The Sun.
London, England, 1837-02-07 00:00:00

THE POST-OFFICE.

We submit to our readers a most important Return, which
will be moved for in the House of Commons to-morrow by
Mr. Wallace. It embraces a wide field of useful informa-
tion—it comes home to the interests, the comforts, and se-
curity of all classes, who use the Post-office as a medium of
communication on matters of business, or on all the more
ordinary, but more endearing tics of friendly and family in-
tercourse. The public are well aware of the temptations
held out by the present system of management in all the
post-offices of the three kingdoms to idle and dissolute per-
sons employed therein, to abstract and purloin bills and
back-notes from letters, and consequently to break many
more open in search of plunder, thereby getting access to
the most delicate questions affecting family arrangements
and circumstances, but for which they would remain secret
aq the grave. It has often been alleged by Mr. Wallace
that these practices exist to a fearful extent, and that the
delinquents have been allowed to escape exposure and pu-
nishment, by retiring or dismissal, rather than bring the
subject prominently and frequently forward in courts of
law ; which it is alleged is never resorted to but in many
gross cases, which would not admit of concealment or pAss-
inn' over. It is evidently the interest of the public that
the allegations of the Member for Greenock should be
proved, or the contrary. We cannot doubt for a moment
that the Returns sought for will be acceded to by Govern-
ment, and ordered by the 'louse of Commons ; but we ad-
vise the public to watch this important matter. Mr. Wal-
lace has to fight the battle for the people single-handed in
all matters relating to the Post-office, and therefore it is
their duty to support and encourage him, and see that his
exertions are neither thwarted nor overborne by the igno-
rance or jealousies of official men.
Mr. WALLACE. Returns, in detail, of the number of
cases which have occurred from the sth January, 1829, to sth
January, 1837, in each year, of letters franked or unfranked,
addressed to persons in London, Dublin, or Edinburgh, or
which have been applied for through the General Post Offices
of those cities, containing money, bills, Bank notes, or other
any person
property, which have been secreted or purloined b
in the employment of the Post Office department, by any
been de-
manded therefrom by private parties as undelivered ; with the
amount thereof in each case in each year respectively ; also
the names of the parties who claimed the said letters, with the
amount alleged by them to have been lost in each instance ;
and if franked, stating the name of the person franking.
" Of the names and situations of all persons dismissed or
removed from the Post Office department as above, under the
allegation of having purloined or secreted letters, franked or
nnfranked, or been concerned therein, containing money, hills,
Bank notes, or other property, belonging to private parties,
with the amount in each instance, and the name of the indivi-
dual who claimed the letters, monies, or property said to be
lost ; also, a return, as above, of all persons who have actually
defrauded the revenue department of the Post Office, or have
been accused thereof, and allowed to retire, or been dismissed
therefor ; stating, in either case, if the first offence was visited
with removal or dismissal, or if repeated previous thereto.
" Of the names and situations of any officers or servants in
the Post Office department in Great Britain and Ireland, who

have been disthised or removed from the sth January, 1829,
to sth January, 1837, with the reasons for their dismissal or
removal ; and, in cases where promotion, removal, or superan-
nuation, has taken place, the period of service, age of the
individual, and the amount of salary and income, which he
received previous and subsequent to his removal, promotion,
or superannuation, to be stated, so as to show the increase or
decrease thereof.

" Also, the nature of the security taken by the Pest Office
regarding the abstracting or purloining monies or other pro-
perty by those employed therein; stating if the parties be-
coming sureties arc bound to make good and restore private
property, when abstracted or purloined by the servants of the
public in that department, or only for their fraudulent acts
Tainst the revenue."