Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1834-05-29


balance of S2O2,Sll 40 of available
funds in his hands, according to his pre-
ccding report, put a: his disposal, in the
year ending on the 30th June, 1888,
S449 ,967 56 more money, than the great
est amount of the expenditures Of the
Department in any preceding year
The gross amount Of the postages of that
year is given in the report at So 6 l6 ,538
81. Yet how stands the account at the
end of the year' In the very words Of
the report-"THE DEPARTMENT WAS IN
psBTgp, ON TIE FIRST OF July, 1885,
BEYOND THE AMOUNT OF AVAILABLE FUNDS
DUE TO 1T, IN THE SUM OF SI95 ,2O8 lO"
The manner in which The Posimast
General endeavors to get rid Of the for
mer balance of 202,8ll dollars to the
credit Of the last year, by the discovery
that it had been absorbed in the expens-
es of the Department previous to that
time, speaks little in favor Of that system
of strict accountability, which he an
nounced in his first report, he had intro,
duced into the Department for the cor
rection Of the "looseness and irresponsi-
bility" which had before been permitted
to exist. 1t might be sufficient TO an
swer, that so gross an error in the state
ment Of an account, with no other expla-
nation than that "it is now ascertaned,
that the expenses incurred for transport
tation, which had actually been perform
ed, prior to the LIST Of July, 1889, beyond
the amount stated in that report, were
S2O5,656 81" without showing how
those expenses had been incurred, or G.
ven ggesting the manner in which the
error was committed, evinces great ig-
norance Of the real condition Of the De-
partment, or want of fidelity in the man
agement of its affairs.
For the purpose Of the present argu-
ment, however, it il entirely immaterial
whether the balance was exhausted in
1888, or in the preceding years. Con-
lessedly it existed when the Department
came into his hands. Admitting, then,
the correction claimed by him in his last
report, it only follows, that between tho
3O,h of June, 1929, and the 30th of
June, 1882, he had expended the whole
of the surplus balance which he had re-
ceived from his predecessor, besides the
vast accruing annual revenues of the
Department, and had created a debt on
the last me entioned day, according to his
las: account, Of $2,S44 CT, which, with
still increasing revenue, he had aug
men,ed, on the 3Oth June, 1888, to
Sl95, ,2O3 10, over and above all the a
vailab,e funds of the Department. 1t is,
moreover, to be observed, that, in his re-
port Of the preceding year, he had givon
a pledge, that, if the ratio of increase in
the melt proceeds Of the postages should
continue as great as the previous year,
it would exceed the additional amount
required !or transportation by more than
100000, and that, in point of fact, this
ratio Of increase was $50, 600 more than
that Of the former year Yet what was
the RESULT the expenditures Of the year
exceeded the recei pts by about tco h,m-
dred. thousand dollars. Regarding the
date to which the accounts are made up,
|. (the goth of June,( it must be obvious
that the amount could not have been
greatly affected by the establishment of
new mail routes at the intervening scs-
sion Of Congress. But even this is not
the worst of the condition Of the Depart
ment.
! Mr.. Chairman, have no faith in the
accuracy Of the accounts, as they are
last stated; | have no belief that the De-
partment itself knows the extent of its
own Indebtedness, or knowing, dare en-
counter the scrutiny which a disclosure
of the truth would inevitably produce
/ Sir, my word for it, the deficit is not
4 merely two hundred thousand dollars
it is now HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS MORE!
| may not be able to show precisely how
much, for we are here without the means
Of proof But let this House adopt tho
resolution which seeks fiom the Depart
ment information on the subject; grant
but the subpoena, and there will be full
and ample testimony TO the truth. In the
want of that evidence, which repeat is
withheld, am warranted by rep' esenta-
tions quite satisfactory to my own mind,
to assume, that the Department is deeply
,nsolrent; that it owes, at this moment,
from eight hundred thousand to million
of dollars. Tha, it is in debt to Banks
Tor moneys borrowed, at least, three hun
dred and t~eniy.fre thousand dollars
and for over drafts upon credit for depo-
sites exceeding one hundred and fifty
thousand doliars-that il has already, to
some extent, antici pated the revenue
J from the Post Offices, the current quar-
J ter; and is largely in arrearages to mail
contractors, upon contracts executed, or
continuing, where, by the terms of the
contracts, the money has become paya.
BILE, to its own great discredit, and the
/. dishonor Of the Nation.
Sir, the honest creditor of the Govern
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