The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-03-25
posr OFFICE AFY4IRs--No Extra SESSION
from the Baltimore Republican, March cal

e. FROM tne haNiinoIb htpupHcaHt Ai1Ttu ~oI
The National Intelligcnper, with its u~nyielding ami
mostly to democracy, is the first to attack the admins
tration for declining to incur the heavy expense of an
extra session, intended to have been forced upon the
country by the opposition party in the last Congress.
With the deep cunning of these old, willy, and selfish
politicians, the Intelligencer undertakes to argue that
upon democratic principles it was necessary TO have the
extra session, and that it is n violation of those princi-
pies not to pay the mail contractors in gold and silver
the legal currency of the nation. The factious opposition
with which the lntelligencer has, ever since the admins
tration of jackson, been found acting, refused to pass the
appropriation bill for the support of the Post Office De-
partment, making ii necessa,y that the head Of that de-
p~aTtinent should devise some means of carr ing on its
operations without the legal currency. For this factious
and malignant act of the opposition, the organs of that
utilization are now attempting to hold the Postmaster
General and the administration responsible. The in
justice and wantonness of this course must be apparent
to every right thinking mind But let us see what the
Postmaster General proposes to do which is so subversivc
of democratic principles in the eyes of these old oppo-
nents of democracy, Having been denied by the oppo
sition in Congress the usual appropriation to meet the
expenses of the department, Mr.. Holt, its honest and
able head, proposes to do the best in his power for those
who have made contracts for carrying the mails. Not
having the money to give them, he proposes TO give them
a due Dill for the several amounts they may be entitled to.
Now, there is nothing against democracy or its principles
in such an act as this. There is nothing against the most
rigid principles of Justice in thus achnouiedging a debt
which we have not the means in hand to pay. 1t is an
every day operation with the business world, and none
but parties hunting for cause for censure would complain
of IL.
For ourselves, we rejoice in the decision of the cabi-
net, and i'm the determination of Mr.. Holt, the Post
master General. lie deserves the hearty thanks of
the nation for that decision which has saved the country
from the expense of an extra session, and from the ex-
element and mischief which such a gathering of an in.
complete Congress principally factionists Of the worst
class) would have brought upon IL. IL rigid economy,
faithful attention to all the details of the department,
and a wide comprehensive view of its best interests will
be sufficient to carry IL through the existing present em
barrassments, the present incumbent is The man for the
post. He will not be moved from the straightforward
path of duty by any captious complainings of the opposi-
ton, but will faithfully and steadily apply himself to the
duties devolved upon him, onerous and exacting as
they have been made by the action of Congress. The
opposition mus. find some stronger ground of complaint
against the administration than anything growing out of
a refusal to call an extra session, or they will fail TO az.
feet the public mind adversely"
From the Albany Alta and Argus, March 23J
The country will be grati6ed that the President has
arrived at the conclusion to attempt to carry on the ope-
rstions OF the government without the aid Of an extra
session Of the new Congress. Our legislative bodies,
State and national, meet 50 frequently and continue III
session so long, that the people become wearied with the
daily details OF their doings, and like the Legislators
themselves, really feel relief and repose during the recess,
An extra session Is regarded Ms an unpleasant infiction,
creating in advance apprehensions of unwise legislation.
and tending to disturb the current OF public affairs and
the business Of The country. The people, therefore,
would sustain the President in the exercise of doubtful
powers in carrying along the government till the regular
session, in preference 70 an extraordinary session during
the summer.