The Mountaineer. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1859-1861, 1860-01-28

ENNUNWIIN
partmsnt. did not meet as many Or e great
difficulties ~ ! had apprehended. Had The bill
4 which failed been confined to appropriations Il
for the fiscal year ending on the Goth Jane next,
there would have been no reason Of pfeseing i
i imporiance Tor the call Of an extra sesslen
i Nothing would become due on contracts Chose
with railroad companies only excepiedl Tor car
Tying the mall for the first quarter q the pres
snt fiscal year, commencing on the 1st Of July, /
Il until the tst Of DecembeT--Isss than one week Il
before the meeting Of The present. Congress,
/. The reason u, The mail contractors for this the
current year did not complete their FIRST quar- /
ter's service until ths both September last; and
by the terms Of their contracts sixty days more
Il are allowed for the settlement OF their accounts |
before the Department could BE- called upon for /
4 payment.
The great difheulty and The great hardship
contested In the failure 70 provide for The pay-l
ment 81 the deficiency In the fiscal year ending |
the Both June, 1859. The department. had enter
"a into contracts, in obedieice TO existing laws,
Tor the service or that 6acal year aud The COM
tractors were lairiy entitled 20 thsir ccmpensa-
tion az II became due. The deficiency, az sta |
ted In the bill, amounted 10 "a, 6a6s 728, but,
after careful settlement of all these accounts,
II has been ascertainsd tLat il amounts 70 ~ 296
II U69 With the scanty means at his command, |
the Postmaster General has managed to pay |
that portion Of this deficiency which occurred
10 the first two quarters Of the past fiscal year,
4 time, The contractors themselves, under these
trying circumstances, have behaved In . manner
worthy Of 81 communication. They had one re-
source III the midst Of ther embarassments. Al.
ter the amount due 10 each Of them had been as
, certained and fnally settled according TO law,
this became specific debt Of record against the
United States, which enabled them 20 borrow
money on this nnqnestionabls security. illthey
. were obliged 10 pay interest In consequence VI
the default Of Congress, and On every principle
q Of justice ought % receive interest from the
, Government. This interest should commence
from the date when war ant would have issued
!. for the payment Of the principal had an appro-
lPriation been made for this purpose. Calculated
!, up 10 let December, Il will not exceed $50, 660
7 sum not TO be taken Into account when CON
trastei with the great difficulties and embarass-
. lments 81 public and private character, both To-
!, The people and the sstes, which would have re-
suited from cOnvening aud holding special ser
sisn Of Congress
!, Forthese reasons recommend the passage
Of bill, at az eaEly q day as may be practicable
! 70 provide for the payment OF the amount, with
interest, due 10 these last mentioned contractors
az well As 10 make the necessary apProPria-
! lions for the service Of the Poat-Ofiice DepaTt.
]. ment forthe current fiscal year.
y The failure 70 pass the Post Office bill neces-
= sarily gives birth TO serious reflections. Con-
: gfess, by refusing TO pass the general appro-
pFiation bills necessary 10 carry on the Govern
!. ment may not only arrest lie action, bntmight
3 even destroy its existence. The Army, the
!. Navy, the Judiciary, in short every department
Z Of the Government, can no longer perform their
functions il Congress- refuse the money neces-
!, safy for their support. II this failure should
!. teach the country the necessity Of eleeting .
= full Congress- in sufficient time 10 enable the
President 10 convene them In any emergency,
7 even Immediately after the old Congress has
expired, II will have been productive 81 great
1 good. In - time of sudden and alarming
= danger, foreign or domestic, which allnations
must expect 10 encounter in their progress, the
y very salvation Of our Institutions may be staked
y upon the assembling Of Congress without delay.
!. should lind himself In the condition IN which
. he was placed al the close Of the last Congress,
y with nearly half the States Of the Union de-
stilute Of REPRESENTATIVES., the consequences
= might be disastrous. ] therefore Recommend 10
I. Congress TO carry into effect the provisions Of
Y the Constellation on this subject. and TO pass a
y law appointing some day previous 10 tho 4,h
= March In each year Of odd number for The
y election Of representatives throughout all the
!. States They have already appointed a day for
= the election OF Electors for President and Vice
: President. and this measure has been approved
3 by the country. 3..z
ne THE FAcIRIc RAILROAD
would again express most decided opin.
le ion in favor Of the construction of a Pacific
Of Railroad, FOR the reason stated in ms two last
p annual messages. When reflect upon what
g would be 1.-The defenseless condition Of our States
le and Territories west OF The Rock Mountains in
v case Of . war with naval power sufficiently
Or strong to interrupt all Intercourse with them b.
es the T6ntes across the lsthmtis, am still
more convinced than ever Of the vast Importance
Of this railroad. 4 have never doubted the CON
ne stltutiolal competency OF Congress TO provide
y for lis construction, but this exclusively under
l. The war-making power, Besides, The Consti:s-
We tim expressly requires as imperative duty,
&c that ttlhe United States shall protect each 81
n them tthe States1 against INVASION" am at a
e loss 10 conceive how this protection can be af-
re forded 10 California and Oregon against such 4
naval power by any other means. | repeat tht
% opinion contained in my last annual message
be that Il would be inexpedent for the Government
IL To- undertake. this great work by agents of III
ng own appointment and under its direct and exclu.
In size control This would increase the patronag,
W. Of the Executive 10 dangerous extent and WoulC
es foster system Of jobbing and corruption which
e no vigilance the part of Federal officials coulc
lie prevent The construction Of this road ought
ZEE therefore to he intrusted TO incorporated cons
p panies, or other agencies who would exercise Iha
re vigilant and active supervision over Il which car
be nspited alone by asense Of corporate and indi
siGual Interest. ! venture to assert that the add
tlonal cost of transporting troops, munitions Of
Al war, and necessary supplies for the army across
~ the vast Intervening plains 10 our possessions OF
y. the Pacific coast would be greater In such wal
- than the whole amount required to construct III,
~ road. And We, this resort would, aiIer all, b,
IS inadequate for their defense and protection. $.
lie A.. .-::.s. RETRENcHMENT. :5 b
We We have scarcely yet recovered from the hab.
he ts Of exlrayagant expenditure, produced by on
~ oyerilowing Treasury during several years priol
Is 70 the commencement Of my administration
iP- The financial Teyerses which We have since ex.
W perenced ought to teach rs all TO scT1tinize oul
ng expenditures with the greatest vigilance, and L
he reduce them TO the lowest possible point. Tn.
led Executive Departments Of the Government have
DEVOTED thelnssiEee 10 the accomplishment Of thI.
Isl object with considerable snccess as will apnea
aid from their different reports and estimales. IL
lly these invite the scrutiny Of Congress, for III,
bis purpose Of reducing them still lower, II this B.