Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1860-01-05

ly, these States would have been virtually dis.
franchised. If an intermediate period had been
selected, several of the States would have been
compelled to hold extra sessions of their Legis-
latures as inconvenience and expense to pro-
vide for elections at an earlier day than that
! fixed by law. In the regular course, ten of
4 these States would not elect until after the be-
ginning of August, and five of these ten not UNI
til October and November.
On the other hand, when came to examine
carefully the condition of the Post Office De-
partment, did not meet as many or as great
difficulties as had apprehended. Had the bill
which had failed been confined to appropria-
tions for the fiscal year ending on the Both June
next, there would have no reason OF pressing
Importance for the call of an extra session.
Nothing would become due on contracts Chose
with railroad companies only excepted) for car
rying the mail for the first quarter of the pres
ent fiscal year, commencing on the LIST OF July,
until the LIST 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 their first
quarters until the 30th September last and by
the terms of their contracts sixty days more are
allowed for the settlement OF their accounts be-
fore the Department could be called upon for
payment.
The great difficulty and the great hardship
J consisted in the failure to provide for the pay
ment of the deficiency in the fiscal year ending
the Both June, 1859. The Department had
entered into contracts, in obedience to existing
laws, for the service of that fiscal year, and the
contractors were fairly entitled to their compen-
sation as it became due. The deficiency as then
stated in the bill amo 1nted to So 1893 ,728, but
after a careful settlement Of all these accounts,
it has been ascertained that it amounts to 81,
296, 900. With the scanty means at his COM
mand, the Postmaster General has managed to
pay that portion Of the deficiency which occur
red IN the first two quarters OF the past fiscal
year, ending on the 3lst of December last. In
the meantime the contractors themselves, under
these trying circumstances, have behaved in a
manner worthy Of all commentator.
Trey had one resource in the midst of their
enbnrassments. After the amount due to
each of them had been ascertalned and finally
settled according to law, this became specified
debt Of record against the United States, which
enabled them to borrow money on this unques-
tionable security, Still they were obliged to
pay interest in consequence of the default of
Congress, and on every principle of justice
ought to receive interest from the government.
This interest should commence from the date
when warrant would have issued for the pay
ment of the principal had an appropriation
been made for this purpose. Calculated up to
LIST December it will not exceed 500 ,550-a
sum not to be taken into account when con
trast9d with the great difficulties and embar-
easements OF a public and private character,
both tie the people and the States, which would
have resulted from converting and holding a
special session Of Congress.
For these reasons | recommend the passage of
bill atlas early day as may be practicable,
to provide for the payment of the amount, with
interest, due to--these last mentioned contrac-
tors, as well as to make the necessary appropri~
atoms for the services of the Post Office Depart
ment for the current fiscal year.
The failure of the Post Office bill necessarily
gives birth to serious reflections Congress by
refusing to pass the general appropriation bills
necessary to carry on the government, may not
only arrest it's action, but might even destroy
Its existence The army, the navy, the judi
ciary-in Short every department of govern
1 ment-can no longer perform their functions if
Congress refuse the money necessary for their
support If this failure should teach the coun-
try the necessity of electing full Congress in
sufficient time to enable the President to con-
vene them in any emergency, even Immediately
after the old Congress has expired, it will have
been productive of great good.
In a time of sudden and alarming danger,
foreign or domestic, which all nations must ex
pect to encounter in their progress, the very
salvation of our institutions may be staked up
on the assembling of Congress without delay.
If under such circumstances, the President
should find himself In the condition in which he
Nuos ,nlocn1 ~ +h., al, al tho lost
with nearly half the States in the Union desti-
tute Of representatives, the consequences might
be disastrous. |, therefore, recommend to Con
gress to carry into effect the provisions of the
constitution on this subject, and to pass law
appointing some day previous to the 4th of
March in each year Of odd number for the cleo
ton Of representatives throughoutall the States.
They have already appointed day for the cleo
ton of electors for President and Vice. President,
aud this measure has been approved by the
country.
would agaimexpress most decided opinion
in favor of the construction of Pacific rail
road for the reasons stated in my two last an
nual messages When reflect upon the deen-
seless condition of our States and Territories
west of the Rocky Mountains in case Of a war
with a naval power sufficiently strong to inter
rupt all intercourse with them by the routes
across the lslhmus, am still more convinced
than ever of the vast Importance Of this rail.
road | have never doubted the constitutional
competency of Congress to provide for its con-
struction, but this exclusively under the war
making 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 afforded to
CAlifornin and Ornnnn apninst such O naval