Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1834-06-17
POLITICAL.
Mr.. GRUMPY AND MIR. WEBSTER.

MIR. GRUMPY AND MIR WEBSTER
In the Senate, on Wednesday, Mr. Webster .u.....a
me Committee the Pos, Office, which he lie
chairman from his experience and knowledge Of The bust.
ness o. a department, would be stie answ r; and be
was also induced TO make the inquiries on of the
Recommendations Contained in the repor, Of the minority
OF hai committee lst Whether the fact was that the
proposals Of bidders had been opened before the expon
oil the time for bidding' 2J. Upon what inorm,,on h.
aesomn,shuauon was bounded, that clerk in tho De-
PAfuieht should be perinired 10 become contract
or, or agent for contractori 3d. whe,hes il was
intended by The chairman 10 insist upon the lei right
oil The Postmaster General 10 borrow money Il ON Banks
or Otherwise! 4'h. Whether the fact was th.t con.
tractors had become, about the time OF their receiving
large extra allow publishers OF party
Own. Nhciher any oil the contractors had furnished mo-
ney To aid the Department in carrying ON its operaiions
on: whether the cominenda,on contained in the mi.
"o''y report TO secure just responsibility those who
conducted That Department. founded upon any nfor
NATION obtained by the committee in the course Of their
'hves'ga"oh A'so what WAS meant by the netrspaper
Pririege, which seemed exist in some of The contacts
referred TO IN the report OF the majority
mr.. 'runuy rePheu, that II would all times afford him
pleasure 10 give to the Senate info nation in his
e, upon any subject oil int he would therefore
answer the inquiries proposed by the Senator from Massa
chuses IN the order in which they had b, en- made IA
TO the exposure Of bids Mr. c. observed tina, he had no
knowledge that it had taken places ba in r, A,ctnr
upon nus SUBJECT had occurred &c him that
might take place in that way and 10 guard agans Anv
abuse Of The kind, long before this conn enc
90, he had inserted provision upon that sui jec, bill
winch he Introduced early day in the session; that
nus OBJECT was 10 prevent abuses, should bad uen he
management OF the Department into their hans In an
r.. state tlat
| ne mao Introduced into tie same bill, prohibition
against any person employed in General Pos, OIico
becoming Interested in any mail contract or acting as
agent Tor any contractor person Offering be cene
conracor-tat the why be had done this as Tho
information communicated in the deposition of Abraham
Bradley, taken several years ago before co,,pee
Se"a'e (oi winch he, Mr. g., nberl in which
the witness stated that Phness Bradley his brother Will.
eieik IN me General Post, was interested in mail con.
Uac' anu MIR Grundy then read the report OF the
committee part OF the testimony oil Abraham Bradley in
which he stated That Pneas ten or wears
before with the consent OF Nc. Granger or NJ Mers
men Postmaster General, had become interested in a
naii contract MIR. Grundy further remarked that he
Tas not ssushSd lhat he se. OF 1925, excluded the
tractors but lac deemed thu, unnportsnt as his ob.
jeet was not only toexcuie then. coming interest,"
ed In ms contracts, bu TO prevent lion, acting as
agents Tor contractors oher persons having trasac
tons with the Department; the bill by him
and lie recomine dsiion oil the minority Of the commune
embraced both otJecs In answer 10 the third nqu
Mr. Grundy said that Congress alone under the Cops1.
