The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1860-01-12

to render the navy in grsat degree ne.
less for the protection q the lives end
| property Of American eitisens in cesh'
tries where neither Profession nor r.
dress cas be oehsswise obtained.
POST OFFICE D1tAAsnESr. l
/ The35th Congress terminated On the
Sd Of March, 1850, without having pass
ed the "Act making appropriations fol
the service Of the post ONCE department.
during the fiscal year ending the 30th OF
June. 1860" This act also contained
an appropriation ITO supply deficiencies
| in the revenue Of the post office depart.
,neut for the year ending the Both OF
1 June. 1859. believe this is the flrst
instance since the formation Of the ted
eral government, now more than seventy
wears ago, when any Congress went out u
Of existence without having passed all
the general appropriation bills necessary
10 carry on the government until the reg
u!ar period for the meeting of nc"
/ Congress. This event imposed upon the
! executive a grave responsibility. II pre-
scented choice Of evils.
Had this omission occurred at the hrst
session Of the last Congress, the remedy
would have been plain. l might have
instantly recalled them TO complete their
work-and this without expense to the
government. But on the 4th OF March
ins, there were fifteen of the thirtv.three
I States which had not elected any repre-.
ecntatives to the present Congress. Had
Congress been called together immedi-
otelv. these States would have been vir-
tuaiiy DISTINGUISHED. Had intermediate
p:ried been selected, several OF the
States would have been compelled TO call
extra sessions of their legislatures, at
great Inconvenience aud expense, to pro-
vide for elections ut an earlier day than
tbs, 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 No.
vember.
On the other hand, when | came to
examine carefully the condition of the
post Office department, did not meet as
many or MS great difficulties as had ap.,
pretended. Had the bill which failed
been confined to appropriations for the
fiscal year ending on the 30th June next,
there would have been no r ason of pres
sing Importance for the call Of an extra
session. Nothing would become due on
contracts Chose with railroad companies
only excepted for carrying the mail for
the first quarter of the present fiscal year
commencing on the LIST of July, until
the lst of D cember, less than one week
be tore the meeting Of the present Con-
cress. The reason is that the mail con.
/ tractors for this, the current year, did
not complete their first quarters service
until the 3oth Of September last; and by
! the terms of their contracts sixty days
more are allowed for the settlement Of
their accounts before the department
could be called upon for payment
The great difficulty and the great hard
ship consisted in the failure to provide
for the payment Of tho deficiency in the
fiscal year ending the 30th Of June, 1889
The Department has entered into con
tracts, in obedience t, existing laws, to'
the service Of that fiscal year, and tn
co. tractors were fairly entitled to thci
compensation as it became due. Tn
deficiency as stated in the bill, amounte'
%s s2sa III I'm ckhsp ta aatftsSuse Eefas sftbs
ascertaincd that it amounts to 81, 200
OO9. With the scanty means at hi
command the Postmaster General ha
managed to pay that portion Of this def
cheney which occurred in the first tw
quarters Of the past fiscal year, ending o
the 3lst Of December last In the meal
time the contractors themselves, und,
these trying circumstances, have beha,
ed in manner worthy of all commend;
ton. They lad one resource in tn
midst Of their embarrassmcn.s, after tn
amount due to each of them had bee
asccrtained and finally settled accordin
to law, this become specified debt q
record against the United States whc
enabled them to borrow money on thi
unquestionable security. Still they wcr
obliged to pay interest in consequence Q
the default of Congress, and on ever
: principle Of justice ought to receive in
terest from the government This in
tercst should commence from the dat
:. when the warrant was issued for the pay
,, ment of the principal had an appropria
= ton been made for this purpose, ca.cu!a
y ted up to LIST Of December, it will no
exceed S96, 660--a sum not to be take,
into account when contrastcd with tn,
great difficulties aud cmbarrassments o
. apublic and private character. both t,
, the people and to the States. which woule
:, have resulted from conyepuy aud hold
= Ing a special session of Congress.
= For these reasons | recommend The
:, passage Of a bill, at as early day as ma,
! be practicable, to provide for the pay.
ment of the amount. with interest, due
: to these last mentioned contractors a.
!, well as to make the necessary appropria
:, tons for the service of the Post Oiiic,
Department for the current fiscal year.
The failure to pass the Postofice bill
necessarily gives birth to serious reflec
tons. Congress, BY refusing to pass the
general appropriation bills necessary to
carry on the Government, may not only
arrest its action, but might even DESTROY
its existence. The army, tie navy, the
judiclary-in short every department. Of
governmcnt-can not perform their fuuc
tons If Congress refuse the money nee
essary for their support If this failure
should teach the country tn. nccessit,
Of ciecting a full Congress in suffcicn