Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1834-04-08
THE POST-OFFICE DEPARTMENT.

throw any objections in the way--and the Admin
slra'Ion itself is bound to contribute all in its power
TO reform any abuses, of which this immense and
powerful engine is susceptible.
;, But in the mean time, Mr. Barry has been has
MY suspected, If not directly charged, with gross
abuses in relation to mail-contractors. The Rue
Book has been paraded, and the aserisks SET
opposite to the Extra Allowances have been
blazoned forth. Virginia is represented ms he
ing studded with stars 1t has been boldly said
py some prints, with view of bassing the
MINDS oil The People, and influencing their votes
ut the coming elections that these extra allowances
have been more laysled upon those States where
there was the strongest motive to corrupt the people
and buy them over to Mr.. Van Buren,; and that as
Virginia was in this predcament, hence the greater
allowances which have been made to her contract
ors. Mr. Leigh, who the first to bring this thing
to the notice of the Senate, does not 90 SO far ns
this; but he has surely said enough to require some
notice TO be taken of his allegations In his speecb
(Which is reported in the National Integenccr.) he
is represented as saying:
"Gettine TO Virgin found such number of asterism,
as quite as'onished me-hee is perfect galaxy, milky
way, Illuminating the mail through that State In
s"gle page pagc 1861 fnd among others the follow.
ing: Alex Patterson. 300 contract price 800 ex
ira allowance; Peck Wexford, 1921 contract price
$6.5o7 ezra allowance; E. Porter s. CO., S25 436 con.
tract price, $2s.232 extra allowance :; ID. A. & o. Salt
marsh, $4,000 contract price, S49i3 extra allowance
William Smith, (who lives in the county of Culnener
from which this memorial comes and if reports saw ,rne
takes busy part in politics there,) Slos97 65 con.
tract price, % $50 extra allowance; and j. N c. Stock
these extra allowances, in that single page Ito which
my attention attracted by the light of hose omnous
stars amount In the aggregate, to $59l62, while the
aggregate o the contract prices is but $50 7O9 But
what most wonderful, is; that after passing the Virginia
line the stars begin TO decrease in number and msgni.
tude though they still far exceed those in the Northern
and Eastern States. The phenomenon is curious and
am wholly unable TO explain il. Now, sir have ALWAYS
understood, (and am wrong. pray gentlemen better
informed to put me rght that, by law the contracts for
carrying the mail required be TO tho low est bid
DER and that Tor the purpose Of having the service ner
formed on he most moderate terms proposals, specifying
the service reqsired published in the w f
these advertisements exhibit fairly the service To- be per
formed, ! cannot imagine, how the extra allowances
should be so numerous of large amount-and at
any rate, considering the of the extra allowances
made at the discretion Of the Department. il appear,
clearly that the contracts in truth lie, TO the low
est bidder Is II possible that the public advertise me nts
specify only part of the which the Deparmcnt
intends to require $50 that the initiated may safely un.
derbd those who make calculation extra allowances
Tor extra services, and then depend OH this device of ex
ira allowances for full compensation IL this be the
case Then herei supendous system of avorisn esa.
oshed' which must work corrupion-and il not there
must be- at least the extraordinary degree of care
Iessness ever heard Of find pleasure i'm noticing this
s.ae Of ngs any where and yet less in contemplating
the peculiar brsncy OF the starry armament that hangs
over Virginia. II bodies us good"
Such are Mr.. Leigh's statements And, what
does Mr. Grundy so properly urge?
For his (Mr G's) part, he had never been in the ba
OH oil MAKING de 6ene esse speeches, but he wished to OBJ
tam all the evidence that be had on this subject
before proceeding to any investigation Of it, He had call.
co Tor he information, having desire to ascertain why
these extra allowances had been made and 10 what
tent The Postmaster General had answer red the cali and
the report was in the hands Of the public printer and
would, he had been informed be ready for the exsmna
ton OF the Senate in few days. He would ask Womb
IL not be better, then, 10 wait until they should have the
means oil ascertaining Tor what purpose those extra allow
ances had been made, what services rendered for
them and whether not the public had been materially
benefited by them?'
But in the mean time, Mr.. w. Smith, one of the
contractors, has come forward to explain his own
case TO the public. He states, in what way the
PIEDMONT line was first improved to q fri-,oeeki line
-ahd then how, :" upon earnest petitions from the
feopie backed by their Representatives it was final
ly made daily line, with less than a pro rata com
pensation." (But his whole letter is in this days
paper)
Another case, by toay Of illustration Which we
copy from the last "Wnchester Virginian:"
"PosT OFFICE DEPARrMENr.-Gen Green in sneak
ing OF The Importance OF the April Elections in Virginia
unousbingy charges the p. o. Department with having
made numerous extra allowances 10 contractors solely
win The purpose of warmly ensog their exertioDs in
support OF the Administration candidates for the lie
ana amongst others thus referred TO, find the Of
MT. Humrckbouse the contractor on the route between
th's place and Boonsborough In justice The
we nave made some inquiry into this natter and find that
aeesrsPh mas grossly mis- stated the facts OF the
ihey are Simply thcse In the fall 1880 the
issued proposals Tor contract for carrying the mail three
mmes oeek. between Boonsborough and Winchester -
he lowest offer made by Mir. Humfickbouss nj
$l46O. which accepted by the department. Subse
queny after repeated petitions from many persons inter-
ss'ed IN the ma ter deemed advisable 10 increase
add Ssoo per anBum 10 MIR. HIS compensation on cond-
on mat he would transport The mail sic times roeek in.
stead OF hIee which proposition Mr. H. was induced 10
accept although the duty he had 10 perform was doubled
ana ihe rate OF compensation far from proporopaby in
creased Comment is unnecessary. will Gen Green do
the department and Mr. H. the Justice 10 correct his err
r0r?' ~
Mr.. Leigh brings up also the case of II. Porter g.
CO. of this City. We have endured into The facts
of this case-and find the following:
We are assured, that nothing has been added to
the amount Of the original contracts, except in those
cases where the duties required were augmented to
the iull amount of the compensation-or instance:
i. Under the contract originally the mail was car
rled 10 Charlottesville only three times a week. 1t
was increased TO six times week. The pay was in
creased accordingly.
X ocottsYilie mail, new arrangement, since the
conUact, three times week, on to Staunton then
from Stauntobto Guyandoue. This mail has been
increased TO n daily mail
.. From Guyandotte to Cincinnati original CON |
tract twice week--now Increased 10 six times q |
week, and continued $50 miles to Louisville.
q. From Mobile TO New Orleans. oroinaI con. |
tract twice week, increased TO every day in Steam
boats.
Ii should be recollccted that tho amount nloced
as extra, includes the sum paid for new rouies in |
crease of The number of days tho mail is carried ON
each route, &c. &c. &c.
Mr.. Leigh seems to suppose, that in every case the
service to be rendered ought to be specified in the adj
and infers from tho omission that there
= ground to suspecttbe Department of "fayoritisno
corruption, or the most abominable "careessnees y
l.. nine aaCfe< l....- r. IL