Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1860-01-05

'i'', "Nh SHlD'dtcS NlluIu liSelt not OniV
what writers IN the law of nations term
a public or perfect war, but also an i'm.
! perfect war and, in sbort, every spe.
cies OF hostility, however confined or
| limited, Without the authority OF
Congress the President cannot FIRE n
hostile gnn IN any case, ex ept to rcpel
the attacks of an enemy, 1t will not be
doubted that under this power Congress
could, il they thought proper, authorize
the President to employ the force at his
command TO seize n vessel belonging to
an American citizen wbirh had been il.
legally and uDlusily captured in for.
eign port and restore j, to its owner.
But can Congress only ac, after The fnctl
Must they wait until the mischief has
been done, and can they apply the rem.
edy only when it is too latel To con.
fer this authority to meet future cases
under circumstances strictly specified, is
as clearly within the war declaring now
er as such an authority conferred upon
the President By act of Congress after
the deed had been done. [, tho pro
gress of great nation many exigen.
cics must arise imperatiyely requiring
that congress shall authorize the Presi.
dent to act promptly on certain condi
tions which may or miy not alterward.
arise. Our history has already present
ed member of such cases. shall refer
only to the latest
Under the resolution of June, end
1858, 'for the adjustment of difficulties
with the republic of Paraguay the
President is authorized to adopt such
measures and use such force as in hi.
judgment may 6s necessary and adyis
aoli in the event Of refusal Of us
sati.luction by the government Of Par
aguay.' For what! For the attack or
the United States steamer Water Witch
aud other matters referred to in the an
nualmessage Of the President Here tn,
power is expressly granted upon th,
condition that the government OF Par
aguay shall refuse to render this 'us
satisfaction In this and other simia
case! Congress have conferred upol
the President power in advance to EN-
pIoy the army aud navy upon the hap
pening OF contingent future events: aut
thi, most certainly is smbfased within
the power to declare war.
Now, if this conditional and contin
gent power cuold be contitulionaly con
Ierred upon the Presiden, in the case Q
Paraguay, why may il not be conferre
for the purpose OF protecting the live
and property of American citizens in tn
events that they may be violently ant
unlawiuily attacked in passing over tht
transit routes TO and from California, o
nssai ed by the seizure Of their vessel
in foreign port! TO deny this pave
is to render the navy in great degre
: useless for the protection OF the lives au
! property of american citizens in coun,
ries Where neither protection nor redres
can be otherwise obtained.
. The thirty fifth Congress Terminates
5 ON the 3rd Of March, 1879, without ha,
. ing passed the 'act making appropria
: tions Tor the service OF the Post Ollic
a Department during the fiscal year END
ing June 30th, 1860 This ac. uls
: cantaucd an appropriation "to suppl
= deficiencies in the revenue Of the Pos
Office Department, for The year ondin
3Oth june, 1852 believe this is til
| first instance since the origin OF th
Federal Government, how more thu
: seventy years ago, when any Congress
weat out of existence without lyavin
! passed all the appropriation bills neces
, sary to carry on the government unit
: the regular period for the meeting of
new Congress. This event imposed o
the EXecutivea grave responsibility.
presented choice OF evils. Had thi
b omission of duty occurred at the frs
session Of the Last Congress the remed
, would have been plain might the
: have instantly recall them to complet
their woik-and this without expense 1
, the Government But on the 4th o
, March last there we're fifteen of III
: thirty three States which had not elcel
$ ed any repr, sen,atives to the presen
, Congress. Had Congress been Gale
E together immediately, these State
: would have been virtually dlsfranchiset
) II an intermediate period had been sc
lected, severa OF the States would hav
{ been compelled to hold extra sessions @
their Legislatures, at great incOnveni
enee and expense. TO provide for elcs
'ions at an earlier day than previousl
/ fixed by law. In the regular course, te
OF these States would not elect until al
ter the beginning of August, and five o
these ten not until October and Noven
/ bcr.
On the other hand when came to es
anime carefully the condition of tn
, Post Ollice Department did not NEE
, as many or as great difficulties us ha
apprehended. Had the bill which faile
been confined to appropriations for tn
, fiscal year ending on the sOlh Of Jun
. next, there would have been no reaso
Of pressing importance for the call O
an extra session. Nothing would be
come due on cohtracls those with raj
road companies only excepted) for car
ryipg the mnl for the first quarter o
the presen, tisca year, commencing o
the LIST of July, until the lst OF Decem
her-less than week before the meet
ing Of the present Congress, Tn
reason is that the mail contractors fo