Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1814-02-10
:
CONGRESS.
HOUSE or REPRESENTATIVES.
s.rusnAr, February ).

for building Jail in the county OF A.
Jexandria in said district; which was
) tw.se read and committes.
Mr.. Ingsrsoll submitted the follow
ing resolution and specification
Resolved, That the President OF the
United States be requested to cause to
bs laid before this House such inforns-
.tion as may be obtained under the ioi-
loving particulars Of enquiry respecting
the General Post Office establishments
efthe u States.
MIR. |. observed that it vsuld be re-
collected that he had the homer some
weeks ago 10 sabni, resolution to the
House for the purpose of snqairing Ia.
ito the expediency of better organ,za-
ton ef,thst anomaly under the ceasu'
tuition, the post Office department., and
for bringing it nearer than 1t to the
constitutional principles, regulating o.
Their executive departments IN respect
10 their appointments to Office. Under
that resolution a committee had been ap-
no;ated who reported bill for refer
rise the appointments n the principal
{ distributing Post ficesto the President
aud Senate. Owing ts. the pressure OF
otfor business, however,thistniil had ne.
yer been called up for third reading,
The army bills aaasother public censt-
deratiens OF Eaore moment had occupied
the tine of tas House in preference.
Mr.. I. said he did not regret this delay,
as further reflsetion and conversation
with gentlemen on both sides OF the
House had satisfied him that such an
act as the ono proposed would tsns out
in very inadequate measure to remedy
the evils existing of which many had
been presented to his notice in the course
Of general Incidental examinatiua.
There must be radical reform. He
therefore proposed to institute enquiries
With that view; rslinquishing. with the
leave of the House, or at least suspend.
ins the prosecution ofthe act reported,
which would not answer the purpose
by itself, of even beginning the reform.
To consume no mere time than was ali
solu,eiy necessary, Mr.. /. said he would
,rsublo the House no longe, than TO
state very briefly such explanations as
might be due 10 each item Of ths enqui-
ry nc contemplated.
1.-The names, places OF residence
and nunbsr Of ell the postmasters OF the
u. States, together with tbs salary and
emoluments of eash, and the aggregate
compensation Of The whole
Under this head Mr.. !. raid that he
hinselF had obtained the requisite infor-
nation, so far as II concerned the NUN.
Der of Post Masters. They appeared 10
be now sois. But his wish was to pos
sess the House formally Of all the de-
tails, iaciuding the very important ar
ticIss of the salaries and emolnments (;
which, said Mr. I. have So far ascer-
tanned as to be abs to say, at any rate,
tba, shey amount TO much more than Is
supposed. .
"a. fhe number of Clerks in each
aud every Post Office OF the y. States,
including those in the General Post Of
fee, together with the salary and emo
lumsn, OF each, aud tss aggregate cem-
psnsatios oftde whole
What the number of these Clerks
NAV be, or the amount OF their smnio-
msnts, Mr.. I observed be did not know;
but no had understood that their nan-
bers were discretionary or rather aroE-
trars, aD5 their smolrlments too Ut so
it wa: high time certainly to limit both
IS Tue amount allowed and paid cut
ftse public funds for house rent or
rsom rent, stationary, fuel and all other
expeaces stated or contingent in each <
ali og the Post @ Eices in tho Z. States
distinguishing each item in each Office
as we'll as exhibiting thu whole amount
In them AL.
This matter, Mr.. /. said, especially
REQUIRED the interference OF Congress
Jfhe was no, nisiaforped, it was the "
,see 70 allow certaln Post Masters, be
did not know particularly which, con
t;nqsnt fund OF 1000 dollars year, in
addition to The 1000 dollars salary, out
of which consipgent fund those entruse'
ed with i, had discretionary power to
appropriate what they pleased f'r rent
fuel, Clerks, stationary and all other ex'
pences. The consequences might DC
readily imagined. Very little OF TINS
fund was ever returned as surplus ana
In one place which Mr.. I, had heard OF,
1900 dollars wear were regularly re-
taiasd in payment for room which ne
knew, he said, not to bs worth at the
most ur~re than 500 dollars, if even the
half of that.
"a. The amount annually ofcharges
incident to the transportation OF the
mail in the consumption, loss or des-
truction of bags or other articles pro-
vidsd at public expsnee..
IS. Tho amount OF all contracts Tor
the transportation Of the mail OF the y
State, with the names OF the contractors