Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-06-14

ton. 1t is the blending and connecting the e.
affairs OF the department with those ofindiviJ,a;
contractors. Thus, while advancing its fIn%S
and lending its credit to this individual 70 n"us
BILE him to repair his errors and carry IN -.
contract, the department itself did in se,,o his
cases, call in aid of other contractors to aSSie.i
in raising money to pay its ordinary and cnrror.
expenses. Two instances of this kind arc go III
ted IN the testimony of James Reside 6hooa,
two years ago, he drew draft Of six thonsa"uSy
dollars at the request Of the department. and az
its use, and got it negotiated at the WestarU,i
Bank of Philadelphia; and some time last WI
ter he arranged" ter thousand dollars thro',uI
the assistant postmaster at New York fr s"
use Of the department. No other cases ~ ort ne
like kind are distinctly in evidence beforo uIr
committee; but from general information ,t s.e
believe the practice to have prevailed 70 y nv .ey
siderable extent. Your committee cond III.
this practice most decisively In their oninia
it is placing the department in an irn6prn"oA
and injurious conneXon with individuals
a matter of mere prudence, independents, HS "a,
the question of power, it should neither vnH,,, "
its own money or plight its credit to sustain a
individual, much less should it ask pacnnior!
assistance Gifts contractors to enable il n L.!
up its credit.
The contractors should be required to do t,.:.
duty, and they should be asked for NOTHING ,nn,@
Favors are expected to be reciprocal. and III,
department ask and receive them il cannnt G ,'..
ny when something is asked in return. Rnttt.
department has placed itselfin this undionff"I
relation with its contractors 1t has become tsa
acceptor for one to enable him to sustain h..
credit and carry on his contract-and ii has ~,
come the debtor to another for his name to an
able it to raise money to answer its own mo.
sing necessities. The relations in which + =.
thus involved, are partly the cause and par,Iy
the consequence of its present insolvent cond
ton. The individuals who, variouSly connac,
ed and combined, hold eXtrayagant private con
tracts, and who receive extra allowances which
exhaust the revenue Of whole States, are fine
same who lend their credit to keep up the cr,.
dit of the epartment-Who furnish funds to nay
off the debts and relieve the embarrassment q,
its chief oftlcer-WhO advance large sums o.
money to enable another OF its officers to pl~
chase real estate at reduced prce"--l and
who send presents Of choice wines to farniShtlc
tables Of both.
William Smith is the contractor for carrying nc
mail from Washington City to Lynchbmg
two hundrnd miles, three times d week, in Iogr
horse post coaches, at the yearly compensa
ton Of 36,Om
He was allowed for two changes of sche-
dule, the propriety Of which is not
shown, $500 and $500 l.rcy
For daily mail from Washington &C
w drrentOn, Hfty-tWO miles, g51Eg
A daily mail from Warrenton &c Orange
Court House, forty-four miles, 1880
And daily mail from Orange CoLrt-
House to Lynchburg, one hundred are
six miles, @.,OJy
Making an extra allowance yearly C 81 Glo
The four additional trips per week WaT5
relinquished on the 1st December, 1879
in consequence of the insolvency o. th3
department, and there was dadrcte(
from the extra allowance, $1,000
Leaving for no known increGsG o %
vice, the yearly allowance Ct 5000
five admit the change ofschedIIe 10 De
meritorious cause for the GlIcy2nce Of e. 20
The contractor is in that case released
from all his additional trips, 20" Nhicn
he was allowed $500, ard his c2GopeI-
sation is reduced, IN consequence o. i,
but 81, 1900 leaving him 81 "Gdisiona
yearly allowance OF ! 90
For which no service Whate re IS i2nGaf2C
There is also an extra allowance 9 hire nd
dred and seventy-five dollars mace "iiIGd
Smith, for an extension Of his linz '''cr cor
sons x Roads to Lexington, r,cr.h CG-5'hi
Prior to this arrangement, his mail Nea, 81 h
route from Dobsons Y I;CGGs &C S&leH, Glr
from Salem TO Lexington, which iaIT2aScr ~
distance only seven miles, passing ,h"CGgL { e
ny fourishing town. This a.;t2asi0r, % :, Il
called was therefore wholly useless, c.'229' 50
far as it served the convenience o. lie CONE
tor, and enabled him to draw Of apcn lis 2e".
ly adjusted line the passengers which had h2r'
tofore gone upon the old line OF ecF ( ,&
ford. 1t does not touch single pos once 80
the twenty five miles which is 10, a,SC )aSscc IL
the regular mail route established By la.
The extra allowances made Dl his fo'l. o.
William Smith, from Washington mail 1t MILES
with the route of Peck & Wexford, g 12"n&.
ton, n. G. was $8,S75, as stated in the '22oT, o.
the Sd of March, 1884. The trna sum is belle,
ed to be larger; but taking that 70 be he 5c'"a
amount, the extra allowances c-,c"2d ne '11@.'
nett proceeds Of hostages on The. line TOT -,
exandria, where it first DIVORCES ron NJ M
Stockton 6, Go. to Lexington, Whe { l. 3Mr's
with the line ofPeck & Wexford, 81 Iioi2 nan
$4,000, including all the posta9cs 81 me I1'5'
towns Of Warren Charlottesville, enc go"
burg
TO BE CONTINUED