Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1834-06-24

an annual compensation of $7566
On this contract legal and regular in It's inception,
engrsed extra allowance compensation for extension and
private contracts 10 the yearly Of S1Sl56
The two largest of the items which compose this extra
sum, namely, $4,000 for extending steamboat mail be-
tween Guyandoitc, Virginia, aud Cincinnati, Ohio and
$ll 900 year for extending the steamboat mail TO Louis
vle is in the opinion OF your committee, not only I'M
necessary and extravaganza expenditure OF The public funds,
but is an act wholly Unauthorized by law.
Every acquainted with the situation oil the country,
aud the OF business between those points will be
at satisfied that il is unnecessary IL s wholly inn
material whether the mail be carried between those points
in two horse coach in steamboat provided be
ried saely and the lines which carried before
the establishment OF this route ample Tor that
cnnai, from Cincinnati 10 LOUISVILLE; aud the aid of
the Departments not necessary keep constant and
regular communication by steamboats, between them. The
establishment OF this line therefore unnecessary either
Tor The transportation OF the mail the accommodation OF
passengers.
4 It also agans, law. The general Of the Sd day
March 1925, reducing into the several acts regu
lang the Post Office Department, in its 1s section,
acts that the Postmaster General shal provide for the
carriage of the mail all post routes that may be
established by law This clause contains his whole general
authority for contracting for the ransporla ion OF the mall
and this does auhorise the setting up Of this line of
ste amboats nasmuch the Ohio river between these
points is legal mail route But the authority here
exercised may be supposed TO be conferred by the 9th
section OF the act which provides "hat the Postmaster
General be authorised 10 have the mail carried in any
steam boat other vessel which shall be used pack
ct in any OF the waters of the United States, such
terms and conditions shall be considered expedent
provided that he does pay than three for
zach letter, and than than hall cent for each
ewspsper conveyed in such mail" But il is perfectly
clear your committee that this provision oaw
intended TO authorize and does not auhose The establish
eld o steamboat line by contract for the purpose Of
carrying the mail: the whole frame language OF the
section orbds it, "The Postmaster is authorized
the mail carried in any steamboat which shall
used as packet. He may avail hnse of such means OF
transportation when he finds il already existing but he is
authorized incur the expense OF provdng The law
also provides that he shall pay than three
for each letter, than hall cent for each
paper carried: restriction wholly inconsistent with
the suppositon that he had power to get up steamboat
lines by contract Tor the transportation OF the mail And
the that this is not permitted is obvous the
pense OF getting up steamboat ne by contract for the
transportation OF the mall is enormously dproporioned
TO the object; while, at the time, the Department
may avail itself most advsnageousy OF existing line of
packets for the cheap and expeditions transportation OF
the mail. The 9th section of the above referred TO,
transcript OF the Sd section OF the act OF the 9th Of
February, 1915 And while the last named act was in
force il thought expedent by the Department TO
contract for carrying the mail from New Orleans 10 Lou
4 isve by steamboats,. But, the power sup.
posed TO be conferred by that law, special pass
ed the 2d March, I5l9 horzing such contract,
with the express proviso that the whole expense of send
ing the mail in steamboats, should not exceed that of
transporting the by land. In the steamboat
tracts made by the present Postmaster eneral, the
slightest attention is paid to the restrictions in either Of
the above named statutes and the paid for the
portaion OF the mail from Cincinnati Louisville
greatly than half the received by
the Department in both those cities.
There is another transaction with the individual,
which is liable TO the and still stronger objections.
1t that person by the OF Rhodes under
tailed and gave up tbe contract Afterwards Messrs.
Stockton and Stokes, James Reside and Avery and Por
ter undertook TO carry the mail on The same route three
times week in steamboats, for twenty five thousand dol
lars year They also failed TO comply, and their
also given up Edwin Porter then undertook,
private agreement with the department, the
mail daily on,that route in steamboats, for four years,
forty thousand dollars year, which agreement still
ssiing. Within the last year there were one hundred
and fifty failures this improved ne for which the
tractor says he is fined The books OF The department
thousand eight hundred dollars, yet part OF this
Loo, No
contrary, he permitted 10 overdraw very largely, and
his draft for twenty thousand dollars, accepted by the
time since al New Orleans, to enable him TO raise money
60 with the contract, which likely fail by the
unskiltuness and ineficiency of his agent. This
tractors Edwin Porter is also the borrower OF large
OF money Of Obadiah b. BTownthree thousand FIVE hun
dred dollars early in the year 1882 and four thousand FIVE
hundred dollars in November 1888, making aggregate
loan of eight thousand dollars.
The of money this contract is enormous. The
nett proceeds OF all the hostages in the city OF New Or
leans and the town of Mobile, hardly sufficient
sustain it, The law has been violated by entering into
contract TO get up steamboat line for tho transportation
OF the mail withon any regard to legal restrictions 1t
violated by the department when ii entered into
contract for the transportation OF The mail without adj
vertisemen inviting public competition Aud there is
anoher feature in this and other which your
committee have examined which, in their opinion de-
serving Of the decisive condemnation. Ii is tho
blending and copnec citing the fiscal affairs of the depart
rnent with those Of individual contractors. Thus while
advancing its funds, and lending lis credit 10 this ndivi
dual enable him TO repair his and carry his
The aid Of other contractors to assist il in raising money
pay its ordinary and expenses. Two instances
Of this kind stated in the testimony Of James Reside
About years he drew DRAFT Of six thousand dol
lars, athe request OF the department. and lor its and
got il gOaed al the Western Bank Of Philadelphia and
time last winter he "aranged thousand dollars
through The assistant postmaster at New York. for the
Of the department. No other Of the like kind
distinctly evidence before the committee, but llom ge-
neral Iormsdon, they believe the practice to have pre-
vailed considerable extent Your committee con-
mn this practice decisively. In their opinion IL is
placing the department IN improper and injurious
ne ction with individuals rs matter OF prudence,
Of the question OF power, should neither
venture ts money plight its credit to sustain any
individual much less should ask pecunafy assistance OF
its contractors enable il 10 keep up lis credit Those
should be required to do their duty and they
should be asked og nothing more. Faysrs are expect
ed TO be reciprocal, aud ii the department ask and
ceiye them il csnno deny when something is asked in
return. But the department has placed itself IN this
digniGed relation with lie contractors. II has become
tie acceptor for enable him 10 sustain his credit
and carry his aud IL has become the debtor
another for bis nie 10 enable 10 raise money to an
swer its pressing necessities The relations IN which
is thus involved partly the and partly the
sequence Of rs present nsoyent condition. The indivi
duas who, variously connected and combined hold
ravaqant private contracts and who receive allow
ances, which exhaust Tie revenues OF whole states,
the same lend their credit to keep UP the credit Of
aud relieve The embarsssments Of ts chief ofheerwho
advance large Of money 10 enable another Of 80
officers purchase real estate cat reduced pree'and
who send presents Of choice wines 70 furnish the tables
Of both.
william Smith is the contractor for carrying the mail from
Il Washington city TO Iyoc,burg, two hundred miles,
three times week n four horse post coaches, at tho
a yearly compensation Of $4,000
81 lie was allowed or two changes Of schedule, the
81 propneiy and utility OF which Is noi ahown, 800
4 n ~