Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1834-08-22

would been LoDgress hulhorized 10
make such alterations In the mail routes as the emergency
Of the called or and he, needless OF the public good
had rejected their pressing wants This assuredy.
would have been the construction placed refusal TO
comply with their request. On the other hand, the
pectabie standing Of the applicants their plain and
sonabie statement Of facts induced the Pos
raj TO grant their request This he did in strict conformity
with the powers in him vested and what is his Srd'
He charged with having squaudered the public money,
with extending corrupng influence among Postnasters
and mail contradictory and other charges placed his
account besrng equally on his character.
The Post Master-Generai is charged by bis enemies
with having paid sums Of money mail contractors. large
y more than their original contracts; and this renal
they slege TO have been done for the purpose reward
ing favores Had lie no, paid these by authority Of
the laws Of his country, the would have constituted
crime tor which he would only have lost lis Office, but
his liberty
He is authorised at such times as he may deem expe.
dent foe the public good extend the mail routes aud
increase the expedition OF the mail: this prrogai
crcised upon application from the citizens Of those sections
requiring the facilities, aud will necessarily be attended
with increased expense The contractors will receive adj
d'iona pay, apporcnrd to the Of the original
tract, and no more; indeed almost every instance where
change has been made, the ratio the sna contract
has been css These aud all oher accrung
the department be deraye ed from
would ask, what fund the Post NJ a.er is to call on,
should the OF the BE sufficient
meet the demands against it? lie cannot call OH the
Treasury, any other OF the General Co
reinen Tue law has made provision Tor such
There is but one way Of NEE ing the expences under the
above circumstances which the crei good faith OF
the departments aud is self evdeutthat Congress
that the department should avail itself OF those means;
how preposterous wonli II be 10 power in the
Postmaster General, without IN, nishing him with the
means OF accomplishing the desired object Of the invested
power.
Examine into the principal cause Of the inability Of the
department TO meet s expenses by its receipts and will
be ioun tina, MIR. Barry deserves the feelings Of
gratitude for his manly pat ioc, and independent
Ills gtea, ambition TO the public; TO meet the
views aud wishes, expressed in THU various pet ions.
From every quarter OF the county, their calls have
ceived his attention; and in thus accommodating the
public, lac has incurred expence exceeding the
oil receipts For this act set OF parizsns, most
cpled and unwaran ed manner have charged Mr. Barry
with Profigacy, with having made the Departments bank
rup'.
Another of the deficiency in the funds Of the de-
psrnent is the uDproducv,ness OF the mail
This fact Congress is Of AMI requires "te Post
maser-Generslt TO report annually, every POI, road which
shall no after the Fad year iron establishment, have
produced nehTd OF the exp.nce OF carrying the mail
the same
will here quote extract Of letter from The late
Postmaster e, neral to Mr.. Barry, dated March 81 1929:
The expenditures o the department this year Will ex-
coed the receipts, The last year; but the in
crease OF receipts will show the rapid adv the
department. II deemed good policy permit the
expense 10 beyond the receipts in order that part OF
the surplus OF the Iorner years might be absorbed 1t is
the true policy keep the funds sctve, and suffer
large surplus 10 accumulate. The above remarks
naue some persons are ignorant enough sup
pose that the department sinking, provided recep
do in the year. equal or exceed the expedi.
ture."
Another Of the deficiency of the funds in the de-
partmen s the almost unlimited ranking privilege grant
ed not only 10 members elect, but those whose
have expired for months after their retirement. To give
the earr idea OF the los, TO the department since the
extension of the ranking privilege will mention the
FACT that an Office formerly yielding fifty sixty dollars
year, has since, cost the department than
hundred dollars for the delivery OF free letters, within
quarter two cents per letter being allowed by law, TO
Pomasters for the delivery OF each free letter.
believed, that would be moderate calculation esii-
mate The loss to The department. by the extension Of the
ranking privilege, at $780, 900 per year.
The above statement OF facts is undenisble They
10 be found the records Of country and those nd-
viduas who seized upon the subject with view turn
heay
lug on them They could not but be aware that
ie the public were acquainted with the OF the
PostOhce concerns, the garng llsehoods OF the charges
would be detected. The Chairman OF the Committee,
presume, sindifeTent The subject His mind doubt
Is perfectly can--as much as il was when, during
the debate on the subject in the Senate, Mr. Giun-
dy observed, that among the signcIs OF paper adj
dressed 10 the Postmaster General ndng exped
lion in certain mail routes, he found the OF the
Chairman OF the Committee, (Mr. Ewing Mr.. r. dis
claimed connexo with tile in ston, uules
his produced! This could not be done at IN c
nomen the paper file in the Post. Office De-
partmen, and the late period Of the session. o. being
about the third day before adounment) would ami,
OF loss OF time 10 effect other end than prove what
was already known, that the gentleman did deem ii
necessary adhere principle 10 effect the end he had
III view The shallow evasion drew smile from oil
his coadjuors and the contempt of all who heard this
miserable endeavo himself from the impuation
OF most glarng Inconsistency But, that TIE public may
judge Of the facility with which the Chairman Of the
Committee may make rash assertions and then
submit herewith copy OF the Petition 10 which nj r.
Ewng's name is attached The paper has been already
| extensive circulation.
The whole fabrication (of the Post. Office Committee
NGj0rify RcpoJ will be through elecIoneer-
ing bubble. that will burst and evaporae by the
aud force OF truth. JUSTICE.
MIR. EWING rs MR. EWING.
Copy
"Fiom conversation with VIM Neil and X G. Stockton,
the contractors for carrying The mails between Baltimore
Wheeling aud Cincinnati by way OF Evansville and CO.
lnubus, and between GAINESVILLE and Maysvile, II ap.
he practicable TO give such ncre expedition
those mails to give at least hall day each
road which, with the eXpedi ion already ordered will gain
entire day more, between This place Baltimore
and Cincinnati, and the TO Kentucky Indiana, Hi.
nois, Missouri aud West Tennessee Besides the
iage which such expedition will give 10 the trade between
the east aud the west it would he great
TO the whole community, TO receive and communicate
tegence within the shortest possible time. Ref arding il
calculated to bring the Eastern and rstern
worlds day 10 each other,
| ly recommend the Improvement
| WASHINGTON CITY, Dec is, 1881.
[Sgned by Members oil Congress, including
I. EWING.
"PosT OFFICE DEPARTMENT.
18Th August, 1884
81 certify that The precedngsa copy of the ri
nal paper the files of this Department. aud in my
tody-the names, with exception, being omitted.
f. l.. ClIiLDS, Corresponding Clark
.Addie Section"