hon. had tight 10 borrow mouey; therefore, 10 he adj of
department, without yious authority conferred by law
had such right How far The act OF Borrowing mo-
ney ny an officer should be excused, would de-
pend upon the circumstances under which The act was
oone The necessity for doing might be great as to
render 1t entirely proper In this case the tao
oil the mail must have ceased, hal loans been OBJ
famed Therefore, OF the conduct OF the Postmaster
General each individual would judge Tor bimsel In an
swer 10 the fourth inquiry Mr. Grundy stated that there
was 10 evidence upon the subject ore the committee
nor had he any knowledge that that all he heard
ABOUT u was IRON the Senator from Ohio (Air Ewipy1
and whether he spoke from his ov n know eJse n, to-
formation, MIR. &. did know. As 10 The Gb iuouiry
Mr. Gundy said that Mr.. Reeside had made statement
upon That subject, which all Mr. G. knew about il;
anu not having his deposition before him, could not lie
certain Mat he could ls correctly; but if bis
impression was erroneous the deposition would correct
MN His Impression was, that MIR. Reeside had en-
dofsed dait lor 900 dollars enable the Drpart-
ineht to obtain loan OF money, but lie inclined TO be-
neve mat Mr.. Reside did not loan the Department any
money. In answer TO the sixth inquiry, MIR. Grundy
remarked that that Tccomme ndaiion as founded on Lis
general knowledge oil the impeiieciion OF the laws in
regard TO the Post Office Department Coosrcss had
he slIbi of
me nsnuer in which, according his gment il ought
TO have done IL had always been, il lie might use
"e expression an irresponsible being, without those
guards and checks being thrown around it, which sala
anu prudent legislation would dictate. the nyest
gauon was entered into, his mind fully impressed
% lhe necessity oil the action OF Congress, relation TO
he organization Of The Department, as il now was and sc
.oiNhg'y' lii the bill which he heretofore referred TO-
mere were provisions contained upon this subject Az In
me newspaper privilege spoken OF, and which seemed TO
sarle some gentlemen much, there nothing in il
10 excite alarm censure The Post Office law
expressly authorized the Postmaster General TO extend II
any contractor as part OF his MIR c. read
me Jaw 10 that effect and remarked, that he mig ht now
CONSIDER The Suggestions OF the gentlemen on the other
side uiy answered. who have supposed that the Posm,s
yer General was guilty OF violation the law in this
pSincuAr. But he would go further. IL had been stated
,na contractor in New Hampshire who was friendly ~,
me Administration, possessed this privilege and an in
e"Se was drawn rom il OF iavoriiism psrialiy.
nlr. orundy then produced paper containing st
AT those entitled by their contracts TO hat is teru-
gn me newspaper privilege in the Eastern section Of the
united States, and stated they amounted 10 about fitv-
ne SAID ne did not know the political party TO which ma
1 -
ny OF 'hem belonged; but lie had heard something OF Two
men, and they he editors of yio
sem Opposition papers. MIR. Hall Of New jersey was a
contractor upon several routes, and he had this pyil,p
y MS contract IL he wrong about his rohiics The
senators from New Jersey could put him right Mr. Mi
ner the editor OF the Village Record Penu was
a'a'ge man coniiscor. He had this privilege. The Sc
MAYOR from PenDsyvania him. could stare 10 hat no.
h"eai party ne belonged. [Gen Mexican said Opposon
opposnionJ Mr. GruDdy then said lie need 90 no fur
,ner 70 remove The mputsion Of lsvorism OF partalv
Ihey Vhe majority OF The connee) have cited no case
"hefe al col or, friendly The is
snu en]oy'his privilege land he had ed
'os VINO We're opposed the aid are eoptrc-
.ors' ENJOY like privilege. Mr. &. further remarked.
sna' was only necessary understand what was termed
'oo newspaper privilege, to show lis utility aud that il
couu not De Dsed innrously The country or any poi-
parry by The contractor the RIG h 10 carry
unPackeu newspapers, out OF the mail dislri-
pueu 70 SUBSCRIBERS who may live along line and con-
yemen, 70 w. his 10 subs rbers thus situated is great
convenience; whereas, ii il permitted they would
DC compelled to 60 TO Post Offices ceye their pspets
ana very o'en happened that were no Post Offices
LOT several miles when thus receive the news
papers al their doors Mr.. c. then observed hat lie had
not risen that time for The purpose Of going into dis
Sussloh OF the other questions before the Senaie-D
BRowN's HOTEL,
~, ~, -. WAsHINGToN, June IL, 1884.
CIR IL was not intention appear before the pub.
e' 10 respond TO the charges Of the Post Office Commit
] ln