Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1859-03-30
No Extra Session to be Called.

SohSiSoS iOT tHc lISC CluIc SluCC tuC USdui
ton of the government has expired without having
made appropriations for the service of the Post Off
ce Department during the next fiscal year, which
will commence on the 1st of July. Had the mem
bers of the next Congress been elected from all the
States, the President might on the 4th of March
have called an extra session, and this omission of
the late Congress might have been thus supplied
This was, however, impossible without disfranchis
ing the people of nearly half of the States of the
Union which had not elected members. At that
date there fifteen States without representa-
tives. New Hampshire has since elected; Rhode
Island and Connecticut will elect in the beginning
of April; Oregon in the beginning of June; Virginia
on the fourth Thursday of May; Kentucky, Ala
bama North Carolina, and Texas in the beginning
of August; California early in September; Georgia,
Mississippi, and Minnesota in the beginning of Oc-
tober; and Louisiana and Maryland not until the
first Monday and Wednesday in November. This
is most unfortunate There ought to be no interval
when full Congress could not be convened, and it
is to be hoped that there will he one hereafter"
The Postmaster General then proceeds to speak of
the deficiency, of his mode Of meeting it. and of the
length of time which contractors and others will
have to wait for their pay He says:
"Upon a careful examination and investigation,
it has been ascertaincd that the deficiency will
amount to about the sum Of 3S5, ,2S1 95. Itought
however, to be observed that, after the 30th June
neA tNe SUN Vi SIUuUUu Sranteu 10 inc department.
by the acts of March Sd, 1919, and March 3d. 1851,
for the transportation and delivery of free mail mat
ter for Congress- and the executive departments, may
be applied in part to the extingushment Of this de-
ficiency. This will leave the balance to be provided
for So, 6S5, ,2Sl 95 Of this of "a, $50, ,2s1 95
the deficiency which existed in the quarter ending
on the 3lst December amounted to $749,S41 6S
For the quarter ending 31st March, 1864, los 26
For the quarter ending 30th June, LOT, ,285 OIL
$4,3S5, ,2s1 95
The $40 S41 6S-being the unpaid balance of the
quarterss liabilities closing 31st December and pay
able 2Sth February-can and will be paid by the de-
partment within sixty days from this date; the pay
ment of the principal part of it will be made within
thirty days. The effect of this will be to divide the
entire deficit of 81 1885, 2S1 95 between the quarters
ending 3lst March and 3Oth June, and payable S1st
May and 31st August, so that the suspension of pay
ment on no part of this Indebtedness will exceed be-
yond few days. six months before the regular meet
ing of Congress; nearly one half Of it the suspen
sion will be but for few days more than three
months.
1t is grcvOus misfortune to the contractors that
the department has been left without the means of
dischargng this debt at its maturity. Under exist
ing circumstances however, it would be impossible
to convene Congress in time to meet these response
bilities without virtually excluding from that body
the representatives Of several of the sovereign States
of this confederated government This would be
Just cause of serious complaint.
The choice OF the President has been undoubtedly
choice between great evils; but, in his Judgment
the lesser evil would be to wait until the first Mon
day of December, when Congress will be full
He then refers to the sacred character of the debts
due and become due contractors and declares that
Congress will be as much bound to pay them it
will the principal and interest of the national debt
and he furthermore thinks, and will no doubt re-
commend to Congress, that interest be allowed on
all adjusted accounts from the time of adjustment
until they are paid. He says that the G95 new post
routes authorized by the late Congress, though the
contracts for them have been advertised and propo
sails received, will not be put in operation at present.
as he has no funds to appropriate to them.
The Trial of Christmas.
Hillsborough Correspondent of the Petersburg
Express gives the following account of the trial Of
Christmas in Orange Superior Court for murder:
1.-The argument for the prosecution was opened
by T. B. Venable, Esq, Of Oxford. He was follow
ed by the Hon. W. A. Graham, for the prisoner,
who was replied to by Thomas Rufin, Jr., Esq,
(Solicitor for the State and he in turn
cd by Matt w. Ransom Esq, of Northampton, in
behalf of the defence. The Court then took re-
cess for dinner.
About o o'clock, P NJ, the Court met again, there
being no diminution of the crowd or abatement Of
the anxiety to hear the argument concluded Josiah
Turner, ESQ.,, of Hsboro,' continued the argument
for the defence and was followed by Henry W. Mil
Ter, Esq., of Raleigh, on the same sdc who was re.
piled to by the Hon. E. G. Reade, of Person, who
closed the argument for the State.
The arguments were thus concluded about o'clock
at night and His Honor, Judge Caldwell, proceeded
to charge the jury. They retired, and were chung
until the meeting of the Court the next morning,
when they returned verdict of "GuILTY."
The counsel for the prisoner took an appeal to the
Supreme Court on grounds which they think will
secure the prisoner new trial
The main defence of the prisoner was Insanity
One ground taken by the prisoners counsel for a
new trial. is this-that the Judge excluded evidence
to show that number of the blood relations were
insane and that it was hereditary in his family
There were other grounds which it is unnecessary
to state.
This trial caused as much interest and elected as
fine display of ability and eloquence, as any that
has taken place in the State for many years. The
Judge declared, in opening his charge, that he had
never heard a5ler arguments, and fairer display o.
skill and eloquence than had marked both the pros
ecution and the defence. "No North -Carolinian,
said he, ''could have heard the arguments without
feeling proud of his State"
I heard gentleman of intelligence declare thai
had such conflict of legal mnds-such display
of argument learning and eloquence been displayed
in one of the cities Of the North it would have beer
heralded by all the papers, to the utmost extremitie
of the Republic! But we people of the South-es
pecally Of North Carolina do justice to all ere
alton but to our own home"
Mr. BRANcn's REPoRT.-We shall commence soor
and publish, so as to have the whole document il
one issue of our weekly paper, the Report Of Mr.
Branch on Cuba, submitted to the late House o
Representatives. Mr.. Branch has handled the ques
ton in an able manner, and has set forth with mucf
force the resources of the island and the importance
+. of its acquisition by the United States.
Consul TO HAvRE.-Geo. p Morris, Esq., Edito
of the Home Journal, and the author Of many beau