The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1860-01-04

ot Congress, and on every principle Of JUS
tice ought TO receive interest from the Gov
ernment. This interest should commence
from the date when q warrant would have
issued for the payment OF the principal had
an appropriation been made for the purpose.
Calculated up to 1st Of December IL will
not exceed S96 ,000-a sum not to be taken
Into account when cOntrasted with the
great difficulties end embarrassments ofa
public and private character, both 10 the
people and the States, which would have
resulted from conYening and holding q
special session of Congress.
For these reasons recommend the pas-i
sage Of bill, at as early day as msy be
practicablej to provide for the payment Of
the amount, with interest, due to those last
mentioned contractors, as well as to mako
the necessary appropriations for the service
of the Post Office Department for the cur
rent fiscal year.
The failure to pass the post office bill nee.
esssrily gives birth to serious reflections.-
Congress by refusing to pass the general ap.
propriation bills necessary TO carry on the
government, may not only arrest i;s action,
but might even destroy its existence. The
army, the navy, the judiciary, in short, every
department of the general government can
no longer perform their functions, IL Con.
gress refuse The money necessary for their
support. IF this failure should teach the
country the necessity OF electing full Con.
gress in sufficient time to enable the Presi.
dent to convene them in any emergency,
even Immediately after the old Congress has
expired, it will have been productive OF great
good. In o time OF sudden and alarming
danger, foreign and domestic, which all ma.
tions must expect to encounter in their pro.
gress, the very salvation of our institutions
may be staked upon the assembling of Con.
gress without delay. If, under the crcum.
stances, the President 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 of repre-
sentatives, the consequences might be disas-
trous. therefore recommend to Congress
to carry into effect the provisions of the con-
stiution on this subject, and to pass a law.
appointing some day previous to the 4th Of
March in each year Of odd number, for the
election OF Representatives throughout all
the States. They have already appointed a
day for the election OF electors for President
and Vice President and this measure has
Ueen approved Oy tne country,
would again express most decided opin-
ion in favor of the construction of Pacific
railroad, for the reasons stated in nv two
last annual messages. When reflect upon
what would be the defenseIess condition OF
our States and Territories west of the Rocky
Mountains in case Of war with naval
power sufficiently strong to interrupt all in
tercourse with them by routes across tho
lSt5nuS, am still more convinced than ey-
er OF the vast Importance of this railroad.
have never doubted the constitutional COM
potency of Congress to provide for its con-
struction, but this exclusively under the
war-making power. Besid"s, the Constitu-
tion expressly requires, as an imperative
duty, that "the United States shall protect
each OF them (the States) against invision."
l am at loss TO conceive how this protec--
ton can be afforded to California and Ore
gon against such naval power by any 9TH
or means. repent the opinion contained
in my last annual messase, that it would be
"xpedient for the Government to undertake
this great work by agent OF its own ap-
polntment and Under its direct and exclusive
control. This would inCrense the patronage
of the Executive to dangerous extent, ond
would foster system Of j,bbing and corrup-
t'on which no vigilance on the part of Fed
eraI ottlcl4ls could prevan'. The construc-
uo1 OF this ropd uIht, therefore, to b, in
trusted 10 incorporated companies, or other
agencies. whp would exercise that active
ma ViglIant supervision over it which C. IN By
inspired alOne by a sense of corp )rsto and
individual interest. venture to assert that
! nF fron
munitions OF war, and necessary supplies To
me army across the vast Intervening plains
% our possessions on the Plcii; Coast,
would be greater in such war than the
Whole amount required to construct the road.
And yet this resort would, alter ell, B., in
'deq 1ate Tor their defense a1d p:otection.
we have yet scarcely recov rel from tho
habits Of cxtravog'nt expenditure, produced
" an overaowng Treasury, during several
years prior to the commencement OF nv ad-
The financial reverses which
We have since experienced ought to teach Us
III to scfttinize our expenditures with the
greatest vigilance, and to reduce them to the
owest possible point. The Executive De-
oariments OF the Government have devoted
themselves to the accomplishment of this
'bject with considerable success, as will ap-
pear from their different reports and esti.
mates. To these invite the scrutiny of
Congress for the purpose of reducing them
'til lower, if this be practicable, consistent
With the great public interests OF the coun-
ry. In aid of the policy Of retrenchment, I
pledge myself to examine closely the bills
lands or money, so that if any
If these should inadvertently pass both
1ouses, as must sometimes be the case,
nay afford them an opportunity for recon-
liberation. At the same time wo ough: new
n to forget that true economy consists, not
n Withholding the means necessary to ac-
'omplish important national objects confided
0 US by the Constitution, but in taking care
hat the money appropriated for these pur-
'oses shall be faithfully and frugally ex-
ended.
1t will appear from the report OF the Sec
etaFy OF the Treasury. that it is extremely
uuotful, to say the least, whether we shall
10 able to pass through the present and next
+cal year, without providing additional rev.
nue.. This can only be accomplished bv
trlctly conining the appropriations within
he estimates OF the different Departments.
'lthout making an allowance for any addi-
onal expenditures which Congress may
hlnk proper, in their discretion, to author.
se, and without providing for the redemp-
ion of any portion Of the $4,000 600 of
'reasury notes which have been already is
ued: In the event of deficiency, which I
onsldef probable, this ought never to be
upplled by resort to additional loans. 1t
'ouId be ruinous practice in the days of
eace and prosperity to 60 on increasing the
otional debt to meet the ordinary expenses
{ the Government. ..