The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-12-29
Vol. XIII.

easements Of public and private, charao,a-
both to the peorAe and the States. which yyo.Ii
have resulted from converting and holirg, n
special session of Congress.
For these reasons, recommend the passs.,.
OF bill, at as early day as may be practi.a.
BILE, to provide for the payment Of the amogrt
with interest, due to these lastmention.d con-.
tractors, as well as to make the necessary an.
preparations for the service of the Post ON.
Department for the current fiscal year.
The failure to pass the Post Office bill nero.
sarily gives birth to serious reflections. Can.
gress, by refusing to pass the general arp-or-.
alton bills necessary to carry on the CO..
ment, may not only arrest its action. but mil.
even destroy its existence. The army. the n...
the Judiciary, in short, every department OF ,l,s
Government, can no longer perform their G,ro.
tons, IT Congress refuse the money ncc..s.-.
for their support. If this failure should t..E
the country the necessity of electny Il fun Co..
gress IN sufficient time 10 enable the pr-.;l...
to convene them IN any emergency, even iguta..
diately after the old Congress has eyU,r.d :.
will have been productive Of great good. h.
time of sudden and alarming danger. f,rsi,r ~.
domestic, WHICH all nations must exDscf r., ,..
counter IN their progress, the very salvation or
our institutions may be staked upon the Assem-.
bling of Congress without delay ii. under su,r
circumstances, the President should find him.
self IN the condition in which he was DI.ce5 o..
the close of the last Congress, with nearly h..,r
the States of the Unien destitute of Represa,,.
atYes, the consequences might be disastrous. T
therefore recommend to Congress to carry into
effect the provisions Of the Constitution on th.,
subject, and to pass a law appointin. SOM. d..
previous TO the Hh Of March in each rasr =.
odd number for the election Of Reurcseutat.v.s
throughout all the States. They have aIraal.
appointed a day for the election Of electors r. p
Presidentand Vice President and this maa.r,.,
has been approved by the country.
would again express a most decided or;-
ion IN favor of the construction of a Paciscr.H
road, tor the reasons stated in nv two la., am.
nual messages. When / reflect uD9r ub,.
would be the defenceless condition Of our ---,-g
and Territories west Of the Rocky mountain. .-
case Of a war with naval Power sufficient
strong to interrupt all intercourse with them 70
the routes across the Isthmus, ! am still move
convinced than ever Of the vast irnportarr, rr
this railroad. / have never doubted the ru.s..
tutional competency Of Congress 10 prayfI. ..
Its construction, but this exclusively under Gle
war-making power. Besides. the Constitute
expressly requires, as an imperative duty. tn4.
the United States shall protect each ortn.m
the States against invasion" AN alta l...
~ NNiANCl'N hbh luiS llblttiitn ttA.l
TO California and Oregon against such 81 navel
Power by any other means. ] repeat H.a oa...
ION contained in my last annual ms,-ar.. rf...
1t would be inexpedient for the Government, ..
undertake this great work by agents of d., ONE
appointment, and under It's direct and av.Insr,..
control. This would increase the patr8ua-,ar
the Executive to "A dangerous extent. and would
foster system OF jobbing and corruption which
no vigilance on the part Of Federal officials
could prevent. The construction Of this rn.I
ought therefore to be intrusted 10 incorrorst.I
companies, or other agencies, who would eNar.
else that active and vigilant supervision over II
which can be inspired alone by a sense of cor
porate and individual interest. venture tag.-
sert that the additional cost of TRANSPORTING
troops, munitions Of war, and necessary suuuli.,
for the army, across the vast intervening plains.
to our possessions on the Pacific coast would
be greater in such war than the whole amour,
required to construct the road. And vet this
resort would, after all, be inadequate for their
defence and protection.
We have yet scarcely recovered from tie
habits Of eXtravagant expenditure, produced
by our oyertiowmg treasury, during several
years prior TO the commencement of INV Aa-
ministration. The financial reverses which We
have since experienced ought 10 teach Ms AN 20
scrutinize our expenditures with the greatest
vigilance, and to reduce them to the lowest
possible point. The Executive Departments
of the Government have devoted themselves TO
the Accomplishment Of this obiel; with cca,.i-
cradle success, as will appear from Jhcir differ
ent reports and estimates. To these, Z irg..a
the scrutiny OF Congress, for the purpose OF re-
ducing them still lower, if this be Practical.
consistent with the great public interests o.. the
country. In aid Of the policy of retreuchmlu..
l pledge myself to examine closely the bills an.
proprlating lands or money, so that If any .t
these should inadvertently pass both house,
as must sometimes be the case, ! NAV afford
them an opportunity for reconsideration 4,
the same time we ought never to forget that
true public economy consists, not in withhold.
ing the means necessary to accomplish imnrr.
tant national objects coniided 10 us by the
Constitution, but in taking care that the money
appropriated for these purpores shall be f-i...-
fully and frugally expended.
1t will appear, from the report of the Secrs-
tary of the Treasury, that IL Is extremely doubt
full, to say the least, whether we shall bee able
to pass through the present and the next fiscal
year without providing additional revenue.
This can only be accomplished By strictly con-
timing the appropriations within the estimates
of the different Departments, without making
an allowance for any additional expenditure
which Congress may think proper, in their dis.
erection, to authorize, and without providing fus
the redemption of any portion ofthe S2O,OO0.g1,
of treasury notes which have been already
issued.
In the event of deficiency which consider
probable, this ought never to be supplied bv %
resort to additional loans. 1t would be a ruin
Gus practice in the days Of peace and prosperity
to 90 on increasing the national debt TO meet
the ordinary expenses Of the Government. This
policy would cripple our resources and impair
our credit in case the existence Of war should
render 1t necessary to borrow money. Should
such deficiency occur as apprcheud, would
recommend that the necessary revenue be raised
by an increase Of our present duties on imports.
| need not repeat the opinions expressed In my
last annual message, as to the best mode auI
manner of accomplishing this object. and shal.
now merely observe that these have since uu-
dergone no change.
The report of the Secretary Of the Treasury
will explain in detail the operations Of tia.
Department Of the Government
The receipts into the treasury from all
sources during the fiscal year ending 3g,h
June, 1859, including the loan auth orized boz
the act of l4th June, 1853 and the issues Of
treasury notes authorized by existing laws were
eighty-one million six hundred and ninetytwo
thousand four hundred and seventyOue dollars
and one cent, 1881 ,692, 47L0l,) which sum, with
the balance Of six million three hundred and
ninety-eight thousand three hundred and sixteen
dollars and ten cents, ($6;39S, 3lGlO,) remain
ing in the treasury at the commencement Of
that fiscal year, made an aggregate for the ser
vice of the year of lightweight million ninety
thousand seven hundred and eighty-seven dol
lars and eleven cents ($SS,090, 7S7Il.)
The public expenditures during the fiscal
year ending 30th June, 1859, amounted to
eighty-three million seven hundred and fifty
nna fhnnsand five hnndred and nleNen dnllnr.