New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-03-25

quarter parr OF TIE time. Ao'"Niht W 'NN W.
master. doctrine, altogether the most Important
brsr ch Of tie Goyerumen! u virtually Parsi5 Ied
for sx or seven mcntos in every slternste year II
the people Of sry State choose to deP'''e TIE M
selves. for longer or shorter time, OF any repre-
sentatiop in the Dstional legislature. that is their
Own sffair: bus they should lot be allowed to pl.y
the part Of the deg in the manger, and neither
lessl.te for themselves nor a.low others to DO SO.
Neither i, il true in point Of fact that Il an extra
session were summoned, any of toe States would be
deprived of representation 10 Congress. Though
not rrpress nted in tue lover House, they would be
IN tie Seuste snd, 50 the very pol teal party 70
which belong tie States that have not chosen their
representatives tss decided majority in the Sen
ate there could be no dagger Of the passage Of any
laws which those State, might disspprO'e; so that
sitter all, this pretense Of Acknowledgement is all
humbUg.
The Postmaster-Geuersl admits " that there
ought TO be no time when full Congress could
"Lot be convened" and be hopes " that such
s.ste Of affairs nay never again occur. Ii
j. really is desired TO prevent the recurrence oil
such state Of affairs, the true method Of doing it
would be 10 call an extra session 5. once. In tina.
case the States which have 10 provision for choos-
iug representatives in season would be brought TO
practical sense OF the nsuticiency of their exist
ing laws, and We might then reasonably hope
for some speedy amendment But 1t Is utterly
vain 10 expect anything Of the sort so long as those
States aud tost instead Of beng required 70 sccom-
- 80 and .,rI-a
hence Of the Union, the Union, under the
guidance Of weak, shilly shaly President is made
to accommodate itself to their whms. Many OF
these States, as is well known, are strenuous advo-
Gates Of nulli6cston, and it is hardly TO De expected
that to suit the ideas and the convenience OF Mr.
Postmaster Holt or Of anybody else, they will give
up that nstallment OF notification which, under
their existing laws the Presidents compliance puts
into their hands.
As to the passage OF law by Congress fixing
the time Of the election Of Representatives, to DC
cure, the Constitution gives Congress such
power: but then there are two difficulties in the
way. In the fret place, as that power has never
been exercised, il remains 10 be seen whether 1t
would be possible to bring Congress up to
the point of exercising it, especially aganst
the resistance of that large body OF South
ern States with whose State action such
law would interfere. Fit were only question OF
coercng the Northern States, the thing might be
comparatively easy. In the second place, suppose
such law passed, and suppose that several of the
States should refuse or neglect to comply with It,
as was done in the case Of the law requiring rep
resentatves to be chosen siusly by districts: Even
in that case according TO the logic of the President
and the Postmaster General TO eau an extra SESSION
OF Congress, would still be virtually TO exclude
from it the representatives of several ofthe South
"ern States'-SOuthern negligence in this new
case being just a. much entitled TO consideration
as Southern heg gence in the present one.
Which, We should ike to know, IS the more OBJ
jectionable cOurU-s lowing such States as have
omitted to make the needful provisions for the
.easonabe election of their representatives to take
the consequences Of il and go unrepresented, or
10 violate at once the letter of the law and the
spirit of our whole political system, BY going on TO
spend money without any authority Of Congress
therefor, or rather to contract debts, sloce the
policy TO be acted upon seems to be 70 pay the
contractors in Government due-biils or warrants on
TIE Treasury, which they are to get shaved on the
best terms they eau
As to the precise amount of the deficiency, the
statement Of the Postmaster General does not
to be very luminous. The deficiency told will
amount on the Both Of June to a, 80 $751; of which
yearly $3.50 600 is 80 unpaid balance accumulated
on the 3lst Of December and the 18th of February,
and which, as the Postmaster. General informs US,
"can and will be paid By the Department" the
principal part of it within thirty days, the whole
within sixty days " from this date, /. e., March
81. How sum Of money paid by the Depart
ment in April and May, is siill TO form part of
al unpaid balance on the LIST Of July is not so very
Obvious. Neither LEI the Postmaster fatter himself
th,t be will only have TO wait till the first Monday
in December, to have these and the subsequent de-
fciencies provided for. Congress, especially new
Congress, is not apt to d. much work TIL the lst
OF January; nor viii any great slacrity be Likely to
be ahown in assuming this Post. Office burden,
which will prove rather heavy, including as it will,
first deficiencies of the past year; second, pro-
sion for the current year; and third, provision for
a1Otteryesr on the top ol mat. moreover, the
Postmaster. General will do well 10 bear in mind
that ust as likely SIS not, the whole first month, if
not more, Of the session may be consumed in the
tCce Of Speaker. The prospect, therefore, is
that the new Postmaster General will have ample
time to carry out to the utmost his proposed policy
Of retieDchment and reforms good work, in
which We with him all manner Of success.
MICHIGAN.