Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-03-26
81 3S5 PSI IS
4

81 385 Isl IS
The S74s.s4l 68--being the uDpaiI balance of
the quarters liabilities closing 3lst Dec inter, and
payable 18th February-can and will be paid by
the Department withia Sky days from this da e;
the pay ment of the principal part IF it viii be inside
wi hin thirty days The effect Of this will be TO dr.
vide the entire deficit OF 81 885, % 30 between The
quarters ending 3lst March and 50h June, and
payable 3lst Nay and 3lst August, SO that the sus
pension Of Jaymv mt on no rGrt Of this indebt, due3s
will exceed b,yond feg days, six moths before
ths regular meeting Of COBgros'; on nearly one hsG
of it the suspension vii. De but few days mere
than three months
1 is "A grew US misfortune to Tie contractors that
the Department has been lett without the meA's Of
dischar gipg this deb its maturity. Undec exit
ing eircQ Instances, however, i, woa lie inpossi
be TO convene Congress ia time 70 meet tbese re-
sponsibiliiies without virtually excluding from that
body the representatives. Of several If the sovereign
States OF This conf DEBATED government. This
would be a just cause of serious compliant.
The CHOICE of the P,5i eat ii s been undoubtedly
a choice between great eVIsi but, in his judgm nj,
tie lesser evil would be to wal. until the first
dsy Cf December, hen CoBgrtsi will be fu;i
The deOts due AMI TO become due, II the cod'rsc-
Of a ,cred character. The ntracts
of which these debts arise have been entered into
under the express authority Of existing laws a
Congress. To appropriate money for their Fay
Is obligatory aad binding upon Congress az
i; is to provide for the pr pal and interest OF the
NATIONAL debt There never will be here never
be-a regulations of this debt BY the repre-
sentatiYes Of the American people Al er the
amount due 10 each contractor eha have been ass
ceItsined aud finally settled according o law, this
amoGDt becomes u spec.fC debt Of rec re against
the United States / 8 pSy neat is inevitable, and
ii the contractor desires 10 borrow ney upon il
the lender could have 10 better security. Be -idgs,
as Congress are 10 defaul for MT hagiug ma IL
Appropriation to meet THIS debl it would be DO mere
ksn c.rfgt Irtusc how, ~ Ia u
ment Of interest on these accounts from the time Of
their final adjustment by the accounting officers Of
the department, and when a warrant would have
Issued for their payment, hadan appropriation been
made This interest, excluding from view that on
the S749, 81 now in the course OF payment, aud al
plying on he lst OF JIly to the extinguishmeut
the principal the 500 900 FOR free matter, which
will be then svaiable-shoUld Congress think prop
er to allow i would en- unt TO less han 500 90
"a sum not TO be compared with the great difiieu-
ties AID embaIrassments Of a public and privae
character which would result from holding speoinl
session of Congress- to say nothing of the expense
that would necessarily be incurred. even though the
members should T. ceived no additional pay.
system of retr nchment, far may be prac-
iicahle under existing laws, is now imperative
duty in the administration of the Department. BY
the acJ approved June a. 1858, Congress estsbi h
ed six hundred and Ninety five new post routes, The
service of whch-including the St. Paals and PA
get Sound route, established in March, 1855. hut
not yet put into operaIion-it has been estimated
would require annual appropriation from the
treasuay OF S604 0S8 over the above receipts
ing theresrom. Not a dollar, however has be-
appropriated for this purpose, and, a necessary
result the contracts Tor these routes, Though tn
have been advertised and proposals received, cannot
be closed until the necessary funds shall have been
provided.
Vely respectfully, your obedient sarven',
J. Holt.
To GEORGE MATTISGLY, Eeq,
Superintendent Potomac Steamship
Company, Washington
In quarters usually The best iufOrme on such
subejo 5, it is said that the law yuihorizlcg cOn>
tracts will continue to be carried out, embracing the
issue Ct treasury warrants as usual But as there