Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-10-02
F03 TIE RICHMOND WING,
OFEiCE OE CONTR CTS,

1t is i melancholy fact in the history of fallen man.
That whilst so many men have employed their ut
most abiessto invent systems by which the arlfu
and cunning part OF mankind, may be enabled To
impose on the rest of the world few or none should
have stood up the champions OF the innocen, and
undesignlng." In all governments in every age of
the world whether limited or absolute, there is and
ever has been, III the ruling power, strong bias to
iavourism. The Interchangeable making Of r;ght
and wrong scarcely legible on their page of
morals. The party dominant confcrs its tuvours
upcn the instruments efficient in sustaining it:
whilst the counter party, mo matter how honesty
Is turned upon, and cTpaiyinied in the land of
its fathers In other times, f.yourcism was as in
secure to both life and liberty as i'll our own. To
question, at all, the motives, acts or policy of the
ruling power, subjected the curious subject to pro-
scrption:-that prescription was either deprivation
of life or property, and sometimes both. Under 10
government, does 1t appear, that favouri,ism and
prescription have been decidedly the tests, by
which the public fdvours conferred, the disa-
probation OF government manifested, than in ours
since March 4th, of the present year. From that
period, till notc, government bad been content with
evictDg from Office such servants had no power
to resist eviction: bit Il era in Reform is
commenced. In the deparimen Of contracts--con.
tracts Interchangeable made are cancelled at scrawi
, During the year $40 Il contract made between
Return ]. Meigs who then Post Master General
under MIR. MadisOn's Administration and Mr.. John
Oden of Charlotte, (Va.) :or the transportation of
the mail from Prince Edward county, fVa.) to Chill
toms tavern in Campbell county, IVA. }-John Oden
continued the contractor OF tis zoutc, till the incun!-
bent Ne;gs retired from oice-upon the induction
of his successor, John McI.ane, Mr.. Oden's con-
tract renewed: upon the transfer of the late
Postmaster General 70 the bench of the Federal
Court, the present incumbent came into Office This
route was No. 97-blr. Odcn has been the contrac-
tor of this route Is years In the year 1895, John
Oden contracted with the late Post master General
Mclean, to carry the mail on route No. 1Ot-hc
then became contractor for the two routes No. OF
and No. i0i, for terms of years, which contracts
would expire on The 1st day of January, 1881.
In the course of recent events in the comfy which
usually marks the correspondence of our official men,
Mr.. Oden is officially informed, that the Postmaster
General has "superccdcd him and vacated his con-
tracts" yet "commands" him to continue 10 carry
the mail oil routes 81 and 104 till the fss of October
ensuing. And, says the 'OTicial,"-"If 1ou CONT
nue. faithful your accounts sial be settled Now
let 1t he remembered that il is the bel% Of the
try, hat John 0dcn always has been faithful, and
discharged the duties incumbent upon him, by his
tract with the Department. Let it further be re-
memhcred, that it Is believed that the Postmaster
General has not the right 10 vacate and rcscind
tract interchungea4y made, for which the
contractor co"lH not con'rou, specified in Tho
contract itself Charges have been preferred agains,
former carriers Of John Oden--not one shade 90 y
charge is pretended surrniscd against him Sow
If carriers incompetent unfaithiul, what Is the
rcredy' The law is explicit contractor ''shall be
arswerablc for the persons to whom shall commit
the and transportation of The mail, and arco'nt
avc for any damages which may be sustained through
their unfaithhlncss or want Of care"
! 1t is not even pretended that the public interest
/ has su'tained damages, and none are demanded o.
John Oden, by OF his responsibility for his
+ ricrs. Again, tho law declares: Upon reasonable
! complaint made by the Department of the Genera
Post Office Against any carrier Of the said mail, foI
negligence or misbchaviolr, such carrier shall be
/ forthwith discharged" Complaint had been made
against two curriers' of John Oden, both oF whom mad
been withdrawn from the mail routes before complaint
I from the Postmaster General had reached Mr.. Oden
The Postmaster General was Bpprised that they
Withdrawn. New carriers were recommended, ane
were upon the routes, whose characters and fitness
were certified 70 by scyen out Of the twelve acting
Pos masters Of the two routes besides by many late
Postmasters and assistant Postmasters. 1t is ver]
manifest that the Postmaster General could not re
scpd the contract Of Mr.. Oden agreeably to law, 70
accusations urged against his carriers, when Mr
Oden has been strenuous az oil time to comply will
the law relation TO carriers in its strictest sense
} There is no reservation in the Department, b.
which it may cad Gbitum," revoke ond resciD
contract with contractor, except in ono in
stance, and that is the foowing The Postmas
ter General does reserve 70 the department tn
power to alter contract yet only for the specifi
purpose, to expedite the ma"--n this event, il tn