Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1860-01-05


in foreign port? To deny this power is to
render the navy in a great degree useless for
the protection of the lives and property Of
American citizens in countries where neither
protection nor redress can be otherwise oh
tanned.
The Thlrty-fiith Congfess terminated ON
the Sd of March. 1859, without having pass
ed the "act making appropriations for the
service of the Post Office Department during
the fiscal year ending the 30th June 1890
This act act also contained an appropriation
''to supply deficiencies in the revenue of the
Post Office Department for the wear ending
the 3Oth of June, 1859" l believe this Is
the first instance since the origin of the Fed
eral Government, now more than seventy
wears ago. when any Congress went out of
existence without having passed all the gen.
eral appropriation bills necessary to carry on
the government until the regular period for
the meeting of new Congress. This event
imposed on the Executive grave RESPONSE
bility. It presented choice of evils.
Had this omission of duty occurred at the
first session of the last Congress the remedy
would have been plain. might then have
instantly recalled them to complete their
work-and this without expense to the gov
eminent. But on the 4th Of March last there
were fifteen of the thirty-three States which
had not elected any representatives to the
present Congress Had Congress been called
together Immediately these States would have
been virtually DISTINGUISHED. If an interme-
date period had been selected, several of the
States would have been compelled to hold ex-
ira sessions Of their legislatures, at great in
convenience and expense, to provide for cleo
tiors at an earlier day than that previously
fixed by law. In the regular 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 came to exam
inc carefully the condition Of the Post Oiiice
Department. ] did not meet as many or as
great difficulties as | had apprchended. Had
the hill which failed been confined to appro-
priati for the fiscal year ending on the
3Oth June next, there would have been no
reason of pressing importance for the call of
an extra session. Nothing would become
due on contracts those with railroad compa-
MES only excepted for carrying the mail for
the first quarter of the present fiscal year,
commencing on the first ofJuly, until the LIST
of December-less than one week before the
meeting Of the present Congress The rea-
son is that the mail contractors for this, the
current year, did not complete their first quar-
ter's service until the S0th September last;
and by terms Of their contracts sixty days
more are allowed for the settlement Of their
accounts before the department could be call
ed upon for payment:
Tic great difficulty and the great hardship
consisted in the failure to provide for the
payment of the deficiency in the fiscal year
ending the Both June, 1859. Tie depart
mcnt had entered into contracts, in obedience
to existing laws, for tie service Of that fiscal
year, aud the contractors were fairly entitled
/ to their compensation as it became due. The
deficiency. as stated in the bill, amounted to
/ SO. 93S.72S. but, after n careful settlement of
all these accounts, it has been ascertained
that it amounts to S4,206,009 With the
scanty means at his command, the Postmas-
ter General has managed to pay that portion
of this deficiency which occurred in the first
two quarters of the past fiscal year ending
on the 3lst December last. In the meantime
the contractors themselves, under these trying
circumstances, have behaved in manner
worthy of all commentator.
They had one resource in the midst of their
embarrassmcrts. After the amount due to
each of them had been ascertained and final
~ settled according to law, this became a
specific debt ofrecord against the United State
which enabled them to borrow money OH this
unreasonable security. Still they were o.
bliGed 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 whence a warrant would have
issued for the payment of the principe had
an appropriation been made for this purpose.
Calculatcd up to list December, it will not eX-
coed 500 GGO, a sum not to be taken into &C
count when contrasted with the great difficult
ties and cmbarrassments Of a public and pri-
vate character, both to the people and the
States. which would have resulted from con-
vening and holding special session of Con-
gross.
For these reasons recommend the passage
of a bill, at rs early day as may be prac-
ticable to provide for the payment of the a
mount, with interest due to these last-men-
toned contractors, as well as to make the
necessary appropriations for the service OF the
Post Office Department for the current tisca
year.
The failure to pass the Post Office bill nee
essarily gives birth TO serious reilectons.-
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. Tht
army, the navy, the judiciary, in Short eve
: nv department OF the government, can M
longer perform their functions if Congress re
fuse the monei necessary for their support
, | this failure should teach the country thu
, necess ty of eecting a full Congress III suih
cient time to enable the President to conven
: them in any emergency, even in!mediatel,
after the old Congress has expired, 1T vii
/ have been productive OF great good.
f In a time of sudden and alarming danger
foreign or domestic, which all nations mus
= expect to encouter in their progress, the YER
5 salvation Of our institutions may be staket
g upon the assembling of Congress without dc
lay. If under such circumstances, the Pres
= dent should find himself in the condition
which he was placed at the close of the las
Congress- with nearly half the States of Cnio
: destitute of representatives, the consequence
\ might be disastrous. |, therefore, recon
: mend to Congress to carry into effect the pro
f visions of the constitution on this subject, an
G to pass law appointing some day preTiou
to the 4th March in each year of odd numbe
I for the election of representatives through
. out all the States. They have already appoin
, ted a day for the election collectors for Pres
, ident and Vice President and this mcasur
, has been approved by the country.
: would again express most decided opin
: ion in favor of the construction of q Pacih
c railroad. for the reasons stated in my two las
70 annual messages. When / reflect upon wha
= would be the defenceless condition Of gu
States and Terri tories west of the Rock
5 mountains in case of war with naval powe
f sufficiently strong to interrupt all intercours
= with them by the routes across the lsthmu
S am still moro convinced than ever of th
= vast imp ortance of this railroad. have nevt
a doubted the constitutional competency c
: Congress to provide for its construction, br
[ tlis exclusively under the War-making pow