Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1820-12-07
(Io be Caatiaucd.
FOR THE ENQUIRER.
70 Il. J. Meigs, Jr. Esq =. II. G.
Were purchased by the merit of the we1rerl


SIR hare delaycd my respects to you
longer than intended Gut uouI .forgirine'
disposition, J trust. mW pardon rhiS seeming
nfgffcf. Us 4 do mol mrite TO fatter you or
0nsmSe ihe p"btc. sh0H content mysslf nifh
as sho,t dctaii as my notions Of utility wiu
permit. Ia the FIRST place, request your
attention TO mail contracts. You kare bee,t
so offen accused Uih the san If favoriiism
the distribution of yonr ofTciai patronage,
that a. might he considered ungenerons 10 tor
tare yon any more wiih a recital If tie
cfccptiondbtc. mst to say ubiquitous. prefer
cnce green to certain clerks an VGar office in
granting them mail contract, al a much hgh
on compensation tim what Mey ,oere Altered
to be taken at 6y respectable and responsible
men "ot connected wiM tie post oiice de
parf'aent InfiFpendent Of Mcse there are
otherS uhich merit attention infer from
The tenor If yonr Advertisements far proposals
TO carry tie maii, that the forrest Liidei nil
be c"tttied to them, ability IN Tie p,incipat
and security icing equal learn, mortouer,
that His as the construction gioen to them By
tie p"OI'c, 0md a seems to compor NTH tie
roeH as pitd a ,rga,d for Tie public interest
bit as tbs fhe practice you pursue an.
Smcr no. IL isnOt ai,oays tie ismeSt 5i,tier,
ability and responsibility being equal, wAo is
successful. Former contractors ( / wont
sag faro'Ttes) haze sometimes tie preference
al the pubic erDenSe. E'or example 1t kappen-
ed an tie hSt batch of contracts made that
for certain district for which $500 lad
teen paid per ann. a nd uas made far $4,000.
Tile od contractor ,caS an applicant TO con
time the contract at the former price No
exception rcaS taken to The ability Of the new
bidder. bW ii seems you preferredMe oM one !;
nc was therefore notified that he was nnder.
nd $500 per am. 6nt that fit wonM be
any 0hiect to lam tn continue ii at S44OO he
Shoutd hare ii, achica iCOaid be giving him
a preference Of 10 per cent. Ii was accept
ed ms as only one instance. any per-
son IN Congress on out oft, ViSh 10 ascer
tim other instances Of tie Hke kind.
they can be grdtifed By examining tie Giis aud
contracts. prOUidcd you wiH let them. L
ShdH net How enquire what effect such q
practice ,0iH be LIKELY To produce upon the
public interest. TperSisted an mii oniy
remark that ii vOnMbe more just if public
n"tice WdS giren. that 1t ,rouid be universal
iy obStrued.
Whilst on This subject must be permitted
TO cal ponr attention to the subject of giving
mail contracts to PostmasterS. IL seems 10
fHtOmUNftfUtE
public weal THE Postmaster as. and Ourbf
10 be- regarded as tie guardian Of tie public
tRfereSt-the mail contractor as the guardian
efhis private interest and cOnyemence, and
'ohen botk offices are united in him. Mey wiH
at times come az collision, anil the stronger
wfH prerait; and SELF is tie stronger. You,
dismissal Of 3. u. Leonard last spring,
cdHSeda Huie noise ia fev papers Whist
0pprore tie dismissal, an constrained 10
censnre your conduct for ifu uaS improper,
for Mr.. l.. to hOld both o6ices in 1920, IL icas
equally so IN 1918, am 10. lfthe records
of your office are g0od epidcnce of fret,
Nr l.. has been postmaster for or years,
mud Of course tCnS such When IKE mail ron
tract res given TO him By yOuySeT. YoH hare
therefore either uifmly Si,med against The
pabiic. or against an iHdiVidHai If Mis
waS tic only instance ichere yOu hare givcn
mail contracts To PoStDldSterS tie public might
suppose 10 10 be q miStake. Bnt If l am
not most egregiouSig miSicd, there are ma
ny instances scores, anil perhaps hundJehs,
9 similar kiRd .perhdpS tie pub
fic are not generally igJoymrd that M opaient
gentleman Of the City NJ Washingtou, obtains
ed an cTteHSiUe mail contract ichjLst he heLd
he obTce of Postmaster Jor Huie place IN
Virginia. whcre he has faIm. II appears
a ttHie dwkward, must confess to tell tie
public Mat this gentleman toho resideS in his
city the gear rOuDd,hO pOSt O6ice ia, Tie state
IF Virginia. II may need hiie crpiana-
lion, tChich ! u1H gre as IL has been stated
TO me. III be mai0criaiiy incorrect you
wjH be able to a6oyd tie corrections. lie las.
together wiM his famity, an extensive cor
Repentance his pOstage, at tie teg0i RATES.
as supposed, w0utd amount tn, from $500
TO $1,000 per ann he succeeded an getting
az appointment as Postmaster nj his faym a.
Virginia where he htte business is trans
0ctcd by hfS crcysccr; Mis r,enirs him 10