The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-03-25

Having taken occasion-in advance of any Off
cial announcement of the steps designed to be
taken by Governmental obviate the difficulties
likely to arise from the failure of the Post-Ofice
Appropriation-to express our doubts as to the
legality of using the Post-Ofice receipts for that
purpose, as suggested by Mr.. GILLETT, and our
conviction of the illegality of any issue of Post
Office certificates Of Indebtedness for services rem
dered--to contractors and others, as recommended
by The Union, deem it superhuous to repeat
our objections now-that the measure objected to
has been adopted by the Administration, and
the fact made known to the country through the
letter of the new POSTMASTER GENERAL to Mr.
MATrINGLY Having, likewise, expressed our
views, heretofore with sufficient freedom and at
sufficient length, upon the subject of the anomal-
GUS relations existing between Mr.. BUCHANAN and
his Cabinet as disclosed in the case of the sue
cessful opposition offered by Mr. Secretary COBB
TO the express wishes of his superior, upon
the subject of Tariff modification, we forbear
to comment upon the further lllustra ton of the
same melancholy want of dignity and proper self
respect on the part of the Head of the Govern
ment, which is implied in the fact, that on the
question of an Extra Session, the PREsI-
DENT was actually out-voted, it is said, by
his own Cabinet, and compelled in Difference to
their views to adopt course equally repugnant
TO his own convictions and those of the newly ap-
pointed chief of the Post Office Department. We
simply desire, in connection with this subject to
call attention to one fact which we conceive to
possess especial interest for the people of Mary
land. In his letter to Mr. MATTINGLY already re-
ferred TO- the POSTMASTER GENERAL states that chad
"the members of the next Congress been elected
tfrom all the States, the PRESIDENT might, on the
18th of March. have called an Extra Session.
and-thus-the omission of the late Congress, to
make necessary provision for the service of the De-
partment might have been promptly and effectu-
ally supplied. Butt appears-at that date, fif
teen States were without representatives. session
of Congress could not have been held without vir-
tually excluding from that body, the Represen-
tatives, and to that extent practically dsfranchs-
ing the people, of one-half of the States Of the
UNION. Since then, New Hampshire has elected
her Representatives. Rhode Island and Connecticut
will elect theirs in April; Virginia hers in May;
Oregon in June; North Carolina, Alabama, Texas
and Kentucky in August California in
September; Georgia, Mississippi and Mime
sofa in October; and Louisiana and Mary
land in November 'This" observes the Posi-
MAsTER-GENERAL ''is most unfortunate. There ought
'to be no interva he adds, 'when full Con-
gress could not be convened, and it is to be hoped
THAT there will never be hereafter" This last
suggestion is we-timed andworthy Reconsideration.
1t is not difficult to imagine contingencies which
may readily happen, far more important than theone
which has just occurred, which may render it i'm
perativey necessary that an Extra Session of Con-
gress should be forthwith convened. Questions Of
Peace and War may arise-collisions between the
Federal power and that of the States or between
the authorities of one State and those of another,
may happen-requiring that Congress should at
once assemble to take needfnl measures for the
public safety and the preservation of the UNION
No such emergency ought ever to occur, without
every State in the UNION being prepared to meet
it. Yet, as the law stands now with US, an Extra
Session called at any period between the 4th day
of March and the first Wednesday in November,
next succeeding the expiration of any Con-
gress, would find the State of Maryland
wholly unrepresented in the lower House, and her
people without voice in that branch of the Ma
tional Legislature. This clearly ought not to be-
The present law is defective, and should be
amended. The next session of the Legislature
ought not TO pass without some alteration being
made, so as to change the period for holding Con-
gressonal elections in this State from the autumn
following, 10 some time antecedent to, the termi-
nation of the short session. If the law could at
the same time, be so altered to cause the cleo
ton to fall at a different season of the year from
any of our State elections, it would be still better
AT the proper time, we shall renew these sugges-
tons, in the hope that they may meet with a
favorable reception from the Representatives of
the People