Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-01-31

ni6osnt grant ofisnds from Texas to the Sssshern
Pacific Railroad Company has enabled IN associ-
stioa q ysivsts esntlsnen 70 initiate this great
sntsrpsisa md ~ work is already under way
The whole Northsrn frontier Of Texas. for several
hundred miles in length. viii he thanked BY mag
nihcent railway, constructed by degrees. in pro-
portion " the development of the country and the
increase Of the population. This is the road which
will secure whatever Of the California and China
trade can bear the cost Of railroad transportation.
A Government rnnd would be dead stock upon
our hands. requiring millions Of dollars annually
to keep it in repair and in running order
For these reasons we have not regretted and do
not regret, the defeat Of the Pacific Railroad Bill
in the Senate. We cannot afford to give away
millions Of money and empire 81 the public
Territory to n set Of spectators whose work. if
ever finished, would be ,alueess upon our hands.
when tho Treasury is empty and Government is
resorting to the expcdicnt ofloans for the purpose
Of sustaining an sxtravagant and profligate Adj
ministration. Our resources must b. husbanded
with scrupulous care aud economy if it be expect
ed that tho new Administration which succeeds
the present ono after 1850 shall pay of the debts
and loans which we now plunging into ut eve
~ session Of Congress. Lot the Pacific railroad
be left TO the healthy development Of trade and
population. and it will be made made Just soon
rs the imperative wants Of commerce demand it,and
no sooner. Mr.. Buchanan should rather signase
his Administration by retrenchment and reform
thnn by committngor cndcayoring to commit tho
Goyernmnt to this gigantic and 'ostly enterprise
ie cannot atone for the profgacy and prodiga-
~ Of the first years Of his Administration in any
better way than by consulting the most rigid econ
omy for the remainder
\ bill was introduced into the House Of Rcprcs
cntati,es few days ago. nj tho instance Of tho
Post Master General, providing for the appoint
ment of four additional clerks in tho Post Office
Department at Washington. Quite mn amusing
debate occurred uponit A member wished to know
how many hours the Clerks were employed during
the day. The answer was. from nine O'Clock Ia
thrce-rix hours. The member replied that he
was in the habit of working fifteen hours day
in the public service and he thought it would be
better to work the present clerks little longer
in the day than to saddle the Treasury with tho
expense of four additional ones Another mem
Department in any reasonable request; but "as
the Post Office Department able to dispense
with the services of at least clerk from that
Department, for weeks before the last election,
and send him into my District to operate against
me, and To vote against me, when his family wns
residing in this city, think am not called upon
to vote an increase Il force for that Department"
good reason. and that ought to direct tho
attention Of the country to the abuses practised by
the clerks in Washington City.
Many Of them do not surrender their residence
and citizenship in the States, although they ac-
ccpt Office in Washington city and virtually reside
there. When an election is al,ont to come of in
any one Of the States, great many of the Clerks
from that State get leave Of absence. and go buck
for the purpose Of electioneerng aud voting. In
this way the public business suffers. But in nd
diton to this, somc ~ Mcsc c.c,ks rate ia the mimi
c'pai et.rtionx Of Washington e,'y Lrs,des roting
fifteen hundred of them in Washington, and their
VOICE controls the municipal elections. 1t is I'm
outrage which ought to be stopped. to permit them
to 70 homc to elcctionecr and vote as is FREQUENT
ly the case And tho abuse is rendered still more
fragrant from the fact that these absences nece.s
tnfc the employment of additional clerks. ut an
additional aud totally unnecessary expense to the
Treasury.
This is an abuse which very few people know
anything about There are many others Of the
same sort about Washington city which we i,tend
to expose some Of these days. without fear, favor
or affection. The people have IA right TO tnow
where their hundred millions year goes to.