Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1860-01-06

DtCtSSaLg ~ Na-+$
until the regular period for the meeting
of a new Congress. This event impos-
ed on the executive > grave responsible
Nv. Ii presented choice Of evils.
Had this omission of duty occurred At
she first session Of the lsst Congress, the
remedy would have been plain. | might
then have instantly recalled to complete
their work, and this without expense 10
the government. But on the Attn OF
March last there we're fifteen Of the thir-
ty-,bree States which had not elected any
representatives to the present Congress.
Had Congress been called together i'm
mediatelv, these States would nave been
virtually disfranehised. If an interme-
date period had been selected, several OF
the States vouId have been compelled 10
hold extra sessions of their Legislatures,
al great inconvenience snd expense, to
provide for elections 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 IN
til October and November.
On the other hand, when I came to
examine carefully the condition Of the
Post Office Department, / did not meet
as many or as great difficulties as had
apprehended. Had the bill which failed
been confined to appropriations for the
fiscal year ending en- the 30th of June
next, there would have been no reason
Of pressing 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 @! the pres
ent fiscal year, commencing on the lst
of July, until the 1st of December
/ less than one week before the meeting Of
the prevent Congress. The reason Is
that the mail contractors for this, the cur
rent year, did not complete their first
quarters service until The Both Septem-
Der last; and by the terms of their con-
tracts sixty days more are allowed for
the settlement of their accounts before
the Department could be called upon
for pay.
The great difficulty and the great hard
ship consisted in the failure to provide fol
the payment OF the deficiency in the fisca
wear ending the S0Jh Of June, 1850
The Department had entered into con
tracts. ia obedience Of existing la~s, fol
The service Of that fiscal year, and the
contractors were fairly entitled to then
compensation as it became due. Thu
deficiency rs stated in the bill amounte,
to s.. 838,728, but after a careful settle
ment of all these accounts. it has beer
asceFtained that it amounts to S4.296,000
With the scanty means at his command
the Postmaster General has managed t.
pay that portion of that deficiency which
occurred in the first two quarters of the
past fiscal year, ending on the 3lst 0
/ December last In the meantime thl
contractors themselves, under these try
ing circumstances, have behave in a man
ner worthy of all commentator.
They had one resource in the midst 0
their embarrassments. After the amour
due to each Of them had been ascertainet
and finally settled according to law, thi
became a specified debt Of record agains
the United States. which enabled them t
borrow money on this questionable secu
rity. Still they were Obliged to pay in
terest in consequence of the default q
Congress, and on every prinsi pIe Of jus
tice ought to receive interest from tn
government. This interest should com
mence from the date when a warran
, wonld have issued for the payment of tn
principal had an appropriation been mad
for this purpose Calculated up to l.
December, it win not exceed S96,660-
q sum not to be taken into account whe
contrasted with the great difficulties an
embarassments of a public and privat
character, both to the people and til
: States, which would have resulted fror
converting and holding a special sessio
j of Congress.
For these reasons ] recommend tn
, passage of a bill at as early a day as ma
be practicable, TO provide for the paymer
Of the amount, with interest, due to thes
last mentioned contractors, as well as
make the necessary appropriations for tn
services of the Post Office Departmer
for the current fiscal year.
p The failure to pass the Post Office bi
necessarily gives birth TO serious refel
p tons. Congress, by refusing to pass ii
q general appropriation bills necessary