The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-03-07
ENATOR PEARCE AND THE POST. OFFICE

APPROPRIATION BILL.
The reporter of the Associated Press, in giving
the proceedings of the Senate on Friday last lust
before adjournment, placed Mr.. PEARoE in an en-
tirely different position towards the Posoice An
preparation Bill from that which he really assumed.
In justice to the Maryland Senator, we give below
the true version of his remarks on the occasion re
ierred to, which we take from the columns of the
National htedigencer.-[EDs. EXCHANGED
Mr.. PEAKcE.-I desire to say that yielded to this
report with very great reluctance that if the re-
port had abandoned the constitutional rights of the
senate, as to winch have no more doubt than I
have of the simplest aud most universally admitted
proposition, | would not only not have consented
to that report, but never would have consented to
any report which contained such an abandonment
OF constitutional power. | would rather have seen
the Post-Otlice Department of the Government
stricken out of existence at once and forever
But, sir, we have not renowned anv such right
and the constitutional authority of the Senate TO
add amendments increasing the rates of postaoa
was strongly and urgently, / think triumphantlye
indicated in the committee.
but TINS was the question presented to u.s. 1t
was shown to us to be practically impossible that
any other measure could receive the sanction of the
TWO Houses OF Congress III the remaining minutes
OF the session. Of that we were lust as well satisfied
as we can be of any fact that has not vet come to
pass, since the rules of the House put it in the pow
er OF any one member to prolong the consideration
d.
lournment; and we were assured that such would
be the result il we presented any other Then we
had to consider whether we would break up a
great, important, and most useful public establish
hent ana De to the necessity ofconvenng in
the summer, or oblige the President inasmucb as no
means are provided after the first of July for carry
ing on the operations of the Post Office mot even
Its own revenues, unless pass this bil) to stop
al tne business OF that department, and leave the
country unprovided with any of those facilities so
Important to commerce and many other interests
and which other considerations have made 50 valna
Ole and necessary in other respects to the great
body of the people.
yielded, therefore, to a sort of necessitv baino
unwilling, by my refusal to unite in this report to
produce this result; preferring to give the opportu
NIFTY to the Senate to determine for itself whether
IL would make the one sacrifice or the other
admit also, Mr.. President, that / had doubts
whether the committee were not transcending their
power In agreeing to this report the authority con-
erred upon them being to consider the resolutions of
tne mouse, Whlch was so Objectionable to the Senate
whether we could rightfully present or recommend
the passage OF new bill seemed to be somewhat
doubtful In Elementary view. STILL as we had no
precedent showing that this was not permitted
we might be excused, in the exigency of the
circumstances, In stretching our power to the utmost
limit | do not know what the Senate will do with
this bill. Of course should prefer its PASSAGE TO
It's defeat. would much rather have had another
proposition which was submitted in committee
which might equally, indeed, have occasioned the
defeat OF the bill proposed by that plan, but would
have thrown the responsibility more papably and
directly upon the House of Representatives Even
now, If the bill fails, | think that the House will
not escape its just responsibility but it would have
been more papable and obvious if the other pro.
position, which was not accepted BY the committee
mad been adopted. l will not occupy further time
on the subject, except to say that if the Post Office
appropriations be not now made, we must in qoing
back to the original cause, trace it to the refusal Of
the house OF Representatives either to accept or
REJECT the amendments which the Senate in the un-
questionable exercise OF its constitutional powers,
never Tor many years denied by either House or by
the commentators on the Constitution but practi
caiiy acquiesced in various occasions. had
thought proper to make to the original bill from