The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-03-23
AN EyrpA spsSIoN NOT IN RE- CALLED

AN EXTRA SESSION NOT TO BE CALLED.
1t will be seen from the following letter of the |
Postmaster General, which has been distributed |
to the press, that an extra session of Congress will
not be convened
WASHINGTON, March q, 1852
SIR: | have just learned that it is the determi-
nation of the President not to call an extra session
of Congress and in view of this and the failure of
the Post-offce appropriation bill, should be glad
to learn what course of administration Is proposed
bv the department for the relief of its creditors,
and especially if any provision is contemplated for
extinguishng its liabilities which have already
matured and are now payable.
have the honor to be, very respectfully, your
obedient servant, GEO. MATTINGLY,
Superintendent Potomac Steamboat Company.
Hon. Joseph Holt, Postmaster General.
PosT-oFFICE DEPARTMENT, !
March %, 1859.
SIR: In answer to the inquiries contained in
your note, just received, beg to submit the follow
ing statement:
Congress- for the first time since the organization
of the government has expired without having
made appropriations for the service of the Post
office Department during the next fiscal year,
which will commence the LIST of July. Had the
members of the next Congress been elected from
all the States, the President ight on the 4th of
March have called extra session, and this omis-
sion of the late Congress might nave been thus
supplied. This was however, impossible without
DISTINGUISHING the people of nearly half the States
of the Union which had not elected members. At
that date there We're fifteen States without repre-
Rhode Island and Connecticut will elect in the be-
ginning of April Oregon in the beginning of June;
Virginia on the fourth Thursday of May; Kentucky,
Alabama, North Carolina, and Texas in the be-
ginning Of August; California early in September;
Georgia, Mississippi, and Minnesota in the begin
ming of October; and Louisiana and Maryland not
until the first Monday and Wednesday in Novem-
Der. This is most unfortunate. There ought to be
no interval when full Congress could not be con-
vened, and it is to be hoped that there will be
one hereafter.
Had the appropriation bill which failed made
provision only for the fiscal year commencing on
| the LIST of July next there would obviously have
| been no necessity for extra session. The first
quarterly service of contractors for that year will
not have been performed, so as to enttle them to
paw until the LIST Of October; and by the terms of
| their contract-those for railway routes only ex-
cepted-sixty days more must elapse before their
accounts can be finally settled, which would post
pone the day of payment till the LIST of December
| within less than week from the regular meeting
of Congress. If it should be deemed advisable
| Congress might be convened for the middle OF N O.
vember, in ample time to provide for the pay men
of what will be due contractors for the first quar-
ters service of the next fiscal year, before it vii
be- in fact payable. This statement makes it man
ifest, therefore. that had the appropriations pro
posed in the bill which failed been intended to NEE
only the liabilities of the next fiscal year, ther
would have been sufficient reason for calm!
Congress together before the regular period of it,
assembling.
Such however, is not the case. The bill also pro
vided othat the sum of So s3s 1913 be, and the sam
is hereby appropriated, out of any money in tn
treasury not otherwise appropriated, to supply de
ciencies in the revenues of the Post-otfce Depart
ment for the year ending the 3Oth June, 1852
Upon careful examination and investigation, it ha
been ascertained that the deficiency will amount t
about the sum of S4,3S5, 2Sl. 95. 1t ought, howev
err, to be observed that, after the 30th June next
the sum of 100000 granted to the department b
the acts of March 3d. Is49, and March Sd, 1851, 70
the transportation and delivery of free mail matte
for Congress and the executive departments, ma
be applied in part to the extingushment of this d,
ficiency. This will leave the balance TO be provide
for So $685. 2S.95- or this Of 81 1885, 2S95, tn
deficiency which existed in the quarter ending o
the 3lst December amounted to S749, S41. G
That for the quarter ending 3lst
March to 1864, 1855. z
That for the quarter ending 3Oth
June to l,6Il,2S5.O