Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1860-01-03

pmplete their work-and this without expense to the
/ dsvernmentsa But the 4th Of March last there
Meis fifteen of the thirty three States which had not
9ecteq any representatives to the present Congress-
Had Congress been called together these
States would have been virtually disfranchised If
an intermsdiate period had been selected Of
States would have been compelled to hold extra
sessions of their legislatures at great Inconvenience
and expense, 70 provide for elections at earlier
day than that previously fixed by law In the regu-
courses ten OF hese States would not elect until
after the beginning IF August and five OF these ten
4 not until October and November.
l On the other hand, when came to examine care
fully the condition of the Post Office Department,
did not meet many or az great difficulties as had
apprehended. Had the bilkghich failed been conf
ned to appropriations for the fiscal year ending on
the 30th june next there would have bsSAno reason
OF pressing Importance for the call of extra ses
s1on Nothing would become due an contracts (those
with railroad companies only excepted) for carrying
mail for the first quarter of the present fiscal year
commencing on the first Of July, until the first of De-
cemberless than week before the meeting Of the
present Congress. The is that the mail con-
tractors for this the current year did not complete
their first quarters service until the 30th September
last and by the terms of their contracts sixty days
allowed for the settlement of their accounts
before the Department could be called upon for pay
ment.
The great difficulty and the great hardship consia-
ted in the failure to provide for the payment of the
deficiency in the fiscal year ending the 3Oth june
lSog The Department had entered into contracts, IN
obedience to existing laws, for the service of that s
cal year. and the contractors fairly entitled to
tnelr compensation as it became due. The deficiency
as stated in the bill amounted to So 728 but az
ter careful settlement of all these accounts to ST.
zso OoS With the scanty means at his command, the
Postmaster General has managed to pay that portion
OF this deficiency which occurred in the first two
ters of the past fiscal year. ending on the 3Ist
Der last In the meantime the contractors themsei
under these trying circumstances have behaE
in manner worthy of all comm endaton. They ba0
one resource in the midst of their embarrassments
After the amount due to each OF them had been
tanned and settled according to law, this became
chc debt of record against the United States, which
enabled them to borrow money on this unquestiona-
bic security Still they 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
mence from the date when warrant would have been
issued for the payment of the principal had appro
priation been made for this purpose Calculated up
to lst December, it will not exceed 500, Goa sum
not to be taken into account when contrased with the
great difficulties and embarrassments of public and
private character both to the people and the States
which would have resulted from convening and hold
ing special session of Congress
For these reasons recommend the passage ofabill,
at as early day may be practicable, to provide for
the payment of the amount, with interest due to
these last mentioned contractors as well as to make
the necessary appropriations for the service of the
Post Office Department for the current fiscal year.
The failure to pass the Post Office bill necessarily
gives birth to serious reflections Congress- by re-
fusing to pass the general appropriation bills necessa
ry to carry on the Government, may not only arrest
its action, but might destroy its existence. The
army, the navy, the judiciary in short every depart
ment of the Government, longer perform their
functions if Congress refuse the money necessary for
their support If this failure should teach the
try the necessity of electng full Congress in sut
cie. time to enable the President to convene them
in any emergency, even Immediately after the old
Congress has expired it will have been productive
great good. In time of sudden and alarming dan
ger, foreign domestic, which all nations mus.
expect to encounter in their progress the very sava
ton OF our institutions may be staked upon
bling OF Congress without delay. If, under such cir
cumstances, the President should find himselfi in the
last Congress, with nearly half the States of the u
MON destitute of representatives the consequences
might be disastrous. therefore, recommend to
Congress carry into effect the provisions othe Con-
stitution this subject and to pass law appointing
day previous to the 4th March n eacEsyear Of
odd number for the election ofrepresenbasyes tnsc'
out all the States. They have already appointed a
day for the election of electors for President Vice
President and this measure has been approvedhy
the country.
would again express most decided opinion in Z
favor of the construction ofa Pacific Railroad for the
reasons stated in my last annual message. When
L reflect upon what would be the defenceess condi-
ton of our States and Territories west of the Rocky
Mountains in case OF war with a naval power sutf-
cienty strong to interrupt all intercourse with them
by the routes tho Isthmus, still more
vinced than of the vast Importance of this rail-
road. have never doubted the constitutional
competency of Congress to provide for s construc-
tion, but this exclusively under the war. making
err. Besides, the Constitution expresslv .Tsluires
as an impeIs5 aaty, that ...Q Qnit2d s.ates s1
am at loss to see hos this protection can be af-
forded TO California anu OREGON against such
ysl power by any other means. Lrercat the opinion
contained in my last annual message that il would
be inexpedient for the Government % undertake
this great work by agents IF its own appointment
and under its direct and exclusive contros, This
would increase the patronage of the Executive n
dangerous extent, and would foster system Of job
bing and corruption which vigilance the part
OF the federal officials could prevent The construction
of this read ought therefore, to be ntrusted nc0r
porated companies other agencies, who would ex-
ercise that active and vglant supervision over it
which can be inspired alone by sense of corporate
and individual interest. venture assert that the
additional cost of transporting troops munitions Of
war, and necessary supplies for the army across the
vast intervening plains to possessions on the Pa
ci6c coast would be greater in such war than the
whole amount required to construct the road. And
yet this resort would, after ALL be inadequate for
their defense and protection.
We have yet scarcely recovered from the habits of
extravagant expenditure, produced by our overflow
ing Treasury during several years prior to the
mencement of my administration. The financial re-
verses which we have since experienced ought to
teach all to scrutinze expenditures with the
greatest vigilance and to reduce them to the lowest
possible point The Executive Departments of the
Government have devoted themselves to the accom-
plishmert of this object with considerable success
will appear from their different reports and estimates
To these invite the scrutiny of Congress, for the
purpose of reducing them still lower, if this be prac
tcab consistent Win the great pubic interests OF
the country. In aid of the policy of retrenchmen,
pledge myself to examine closely the bills appro
priating lands money that any of these should
inadvertently pass both Houses, as must sometimes
be the case, I may afford them an opportunity for
reconsideration. At the same time we ought never
to forget that true public economy consists not in
Withholding the means necessary to accomplish i'm
portant national objects con6ded to by the Con-
stitution, but in taking that the money appro-
priated for these purposes shall be faithfully and ru
galiy expended.
the Treasury that it is extremely doubtful to say the
least, whether shall be able to pass through the
present and the next fiscal year without providing adj
dtonal revenue. This can only be accomplished by
strictly conning the appropriations within the esti-
mates of the different Departments, without making
an allowance for any additional expenditures which
Congress may think proper, in their discretion, to
authorize. and without providing for the redemption
of any portion of the $40 600 of Treasury notes
which have been already issued. In the event of
deficiency, which consider probable, this ought
never to be supplied by resort to additional loans
Ii would be ruinous practice in the days of pefce
and prosperity to go increasing the national debt
to meet the ordinary expenses of the Governme1t.
This policy would cripple our resources and impair
It necessary to borrow money. Should such a def
cheney occur, as i apprehend, would recommend
that the necessary revenue be raised by increase
of our present duties on imports. need not repeat
the opinions expressed in my last animal message as
to the best mode and manner of accomplishing this
object and shall now merely observe that these have
since undergone no change.
The report of the Secretary of the Treasury will
explain in detail the operations of that department.
OF the government.
The receipts into the Treasury from all sources
during the fiscal year ending Seth June 1852 incl-