Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1831-04-07

roSt Ofhec. We took also the abstract of al
lowances, new before the Senate This ab
stract was sbtaiaed by call made on the
l1th Of April last, BY Senator from Ohia,
llur Burnett resuiring among other things.
information oil extra allowances made to
Contractors, and for what additional services.
mat the Senate might compare the value of
TOE service with the compensation. The an
sHer 10 this call did not cope 10 the Senate
until the 10th February Of this Session, near
hine months. Ii was relersd to the Com
mittee on the Pest Office, sc. and by them
returned to the Senate on the 22d, and or
aerea TO DC printed; and was then referred
10 the COMMITTEE OF Inquiry. 1t was voiuIn-
in9us and exceedingly confessed; but some Of
'he members Of the Committee discovered
at once that il must be erroneous, to say the
least. The factis that Mr. Mclean left the
department about the 10th March, 1899
that Mr.. A. Bradley, the senior Assistant,
was then the Acting Post Master General,
as tocua fenens, from that time until the 7th
April, less than four weeks Still, within
that time, additional allowances appeared by
this abstract" 10 have been made, Of about
$4,000. Upon examining this 'sabstract" it
appeared, moreover, that there had been
thiFty-six erasures, and A. Bradley's name
ed the most extraordinary. This was.a case
OF srGsure. 1t seems that Bradley had, on
the lIth October, 1929 ia letter to the
President, among other things, charged Mr
Barry with prosigelity and had ins,anced this
allowance to Harral -Harralfs contract was
for carrying the mail from Georgetown to
Charleston, ). Carolina, for 6,OeS dollars,
and the extra allowance was ,99c dollars.
about 80 per cent; and the cause allcdged
was two hours expeditions, the law allowing
only pr0-rata addition, which would have
been about per ceat if the two hours ex-
petition had been required. But here was
another error 10 the abstract, the expedition
required being only one and half hours.
This extravaganza, which Mr. Bradley in
bis letter to the President had charged upon
Barry, and had before tie Committee verified
IL by has oath, Barry had, in an oGioiGl cons
saa,lsea!ion, charged back upen Mr.. Bradley.
The reputation oitbese two gentlemen SEEM
cd, therefore, TO be SO deeply involved, that
it became the duty OF the Committee TO as
certain how the fact was, aud the sub cou-
mittee was accordingly appointed.
In pursuance oil this appointment, we pro-
ceeded to The Department; Mr. Barry was
not there; we inquired Of Mr.. Gardner. the
Assistant, and others, for the persons who
made out the "abstracts,n and MIR. Taylor
and Dir. Dundas we're introduced, and, after
a preliminary examination, were sworn and
testified. We REQUIRED to The erasures, and
asked what was erased to make tks blanks
which were 6iled hy Mr. Bradley's name?
They answered, Ar. Barry's s. Mr. Ne
Leans, but chiefly Dir paFfy's. Why were
Messrs. Mclean and Barrys names trst in
serted7 Because they suppose it was right,
but Mr.. BroWtt, by order OF the Post Master
General as he said, haa determined sther-
wise, and directed this rule to take the led
ger and lock at the account Of the Contract
or which was adjusted for each quarter, and
if the credit Of the allowance at the end OF
the quarter is carried int Bradley's time,
charge the allowance to hin 1t appeared
that the account with Harrsll was adjusted
and balanced to the end Of the quarter, TO
wit: the first of April; and, as Bradley was
then acting Post Master General, this allow
ance was consequently charged TO him.
inquired if this quarters account was adjust
ed and balanced at the time it bears JateP--
The answer was no; and not, probably, I'M
til June. Whether, il the allowance had
been made between the fast OF April (the
end Of the quarter) and June, tho time OF
actual adjustment, it would have been carri-
ed to Harrall's credit in that quarter? The
answer was that it would. Don't you, then
we asked, see the laiacy Of your rule in pro-
wing who was the Post Master General who
made the allowance? Your quarter closed
ON the first of April, and BradIey's functions
ceased en- the 7th, and your adjustment OF
the quarter was made on the first Of June Ii
this allowance had been made any time be-
tween the 18th April and list OF June, and you
had carried it back TO the first Of April, don't
you SEQ you fix on Bradley an allowance
made by BalryP Bring your original eatry,
where, concerning this allowance, you first
put pen TO paper, no matter what is the name
of the book or the document. They brought
"the cash bsok;" there the allowance was
stated, and the time for which it was male,
but not when the decision was made. But
perceived, in a small note in red ink, "see
letter Of 9Th April" demanded the let
ter, and it was brought; and, behold, it was
letter of Phiasas Bradley to Harral, six
DAYS after Abraham's functions had ceassd
stating that the Post Master General Barry
had examined his claim for extra compensa-
ton, aud had directed him TO pass the sum
of 81 992 so, per ann. 10 his credit, as ex-
ira allowance. Here the thing was settled
The charge Of Bradley to the President oil
Barry's extra allowance, was true; the at
tempt in Darry's official report to shoulder il
off on Bradley, was entirely defeated. The
Assistant Post Master General, Gardner, and
| Chief Clerk, Brown, were forced to admit
! The error, and that the rule which had fixed
about $40, 900 of allowances upon Bradley
1 II II. frEksn 4 Ill an, -.