Delaware patriot & American watchman. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1828-1828, 1828-05-23
Iron, the .ys,v York Commercial aarefsseT'
HON. JOHN MCLEAN.

There are but few men, high in office, who pos
soss az extensively the confidence Of all parties as
,he nresent Postmaster General. Mr.. Mclean is
a Native of New Jersey, and was born IN 1900.
His father removed to Kentucky IN l793. lie re-
ceiyed his education in Ohio where ne stnuie" "a"
undec the direction Of Arthur ct. Car, Esq IA
1909, he was admitted at the Bar, and commence"
his professional career at Lebanon, NlarenSo couh-
IS. Here he distinguished himselt as q lawyer !;
and in the year 1915, being that year eligible on
the score Of aye, he was elected to the House "'
Representatives. He took his seat in the winter
Of 1878, and was soon after appointed member
of the Committee on Foreign Aiiairs-at tnat ci'-
sis the post of honor in the House During the
arduous sessions which followed his appointment
in this Committee, Mr.. Nc Lean was DISTINGUISHED
for his ability and zeal, in the promotion OF every
measure calculated to give success to the war, anu
secure to the nation an honorable peace. lie was
not leader but ever held respectable RANK smons
tie great men, and there were many such, who, at
t',at time composed the House Of Representa-
tives.
IN the wear 1919, Mclean was made Judge OF
the Supreme Court Of Ohio, when he resigned his
seat in Congress-IIs reputation as a LAWYER,
gained additional lustre from the character OF his
decisions, and from the energy and yigor he carried
with him into the practice OF the Courts he was
made commissioner of the General Land Office IN
1892; from whence he was appplhfe'i, Isl July,
1929, to the General Post Office Department This
Department was an Aegean Stable whseh required
the labor. et an Hercules to cleanse tie 0t'aca
tion, a. HE Post Masters were frequent; tic routes
decictt in macy places, while in ether parts they
were onetanea at great and unnecessary ex-
pense ; the itturns from the Post Masters were
irregular ana me system OF accountability weak
and impc eci, and the whole Office was in arrears
tb, M n
which, the thpn Post Master Several proposed an
increase of postage on newspapers
The energy of Mr.. Mclean was tasked to pro-
duce change, and to bring order and revenue
from this Office; nor have they been exe,ted IN
vain. Since his administration OF its affairs, ITS
eoniition Ia. been improved by more than mil
lion Of dollars and the last year. in comparison
with the y'dr preceding his appointment, Of near
half Aiilion. ami all this, too, with an Increase
Of mail routes, ava additional facilities of trans
portalion. b. accelerating the mail on the leading
routes, increasing the number of trips, and es'ab
shing lines to connect important districts Of coun
try, which augmented, within the last year, the
transportation Of Mail 10 4l5,1ll miles annual,
in stages; and on horseback and in .ulke,s Of
$4,000 miles. SO that at this time there Is no
village without post oitice, and very few towns
which are not accommodated with mail stages.
The post Offices have increased since $40. from
1900 to 1000; and since Mr.. Mclean mas prcsi
ded, more than one.thira had been added to the
amount OF revenue, to the number of miles of trans
portation, and to the number Of post ofiices.-The
means of the Department are new equal to the
wants Of the country, and a surplus Of half mil
ton Of dollars annually, will, in future, be at the
disposal Of the government, to be applied to the
repairs and construction OF national roads. We
think that this plain exposition of Mr. McLean's
mastery administration Of this Department, is ell.
oquent in praise of his industry, energy and his
grasp Of mind.
In private life, Mr.. Mclean is simple and unaf
fectcd--he is the good neighbor, aud the exempla
ry citizen he is more--he is the e.remptcry chris
tain. His person is tall and spare, with strong
marked face which bears the traces OF hard stud
and constant application W.