Ellsworth American., 1876-06-22

The following message ma. been ,ert to
Congress by the President
To he >enGte anil HJHss ~ Representa-
tices.
The near approach OF a new fiscal year
anl the failure Of Congress, up To thi>
time. 10 provide the necessary means to
continue All the Junction., OF the Govern
ment. makes II my duty t. call your attrn-
ton TO the emOarra.smeuts that must et-
sue il the fiscal year /. allowed to close
without remedial action on your part
The President then quotes certain pro-
visions of the laws and the Constitution.
saying their effect is 10 prohibit any OUTLAY
of public money toward defraying even the
current and necessary expenditures OF the
Government after the expiration OF the
year for which appropriated, excepting
when those expenses are provided for by
some permanent appropriation, and except
Ing in the War and Navy Departments the
number OF permanent appropriations are
very limited. and cover but few ufthe nee
essary expenditures OF the Government
They are nearly all, il not quite ali. en-
braced in Sections 1861, .6SS and 3 $50 of
the Revised Statutes. That contained in
Section 3,6S7 is applicable to the expenses
OF collecting the revenue from customs,
that in Section 3 ,GS8 TO the payment of the
interest on the public debt. aud that in
Section 1863 to various object. toe numer-
Gus to detail here. 1t will be observed that
while Section 3.G79 provides that no de-
partment shall in aiy one fiscal year in
voive the Government In any contract for
| the future payment OF money in excess OF
the appropriation for that year, Section
1892 confers, by clear Implication. upon
the heads OF the War and Navy Depart
ments full authority, even in the absence
of any appropriation, To purchase or con
tract lfor clothing, subsistence. forage.
fuel. quarters, and transportation. not ex-
! ceeding the necessities of the current year.
The latter provision is special and excep-
tional in its character, and is to be regard
ed as excluded from the operations of the
former more general one. But if any of
the appI opriation bills above enumerated
should fail to be matured before the expi-
ration Of the current fiscal year, the Gov
ernment wsuld be greatly embarrassed for
want Of the necessary funds to carry on
| the service. Precluded from expendIng
| money not appropriated, the departments
would have-to suspend the service so far
| as the appropriation should have failed to
be made. A careful examination of this
| subject will demonstrate the embarrassed
| condition oil branches Of the Government
| will be in, and especially the Executive
essary appropriation bills before the lst OF
July or otherwise provide. | commend
this subject most earnestly to your consid-
Grafton. and urge that some measure be
| speedily adopted to avert the evils which
| would result from n-action by Cong ress
| will venture the suggestion, by way OF
| remedy. that a joint resolution, properly
guarded, might be passed through the two
houses of Congress, extending the provis-
ions OF all appropriations for the present
| fiscal year to the next in all cases where
there is failure on the lst OF July to sup
ply such appropriation, each appropriation
| so extended to hold good until Congress
shall have passed corresponding appro-
priation applicable to the new fiscal year,
when all moneys expended, under the laws
enacted. for this fiscal year shall be dednct-
ed from the corresponding appropriation
| for the next.
To make my ideas on this subject more
clear have caused to be drawn up joint
resolution, embodying them more fully.
u. s. GRANT.
| STOPPING THR WHEELS OF GOVERNMENT.
The debate in the House on Saturday
afternoon furnished pretty clear indica-
tiOn that deadlock between the two
] Houses upon the Appropriation bills is