Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1834-07-03

Within that time some new mail routes
were established and some improvements
were made in previously existing routes,
but all these bear very small proportion
TO the increase of expenditures Posses
sing. therefore. as this department has
done, those increased elements Of prospe-
rity and means Of usefulness, it appeared
obvious to your committee that there must
have been some Encouragement of its af
fairs, and a lavish expenditure Of its funds,
10 reduce it in so short, time 10 its pre-
sent insolvent condition, and to render
necessary the appropriation of so large a
sum as four hundred and fifty thousand
dollars from the treasury to enable the
Postmaster General to redeem its credit,
and carry on its essential operations.
And before determining whether they
should recommend such appropriation,
your committee thought it their duty to
ascertain, as far as practicable, the accu-
racy of the several official statements
which were made to them, as well as those
which have from time to time been trans
mtted to Congress touching the condition
of the department; also. that they should
investigate the cause of the sudden insol-
yency Of this important department of the
Government, which has heretofore sus-
tanned tselffrom its own resources, which,
in former years, actually contributed 81,
1903, 063 TO the general revenues of the
country, and which was but few years
since in most flourishins and prosperous
condition.
The prosecution of that inquiry was at.
tended with much difficulty and embar'
| rassment.
The annual reports of all contracts en-.
tered into by the department within the
preceding years have, in two instances
been wholly omitted by the present Post
master General, and, in bird, the re
port came in too late TO be referred 10 By
your committee, and TO aid them in thei
investigation. No answer has yet beef
given by the Secretary of the Treasury 4
| a resolution Of the Senate adopted on tn
18th day of March last, on motion Of on,
| of your committee, which calls for dupli
Gates of contracts, bids and extra allow
ances which the law requires,t should b,
filed in the Office of the Comptroller OF th'
Treasury. The duplicates OF contracts
| and bids are saiu 10 nave UceH cousuHee
in the Treasury building; and i was alst
communicated to us by the officer en-
ployed 10 answer the call,t that no state
ment of extra allowances had been filet
there by the present Postmaster General
And the report Of the Postmaster Gener
al, which accompanied the President
message at the opening Of the pfesen
Congress apprizes US that his prior report
as to the liabilities and resources oil tn
| department are erroneous. Thus tn
/ checks, few and Intellectual as they are
which the law imposes upon the transac
lions of that department having been in I
great measure disregarded. or rendere.
abortive, and no certain means being lei
I us 10 determine the accuracy OF the state
ments and reports issuing from it, excep
by causing calculations TO be made in a
cases where there were data 10 ioun
them, and by comparing those report
with themselves, and with each Other
Law of 1905, Y. ., p. 1892.
1884, vol 3, p. losS, s. 10
I