Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1830-05-21

"u'h uspdyed IN The article OF the National Inell gen.
CT 10 wa, mat II was prep red before the bill was
Iorted, which was time alter the report of tn.
committee, and the statements OF the Postmaster Gen
er were printed The tier of the article will no,
ne gtduhed 10y the luhlment OF hs anticipation that a
call would be made by TIE Department. for as.,a ace
rom the Treasury, TO sustain s operations; not,vh-
Standing The extensive and valuable improvements to-
toiuced by Mr.. Barry.
IL Is not true that the Department i'll sop NOR is il
rue mat II has asked, desires. single cent to be ap
propraed, f'om the treasury Tor its support, So far
from asking aid, II IL known that a proposition is no ~
pendng before Congress with the appt obaton of the
Department 10 reduce the postage on pamphlets and
penocicas and also to reduce the postage newspa
per- Wlrty-three and one. third per cent.
ne following satisfactory report confirms the truth of
what we have said:
REPORT
FROM THE POSTMASTER GENERAL,
IN reply to certain resolutions of the Senate of The
lOm HWI, relating TO that Department.
Posr oFEIsE DEPARrMENr, Nay 1880
Hon. JOHN c. CALHOUN,
pice President Of the IT, States,
and President Of the Senate.
SIR In obedience TO the following resolutions of
he Senate, of the 10th utmo have the honor t, re-
port:
4" Reso1ued, That the Postmaster General b. d.
recfed TO inform the Senate whether any noney has
been paid 10y him his predet Office TO the
sent Printer for Congress, in advance for work to he
done, and, ii so, how much, when, why and under
what circumstances"
1t does not appear, from the books OF the Depart.
nen that any moneys were paid by my predecc to
10 DE oone; nor have any moneys been paid to him by
me in advance.
draft was made by the present printer for Congress
on my ptedrce in office, for 81 81 75 and acce ut
Ell oy him; which draft discounted at the Patriot
BANK and became due after had come into the De-
Par,meAt 1t was alleged by the drawer that the
'a was made at the suggestion of my predeces or on
account OF printing which he intended 10 employ him
TO execute Tor the Department That printing was giv.
en- TO others to execute without knowlede on my part
ha' II had been promised to the present printer for Con-
BTe IS. w nen the DRAFT became due withhplI tla
Mt, because it d appear be due from the
Department to him; and the DRAFT wa protested II re-
NAMED under protest, tl after the advertisement for
proposals TO carry the mail published in his paper
when he presented his account for the same;
ana In part payment of that account, the draft was
ken up.
2 "ResOlred, That the Postmaster General be di.
rectrd TO inform the Senate whether any change ha.
oeen made by him in the contract for carving the
man oeiween Georgetown and Charlie ton, South Caro-.
una and, ii sos why, what the change is and what the
additional expense; and also the same information i'm
regard 10 ne contract for carrying the mail betw cen
Fayetteville North Carolina AMI Camlen, South Caro-
lima"
To The first inquiry in this resolution. | reply tina,
no change has been made by me in the contract for
carrying the mail between Georgetown and Charleston,
South Carolina.
contract was made by my predecessor with ] w.
Janerett, to transport the mail between Georgetown
and Charleston, South Caroline, from January ls 1927
TO December 3lst, 1880, at Sc 600 year, which con-
tract appears TO have been transferred by Mr.. Jane
reit, on the lst of March, 1925 Josiah T. Harrell
ne lDHOwlng stipulation IL contained in the
sit is also agreed that the Postmaster General may al
ter the times of arrival AMI departure, fixed by said
schedule, and alter the route (he making adequate
compensation for any extra EXPENSE which may be
casioned thereby and the Postmaster General
The night OF annulling this contract, in the
tractor do not promptly adopt the alteration required"
To this the following schedule is annexed:
Leave Georgetown every day al 5 o'clock A. NJ.
Arrive al Charleston same day at o'clock p. NJ.
Leave Charleston every day at O'clock A. NJ
Arrvs at Georgetown same day at O'Clock p. NJ.
nl In tho oIp a.
ter General altered the schedule, appears by let
ter Of his assistant Mr. Harrell of April 10 1928 as
iolows; Z" You will from the first OF st month, e.
celve the mail al George hour aud half earli-
er Than YOU nov DO; and You punctually deliv-
er il at Charleston by 8, p NJ. instead Of 8, p. NJ
his alteration appears TO have been promptly CON-
piled with on the part of the contractor; and the late
Postma'ier General by letter of his assistant OF the
81 July following promised, Mr. Harrel that call
penses incurred by him under the direction OF the De-
paTment, for any change in the transportation of the
mail, should be paid bu, that no payment would be
made unles he woull distinctly state The expense in
curred.'
Mr. Harrell. on the &c h of February, 1929 pre-
sented through honorable Representative in Con-
gress his claim for the increased expense to which
this alteration had subjected him. The late Posmas-
Ter General referred to his senior Assistant, know
what the change was; and The Assistant stated that the
same length Of time given him for performing the
service which had been previously given, and that the
only inconvenience 20 which the change subjected the
contractor, thai OF running two hours and crossing
the Santee river in the night instead of the day, which
would be incousderabe. Upon this report OF the As
sisant, the late Postmaster General made the follow
ing endorsement upon the claim: Gas The contractor
has now the same time 10 perform his route former
ly, 1t is not perceived how he be subjected add
uon1l expense, by having to at ght about two
hours more than 10 merly This must he clearly made
out before any additional allowance he made" In
icaing this to the honora ls Represents tive
who had presented Mr. Harrell's claim, the following
clause was added by the late Postmaster General,
through his Assistant: alt is possible there may be
some cause unknown to ia, which has operated,
through the alteration, to increase Mr. Harrell's ex-
penses Ii there be. there he difficulty in ex.
planning it, and the Postmaster General will give inn
mediate attention 10 any explanation which may he
made"
This but a few days before my predecessor left
the Department, which the Sth of March, 1929
From that dav to the Sth of April following A. Bradley
Esq the Senior Assistant discharged the duties Of Post,
master General; during which time he wrote TO Mr..
Harrel, through hs brother, who the other Asssis-
ant. under date of March 23l, 1929 advising him to
procure proof and submit his case TO the Post
master General after i arrival at the seat Of Govern
ment, for decision.
In this state found the claim Of Mr.. Harrell when
| entered the Department. Agrecaby TO the advice
and presented it 70 me. On the investigation Of the
case il appeared that he had not The ZANE time TO per-
form the route formerly Int required perform
II in half an hour less time. This established bv the
records OF The Department. shoy wing that he Teduir-
ed To start hour and bali earlier and arrive hours
earlier He also showed by the testimony twenty six
Witnesses, whose credit for Verac.ty certified by two
honorable members Of Congress, thai his running
hours in the nshi, instead Of the day. and especially
;he greater delay occdsoned by the necessity of
ing the Sanlee river in the night retarded his pro-
gress in the first part Of his route, that he was obliged
TO apply 10 The service twelve horses and two drivers
more than ifrmeTly, to enable him 10 reach the point
within the time requlred; and thit very moderate al