Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-12-29

wang and holding special session Of Con-
gress.
For these reasons recommend the passage
Of bill, At ss carly day as may be pracu-
cable, to provide for the payment Of the
amount with interest, due TO these last mem
toned contractors as we'll as 10 make the
necessary appropriations for the service Of
the Post 0fice Department for the current
fiscal year.
The failure to pass the Post Office bill ne
oessarily gives birth to serious rehections.--
Congress, by refusing to pass the general ap-
preparation bills necessary to carry on the
Government may not only arrest its action,
but might even destroy its existence. The
army, the navy, the judiciary--in short every
department Of Government-can no longer
perform their functions IL Congress refuse
the money necessary for their support. If
this failure should teach the country the ne
Sessity Of electing . full Congress in sufti-
oient time TO enable the President TO convene
them in any emergency, even Immediately
after the old Congress has expired, il will
have been productive Of great good. In q
lime of sudden and alarming danger, for
,ign or domestic, which all nations must ex-
lect TO encounter in their progress the very
ialvation Of our institutions may be staked
hpon the assembling Of Congress without de-
AhYs H. unQeE SUCH CtINuluhbhnttbt Tue IIthl-
hent should find himself in the condition in
which he was placed at the close Of the last
Congress, with nearly half the States of the
Union destitute representatives, the conse-
quence might be disastrous l, therefore, rec
ommend TO Congress to carry into effect the
provisions Of the Constitution on this subject
and 10 pass a law appointing some day pre-
vious TO the 4th of March in each year Of odd
number for the election of representatives
throughout all the States. They have already
appointed day for the election Of electors
for President and Vice President, and this
measure has been approved by the country.
would again express a most decided opin-
ion in favor Of the construction of Pacific
railroad, for the reasons stated in my two last
annual Messages. When reflect upon what
would be the defenceless condition Of our
States and Territories west of the Rocky
Mountains in case Of a war with naval pow
er sufficiently strong TO intercept all inter
course with them by the routes across the
lsthmus, l am still more convinced than ever
of the vast importance of this railroad. l
have never doubted the constitutional compe-
tency of Congress to provide for its constr uc-
tion, but this exclusively under the war-ma-
I king power. Besides, the Constitution ex-
pressly requires, as an imperative duty, that
"the United States shall protect each of them
(the States against invasion" am at loss to
conceive how this protection can be affored to
California and Oregon against such naval
Power by any other means. l repeat the
opinion contained inmy last annual Message,
that it would be III Npedient for the Govern
ment to undertake this great work by agents
of its own appointment and under it's direct
and exclusive control. This would increase
the patronage Of the Executive to a dangerous
extent, and would foster a system Of jobbing
and corruption which no vigilance ON the part
of federal officials could prevent. The con-
strustion Of this road ought therefore, to be
entrusted 10 incorporated companies, or other
agencies, who would exercise that active and
vigilant supervision over it which can be in
spired alone by sense of corporate and in
dividual interest. | venture to assert that
the additional cost Of transporting troops, ,mu-
nitions Of war, and necessary supplies for the
army across the vast intervening plains to
our possessions on the Pacific coast, would be
greater in such a war than the whole amount
required TO construct the road. And yet this
resort would, after all be inadequate for their
defence and protection.
We have yet scarcely recovered from the
habits of extravagant expenditure, produced
by our overflowing Treasury, during several
years prior TO the commencement of my Ad-
ministration. The financial reverses which
we have since experienced ought to teach us
all TO serutinize our expenditures with the
greatest vigilance and TO reduce them to the
lowest possible point. The Executive Depart
ments of the Government have all devoted
themselves to the accomplishment of this OBJ
ject with considerable success, as will appear
from their different reports and estimates
To these invite the scrutiny of Gongrsao for
the purpose Of reducing them still lower, il
this be practicable, consistent with the great
public interests of the country. In aid of the
policy of retrenehment pledge myself to ex
anime closely the bills appropriating lands oi
money, so that if any of these should mad
vertently pass both houses, as must some
times be the case, l may afford them an Op
portunity for reconsideration. At the same
time we ought never to forget that true pub
lie economy consists, not in Withholding the
means necessary TO accomplish important ma.
tiOnal objects confdod to us by the Censtitu'
ton, but in taking care that the money ap
propriated for these purposes shall be faith
fully and frugally expended.
Ii will appear from the report Of the Sec.
retary of the Treasury that il was extremely
doubtful, to say the least, whether we shall
be able to pass through the present and the
next fiscal year without providing additional
revenue. This can only be accomplished by
strictly conhning the appropriations within
the estimates of the different Departments
without making an allowance for any addi-
tiOnal expenditures which Congress may
think proper, in their discretion, to authorize
and without providing for the redemption oi
any portion of the $20,000,000 of Treasury
notes which have been already issued. In
the event Of a deficiency, which l consider
probable, this ought never TO be supplied by
resort TO additional loans. 1t would be a
ruinous practice in the day Of peace and
prosperity to 90 on increasing the national
debt to meet the ordinary expenses of the
Government This policy would cripple oul
resources and impair our credit in case the
existence of war should render it necessary
to borrow money Should such deficiency
occur as apprehend, would recommend the
necessary revenue be raised by an increase
of our present duties on Imports. need moi
repeat the opinions expressed in my last an
Aual Message as to the best mode and mannei
Of accomplishing this object and shall nov
merely observe that these have undergone M
change
The report of the Secretary of the Treasury
will explain in detail the operations of thai
department o. The Government
The receipts into the treasury from al
sources during the fiscal year ending sou
June, 1859, including the loan authorized by
the act of l4th June, 1858, and the issues 0
treasury notes authorized by existing laws
were eighty-one millions six hundred anC
ninety-two thousand four hundred and sev
enty.oae dollars and one cent 1881 500, All on
which sum, with the balance Of six million
three hundred and ninety-eight THOUSAND
three hundred and sixteen dollars and ter
cents (S6, 3gS,3l6 l0) remaining in the trea
sury at the commencement Of that fiscal year
made an aggregate for the service Of the yea