Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1822-02-16

10 mitigate the evil so loudly Csc blamed oil
We ali now with what case the recor.Geni-
atoms for Offices an be procured these 80.
can o. prevent. Perhaps by enabling the
county courts IN which tbs respecii, o.
ices are, to issue a commission of inspection.
or giving them Il visitorial power, the fraud
might be prevented. have been led more
particularly to this subject, by Information
received from my district. Not long since, IA
sum of nearly 1000, was sent in letter from
Erie, III Pennsylvania, To Salina in New York.
THIS letter never arrived, il was traced To
Buit.'lo, but beyond that ali scrutiny was
useless. have also learned that letter
containing S27O sent from PHILADELPHIA TO
Warren IN my District, has never been rcccv-
ed. have been informed that another let
ter sent from Meadvillc, to Pittsburgh, has
also been lost Since came here, | received
a small sum ofmoney tn public institution at
alcadviile, which transmitted by mail !: il has
never been received. We have not heard of
any robbery of the mails--lhcse iher,s must
have been committed ny thu postmastcrs.
Indeed, the injury done the public by
thcm, In this way, Gar outweighs that done by
robbery ofthc mails. Something, am per
suaded can he done to render these crimes less
frequent. do not rccollrct To have read OF
any trials in England, of Postmasters. for
stealing letters on theway. The trials there
are Tor robheries of the mails, aud thefts after
the letters arrived nj their destination. The
Latter part OF the resolution deem necessary.
The common law maxim is, that the punisll-
m"nt ought To hc severe, In proportion TO the
facility OF committing the offence. In this
casc, the postmaster is secluded in his Office,
aud NJ commits Il double crime, one against
the law, the other against the confidence re-
posed in him by the nature oil his office.
modification was proposed by Mr.. WAL
WORTH, aad ii further modification by Mr..
iAr!IRoP,which We're scveraiiy assented TO by
The mover. and agreed TO by the House,
winch brought it into the shape in which it is
above stated
The SPEAKER presented communication
from the President of the United States trans
uniting Il report from the Secretary of War
relative To our intercourse with the Indian
tribes. and the measures heretofore pursued for
Their civilization which, on motion. was re-
ierted To the COMMITTEE on Indian Affairs, and
ordered to be printed.
The SpEAkEG also presented a com:nunica-
ton from the War Department on the subject
ct The expenditures by the Indian agents for
Michigan, according 10 a call FROM this house,
which on motion of Mir. LITTLE, was referred
to the committee of the whole house on the
partial appropriation bill, and ordered 10 be
printed.
The SPEAKER further communicated a let
ter from Solomon Van Rensselaer, announcing
has resignation of his seat in the House of
Representatives, which OH motion of Mr.. TAY-
LoE, was ordered 10 lie on the table. The
SPEAKER was on motion of M. WALwoRru,
directed to give information Of said resignation
To the Executive of the State of New York,
and member was ordered to be appointed
on The Military Committee i'm thu, Mace of Mr.
Van Rensselaer,.
The cngrossed resolution directing digest
{" be made and printed of the returns of the
censns of manufactures. was read Il third time,
passed, and sent TO the Senate for concur
renee.
The bill from the Senate authorizing the
transfer of certain certificates of the funded
debt of the United States, was read the third
time and passed.