Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1816-04-10

roseto te GcIcd BY The Alterations CT tie cash
bonk
s. Il appears to hsye been the practice Of the as
sstant post master gSusrsd, A. BRADLEY, jan. 10
pen an account With certain individuals, partly Ola
public and partly of private nature there were
esSes IL which members OF Conrt have by means
nlthc agency Of Abraham Bradley. jlm. transferred
funds ircm one part OF d,e United States to another
part, or Lave received money for some OF their com-
Stituents, WIN were contractors !or carrying the
mail 10y winch their names became entered on the
hooks nr advantages accrued t. any person by the
transaction other than that of the accommodation in
tansle' ring an ineonsiieIabe fund from one place
To another. II may be obserN cd that the post office
oicrcl peculiar facilities in this particular, and mas
frequently bGen resorted to by members OF Cou-
81 ess and others TO- tbs purpose, but the.r names 90
not appear IN an open account on toe books, except
when the draiis exchanged did not exactly balance
al The tnc Of exchange.
The oily aceSun, ofihis nature which is aseer-
tanned "a remain open Cn-the books matte in De-
ce,nter, 1900. where there is balance IL, favour Of
the General Posi- Once OF $50 dollars, due from
Gen, n. Lee, OF Virginia.
18th. II appears that phiness Bradley, clerk in
the General Post Office haas been concerned in car
r'iug the maj, and that he owned something more
than one Gig eenth oi line OF stages which carried
,hs mail from R9iumure to Georgetown and Alex
a;'lr.a Tor 2,so0 dollars a year. Whatever may
be the oHnnn OF the committee as TO the strict pro-
pnetv al The mcde IN which compromise was eff
ieeted IN this case between rival contractors, (see
the testimony Of John Dals) it is but proper to add
that Mr.. Bradley lad no legal agency in niueEc-
ing the decision u"on the contract could he have
had any other agency IN il, uGless corrupt dspo-
s'i'on Is presumed on the part OF the then Post
Master General, who consulted before the
tract took effect as to the propriety of his being
eOneSrcd IN it bat thereis no circumstance in the
case 60 authorize such presumption.
9Th. There IS 40 eyidsnee which, in the opinion
OF the committee, can Justify The imputations in this
charge. See testimony OF J. Eddington.
9th. II app avs that bank notes toa small amount
have been sold by Abraham Bradley, Jun. and L
bradley, previous to the general depreciation of
bank paper, tor which they received 4 premium.
The evidence docs not prove that they male use of
pubic money f'r this purpose but tar rs a fact
o. this kind could be ascertained from circumstances,
Improves the transaction to nave been private one
9Th. II appears that treasury note Of one hun
dred dollars and bank notes to small amount
w'ich were supp d to be better than the money
ol the District Of Columbia, have been r, turned to
fost Niasters this Transactions Ear it regsrls
the bank oOtes returned, ia contIrmity with
der 1t the Post Master General To his deputies,
annex d 20 letter Ma .. The only reason ailedged
Tor reur ing the treasury note is that it might nave
been pm chased at & discount by The Post Master
who rc'nit'cd K.
sth. The committee have ascertainel that drafts
10 the Pmount o. SIel 3lS 10 have been isposed If
20 the eHion Rank; and 10 the amount OF 1000 to
The Washington Bank, and to the amount of S15,-
34S - TO individuals who were not public creditors,
since Inc lst OF October, 1919, the commencement
ct thu sen raj depreciation ofbank paper. Those
drsfts appear To- have been exchanged az bar, and
except IN lew cases, for the paper of The District
otCoumba. II IS evident, from the rate of ex-
q aoge during this period between the District of
Coiun'Lia and most of the places upon which these
GRATIS were drawn, that the purchasers must have
derived an advantage other than that of q mere
transfer Of their funds. 1t has not been ia the DOW
r OF the committee ascertain the value of tn, Sc
drafts IN the paper Of the District of Coumhia,
having 10 means Of determining at the several dates
Tie respective rates of exchange; did this ap-
pear 70 teen very material, as the amount of pro
ut which sscrGcd to the purchasers could have but
hu'e Influence upon the principle which mast de-
tcrInihe the proprieiy ofthe measure. With res
peet to the banks, il IS stated that small proper.
ton OF these drafts were sold for premiums, some
having been exchanged for specie, and others used
Tor uhe payment Utdebts due to other banks.
Ii cannot however he OF any Impotence, &c the
Gratis We're essentially more valuable than the Dis
uiet ot Columbia paper) whether they were en-
poyed IN The payment Of debts, sold for specie or
i2r bank notes OF this District. with premium for
The difference Of value the principle is the same in
either case, aud whatever may be the amount OF ad-
vantage 10 the Individuals the banks in this trans
action, resulting from TIC difference Of exchange,
the same will be the amount of disadvantage to the
government Ii does not however appear tl.at any
change has taken place in the practice Of the gene
lIes oil years; and ~ the operation complained Of il
ev"isntiy the effect Of an existing arrangement I'M
der change ct the circumstances OF the circu-
Eating medium, ii is not to be presumed that the
practise has ARISEN out OF a design to promote
private interests or 10 prejudice the interests of
the government The committee are however de-
cidcdly otnpnion, that the advantage arising from
the difference Of exchange to all the monies that
are due to the Treasury, ought 70 accrue exclusive-
" to the government; but as the postmaster gene
raj has eXpresseda Willingness to pay over these bq-
lances IN any way that may best accommodate the
Treasury Depal tnent, the evil admits of very sim
PIE remedy.
Q. The facts stated in this charge are admitted to
lie correct, aud the leterof the pbstnaster general
mo. l0) contains satisfactory ex plana,ion Of the
reasons TOR altering the terms of theconu in ques-
ton whether too much was eventually Given for.
tie service, under the changes required by the
postmaster general IS n subject not in the power of
the committee to decide; nor would they he ust-
lied IN presuming any misconduct in transactisn
that appears to hayebcen 70 fairly conducted.
The Oia,Aitce suDjoin 20 this report tie sub
stance Of al the testimony which appeared 20 them
IN any degree material to the enquiry, also sundry
communications made III writing, snd beg leave TO
offer the following resolution, viz
ReS7f'ed, Fiat ihc committee appointed IN in
yestigate the conduct # the General Post-Offee
Department be discharged from the further consid-
Grafton Of the subject referred to them.
Accompanying ibis report IS an abstract of the
evidence given before the csmmitiye, x some writ
ten statements made in answer to its uueries--
These osuncuts are too long Tor present publicati.
on. --.Fat. mi
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Phiiaie[hhia, NERrch d.
An intelligent captain of a vessel from
this port, furnishes his friend with the fol-
Loo 81. r