
:ne.' ',ie Teiy saisa'ioii ~ ~. instl
Go,...s,. a:;.s,,s ~ - .uo
Nv -, Suuet eue ,c ci.eu,i ~
s!e Nv snouiI hile nllssn IN th
cenai'en ~ WHICH ne was piaceo az inc CLOS
oe 5he Iast Congress, WIN nearly haii the state
!. ol ene Union oestltu5e oi re presentatiyes, Tn
- gus H ne disastrous: sneIeior OF
q af W .o tn
r. ,,as Is,,, J a4
al a+ of MI :; e ag
aiaot;a ~ yeaa ~ ouu nu4oel
~, vno Se M, M