Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1831-03-10
aud the name Of A. Bradley jr. acting Post Master
General. carefully insert.J

Genordt, carefulIy inserted.
This memorslist called the attention of the commit
Zee to these circumstances, evidence Of attempt
to impeach his testimony and load his official con.
duct with o?probrum, being public documentary proof
from the books oil the Department. that he had squan-
dered the public funds during the few days he had act
ed Post Master General between the 10th of March
when Mr. Mclean left the office and the 9th Of April
when Mr. Barry came into II, and that, in order TO
screen himself, he had charged these things upon the
latter gentleman. The committee kindly authorised
subcommittee to accompany this memorialist to the
Department yesterday, the 2Sh instant, to ascertain
whether his statements correct Your memorial
list confidently appeals to those gentlemen in support
OF the fact that satisfactorily appeared them that
IN this case oil Harras well in every other case
but one in which erasure had been made, Mr.. Bar
ry originally and properly charged; and that was
there asserted that these had been made by
misfdke aud his name inserted by mistake. The gem
tlemen had not time to pursue their inquiry and no ex-
animation was made into those originally charged
10 your memorialst.
In whatever these mutilations of the original
document may have occurred, apd these false amend
ments TO il made 6y mistake not, the effect must
be, 1t II goes to the world to inure If destroy
reputation upon which your memoalst, after nearly
iory years public service, must mainly rely for sup
port The Senate has, as he has been informed direct
ed this report to be printed.
II this should be done and il should with all its false
hoods and injurious tendency be spread before the peo-
pie under the sanction Of the Senate of the United
States your memoriast submits that great Injustice
must necessarily follow to him. He therefore prays
that such order may be taken by the Senate will
cure his right and especially preserve the reputation
which documents published by the authority OF the Sc
nate should always possess And your msmorialist.
March /, 1881.
Mr.. Chambers moved that The order for the printing
Of the report referred TO be ressinded.
MIR. Grundy thought the better course would be-the
right way to do usce-to print the rapport, and subjou
to il the memorial of Mr.. Bradley and the testimony Of
Messrs. Brown, Suter, ct al.
Mr.. Clayton, Chairman Of tho Select Committee TO
whom those documents bad been referred, and OBJ
served that they were very voluminous purporng to
be answers to the resolution of the Senate of the i4h
April last, which directed the Postmaster General to
report copies Of all existing contracts made by him or
his predecessor in office, which allowances have
been made Tor additional services; designating 10 each
case, how much and what additional service has been
performed and by whom II was aud desigpat-
ing also what has been allowed 10 each case for
such additional service, and by tohom IL ao,ced
The answer to this call kept back until about the
10Th Of last month. During the debate, which oc.
Cured here the resolution of the gentleman from
Tennessee, among other things then said, complain
ed OF this delay evidence OF design TO battle in.
qury into the of the Department; and after
that the report called for 10 April $780, came in. I,
fret referred to the Standing Committee on the
Post OHice although prayed for it's reference TO the
Select Committee, to whom PROFESSIONALLY, we now
see, 1t properly belonged. The Standing Committee,
wi bout examination, we must suppose, recommeu nd.
ed il 10 be printed and the Senate ordered to be print
ed. After this, and about week since was referred
to the Select Committee. They examined it, and have
asceraiDed that in hirty-sir of extra allowance
contractors scattered through these documents en-
bracing Of the grossest violations of the law in
granting away the public money to mail contractors
the allowances have been falsely set down as having
been made by Abraham Bradley as Acting, or ASH
Post Master General, when, in these very cases. the
allowances were actually made by the present Post
Master General and for the truth Of this refer to
the deposl,on Of Mr.. Bradley, those of the Clerks in
the Department, and the report tsef Of the Post Mas
ter General in answer to the CALL all on the table
before you, well to the state OF the
from Maine and Tennessee, Messrs Holmes and Grun
dy,) who went to the Department as sub comnitee
by our directions ascertain the facts. These docu
ments, in each OF these cases, exhibit your eve pa
pabe erasures, where the name of William r. Bar
ry, Post Master General, has been rubbed out and
that OF Abraham Bradley, Acting Post Master g m.
eraI" inserted. The result OF the examination was
the documents the person who made the allowances
according to the truth-hat the name of Mr. Brad.
ley was afterwards inserted and stand, in each
of these thirty six cases. which, call them
errors, or what you please, certainly the
fact Then II Is aso necessary se that the Iett.r
OF Abraham Bradley TO the President, which was read
In The debate here on the resolution OF the Senator
from Tennessee, charging Mr. Barry with gross viola
lion OF the law in some OF these (parculary In
the case Of the South Carolina contraeD was written
more than year ago, and shortly after his removal
from oise that this letter had been sworn 10 by Mr.
Bradley in the committee and that the tendency of
this fal.c alton OF the documents f undetscted was
to convict Mr. Bradley OF swearing falsely, who in cav.
ing, his oath, that the Post Master General m
the allowances, stated the exact truth Sir have
bestowed puch attention these papers, and do no,
undertake to say that these all the msre
m.
to induce the Senate, both In justice to its own arac
ter and the reputation Of excellent citizen and an
innocent man, 10 refuse to give any publicity to docu
ments which all can see, and all admit TO be spu.
rous and mutlated. If they be printed even with the
evidence which proves them false, still Injustice NAV
possibly result from IL: for il will appear 10 the yyor
that the Senate had confidence in these
and il may happen that those who shall re adj
the caumoy will not, among such mass of papers
also advert to the REPUTATION Of it, At the time the
papers sent in, Bradley witness against the
Department, and under examiDatio be fore The Com
mitee. All here know what effort was was m adj. In
public discussion to impeach his veracity, and trus,
all will now admit how entirely that effort failed But
will not stop to inquire into the motives Of those who
have nothing to do. But the fact is incontroyer.
iible that these documents unworthy of credit.
IL is therefore unworthy of the Senate TO publish the
and bope the order for their public on made in an
ung uaTded moment, may be rescinded.
Mr. Holmes sad-Mr. President having been &c.
ee ted by the Committee as sub-committes with III
Senator from TENNESSEE, Mr. Grundy) 10 90 TO the De-
parnen examine the books land ascertain what az the
truth, we took with the witness under exsmn alton
and proceeded to the General Post Office We took alro
The abstract OF allowances, now before the Senate
This abstract was obtained by call made on the An
Of April last, made by Senator from Obio-Mr Bur
net,-requiTiDg among other things, information OF
extra allowances made to contra and for what ad.
dopal services that the Senate might Compare the va
ue OF the service with the compensation. The answer
to this call did not come TO the Senate until the lOb
February OF this Session, near nine months IL wa.
referred to the Committee the Post ofics &c and
by them rcturned to the Senate on the 221 and
TO be printed and was then referred TO The Committe.
OF Inquiry. IL voluminous aud .eedipgly con-
fused; but members OF the Committee discovered
once must be erroneous to say the least The fact
i al II N Al