The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1860-01-04

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refusal ofjust satisfaction by the govern
ment of Paraguay" "Just satisfaction
for what! For "the attack on the Uuited
States steamer Water Witch,n and "oth-
er matters referred to in the annual mes
sage of the President. Here the power
Is expressly granted upon the condition
that the government of Paraguay shall re-
fuse to render this 'just satisfaction" In
this and other similar cases Congress have
conferred upon the President power in
advance to employ the army and navy up
on the happening of contingent future
events; and this most certainty is embra-
ced within the power to declare war
Now, if this conditional aud contingent
power could be constitutionally conferred
upon the President in the case of Para
quay, why may it not be conferred for the
purpose protecting the lives and prop
erty of American citizens in the event
that they may be violently and unlawfu!ly
attacked in passing over the transit routes
to and from California, or assailed by the
seizure of their vessels in foreign port?
To deny this power is to render the navy
In great degree useless for the protec-
tIon of the lives and property of Ameri-
can citizens i'll countries where neither
protection nor redress can be otherwise
obtained.
The thirty fifth Congress terminated on
the 3rd of March, 1859, without having
passed the "act making appropriations
for the service of the Post Off ce Depart
ment during the fiscal year ending the
30th June, 1860" The act also contain
ed an appropriation "to supply deficien-
cies in the revenue of the Post Office De-
partment for the year ending the 3Oth
of June, 1859" believe this is the first
instance since the origin of the Federal
Government, now more than seventy years
ago. when any Congress went out of ex.
istence without having passed all the gen.
eral appropriation bills necessary to car
ry on the government until the regular
period for the meeting of new Congress,
This event imposed on the Executive a
grave responsibility. 1t presented choice
of evils.
Had this omission of duty occurred at
the first session of the last. Congress the
remedy would have been plain. 1 might
then have instantly recalled them to COM
plete their work--and this without expense
to the Government But on the 4th of
March last there were fifteen of the
thirty-three States which had not elected
any representatives to the present Con-
gress. Had Congress been called together
Immediately. these States would have been
virtually disfranchised. If an iutermedi-
ate period had been selected, several of
the States would have been compelled to
hold extra sessions of their legislatures,
at great Inconvenience and expense to
provide for elections at an earlier day than
that previously fixed by law. In the reg
ular course. ten of these States would not
elect until after the beginning of August,
and FIVE of these ten not until October
and November.
On the other hand, when I came to ex.
anime carefully the condition of the Post
Office Department. 1 did not meet as
many or as great difficulties as appre-
hended. Had the bill which failed been
confined to appropriations for the fiscal
year erding on the 3Oth June next, there
would have been no reason of pressing
Importance for the call of an extra ses-
sion. Nothing would become due on
contracts (those with railroad companies
only excepted) for carrying the mail for
the first quarter of the fiscal year, CON-
mencing on the lst of July, until the Is,
of December-less than one week before
the meeting Of the present Congress. The
reason is that the mail contractors for this
the current year did not complete theil
first onarter's service until the 3Oth Sep
tember last; and by the terms of thei
contracts sixty days more are allowed fo
the settlement of their accounts befor,
the Department could be called upon fo
payment.
The great difficulty and the great hard
ship consisted in the failure to provid
for the payment of the deficiency in tn
, fiscal year ending the 3Oth June, 1859
The Department had entered into con
, tracts, in obedience to existing laws, 70
the service of that fiscal year, and tn
contractors were fairly entitled to thei
condensation as it became due. The de
ficiency as stated in the bill amounted t.
, $3;S3S, 1928, but, after careful settlemen
of all these accounts, it has been ascer
tanned that it amounts to $4,296, ,OO9.-
With the scanty means at his commant
the Postmaster General has managed t
, pay that portion of this deficiency whic
i occurred in the first two quarters of tn
past fiscal year, ending on the 3lst De
/ cember last. In the mean time the con
, tractors themselves, under these tryin
circumstances have behaved in manne
, worthy of all condemnation They ha
one resource in the midst of their embal
rassments. After the amount due
each of them had been ascertained an
} finally settled according to law, this be