Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1834-11-25

he established by law" 1t shalt he lawful the Pos,
Master General 10 cutter into contracts Tor
ceedng our years of extending the line Of posts "Hr
shall provide for the carriage o the mail all post roads
that may be established by law. and often
ing due regard TO the ihereol and other
circumstances, shall think proper"
Major Barry chagedb his enemies with having
pended more than the receipts OF the Oicewhy doihey
not in the breath say that he originator
Of the aeE-tbst the Expenditure OF the Office large
" in advance OF its receipts, when Major Barry
his duties Post master Geners9 The above TACT may
not be generally known; il is nevertheless tue. MIR
Mclean, Ia his Report oil Nov. l7h 1925 stated that the
expences o the Department. from July lst 1927 July
let 1873 were upwards OF $25 900 than all its
venues Tor the period; aud that he had made
trscts TO cominshc from LIST OF January 1920 Which, in
the space oil The succeeding six months, exprp-
uiurc 81 Si977S 90 more than it, Tor the
time; that the expenses for the year, comm. nrrg July
1928. were $7t7tl 10 more than lite e, nue. and that
with the expend aud losses the finances OF the d.
psrtment, had diminished within one ear the cunt
Of $lOl. o. Mr. Mel. in his report of Nov 1928
presented tho following Tor the he he'd pur
sued:
AS Congress their last session. declined making any
appropriation oil the surplus fund, OF the Department. with
he expectation, as was be.r= mat h,ey should be APP
peh III dising mail facilities throughout the Union, and
increasing them when required by tie public interest,"
augmentation to the OF The mail 537 26I
miles in s'ages aud % 7OI miles OH IA. seback making
total oil 19S 500 miles has been made the past yea He
further s,aes"lt is believed be good policy 10 keen
the funds OF HE Department actively employed extend.
ig its operations until the reasonable wants OF every COM
muniy shall be supplied" In letter from Mr. kirI.ane
to NJ sor Barry Jsed March ST. 1929 he states that .,he
OF Tie Department this will
receips as was the last year, but the OF
cepis will chow The rapid the Department
IL was r' med good policy permit the expence go
beyond the receipts in order that part Of the surplus of
former might h. alb orbed 1, policy to kerr
the funds active, aud suffer large SUI plus to ac
cumulSe. The above remarks are made, because some
persons are ignorant enough suppose that the DEPART
men Is sinkiDg provided s receipts do not current
year. equal or exceed The expenditure. THUS appears
that the crime with which Mtor Barry il charged did not
Originate with him, but with h predecessor Office, aud
that the office in upwards one hundred thou
sand dollar. at the time Major b. appointed Posimas
ter General.
From the reports the Poslnaser General IL appea,s
that the annual amount Of mail transpoi aion TO July
1888, nearly dOue the amount of what il WAS a, ill.,
time Major Barry took charge OF the Department the
same report also states that the " hole oil aownn-
ces 10 Conrar'os Tor extra services. by which this ge.
increase OF transportation principally eeci auou
ed TO $3.50 602 Al per year This amount, in xon
with the expense OF establishing mail routes r, uuirrd
ny law OF Congress, passed 1882, which is estimated at
Sl253ll So, aud which mail unproductve Tor
several years alter they sssb,hed TO this loss add
the excess OF expenditure in 1929 aud los the De-
parneni by the extension OF the anking ich
privilege grained in the latter pat Of the session of
1929 not only TO members elect, hut those whose
terms had expired Tor some months 10y the OF this
pfivsge the Department IL deprived OF the postage OH
such letters and IL taxed with cents zach leei o,t
Masters being entitled to that Tor the delivery OF nee
letters la one instance, where Post Office welded TO
tue department., revenue OF from 90 TO 60 dollars per
year, the same Office has ,ince the extension banking
privilege, cost tie Department within quarter
man SluO Tor the delivery oi tree letters cny. The Post
master Gene al has estimated the loss to the De-
par'meni, on account OF this eItenSion at SUN tx.
ceeGing $I0O.000 Tie above los seq and expeucrs Al,
the causes OF the expenditures having exceeded the
receipts OF The office; and it will be seen that 10 in
considerable sum has been expended in accommodating
TIE PuOuc WIN new mail routes, and increased tx.
Pe'li'ion oil the ma-Me will pass TO the next charge
~hic Is, that lac has ansgressed the law by borrowing
money. la expressing my views on this charge, | ami
aware That my opinion Is in conflict with The gt suho-
riiy Of the Senate. yet. must beg leave TO differ wi n
their dec.t and call the people examine for
themselves; take nothing Tor granted exec p, the high a
buttln
'"k' their ar ior granted, until you have examined not
oy The Consl'uIe but the various bearings the post
office laws. This decided opposition tile opinion OF the
entire SrnaIe may be deemed political heiesl; but feel
assured, that those who disposed lib, raj will not
pas Judgment until iey have examined the laws IL will
then he source OF establishment, that the Senate should
pass such sentence OF condemnation this OF the
Postmaster General.
Congress has clothed the Posima ter General wi the
following powers: To establish Post Oices-io provide
Tor the carriage OF the mail xit nd The mail ami
increase the expedition OF The mail Tie exnenc,s
arising from The eAerciso OF those pow eis be paid
oni it, own sources. and the Of those powers
:'rre onary with The Pos master General. would AK
III The event OF tie expenses the department exceeding
the receipts which Is possible at any time, aud under
management OF any Postmaster GENERALLY say Tor or
$4,000. TO whom is the Postmaster apply Tor tia, |
amount or where is he procure il He cannot call Oh The
Treasury lo H. although there may be surplus funds there;
io' the Constitution ssie' that mo money shall be drawn
from the Treasury, hut in consequence Of approu IN.
ilo'is made 10y law " Congress has made approrrs.
ton for the Post Office Department. the exprncrs OF the
.hce are TO he pad ON III The only me-
existing circumstances, was 10 obtain loan. This was
doneno the faith Of tie United States or of the T,ea
sury, but OH the credit O his and in anti
cpaon u its esouIcrs which are at lis own
disposal His authority for DOING appears in the very
powers IN him vested; tor how nugaioIy would il be, to
empower lin 90 laws without tutni-Iug hin,
with the means' He, therefore, did iniIing. any
law oil Congress; lid e, in any WISE Iiuse the Con.
siuion There IS no act therein confined de ing him
that power.
The next charge against Ike Postmaster. General il
Mat he has rewarded mail contractors. by aIo~ ing en
large suns OF money, extra pay. With regard 10 this
charge Is so futile that ii scarcely deserves a notice
however, viii observe that the services were sole
W Tor Tie benz Int Of Ike public aud were created OIL ac
count earnest solicitations oil numerous respectable
cizes om various St cons Of The country. The hlino-
y Committee, IN their report 10 Congress- state that 'Ihe
allowances Tor extra ser' (,lI taken iogehc appear
TO be quite within tile bounds Il oIeraiion len com.
pared with tie amount Of additional vices teudereJ
The charge u his having displaced Postmaster. on
party grounds, Is equally tidcIous IL IL well known
hat many Posnasers Throughout tie Union are tppos.
ed o TIE views OF The PR sent Adinsi ao but in con.
que"ce OF their moderation, Of their entering into
poll ica' boiI+, aud Of their hiul performance of tio
duties Of their office they have retained eir silusions
The last charge II, his having held naug the bieh
suhofiiy oi The Senate 10y Withholding CERTAIN
called Tor 10y tie Post cice Committee. This would sp
pear charge oi no neonsdersbIe moment il was cor.
rect That lac did reiu,e TO ALLOW Tie committee the pc
Tusal oil certain documents denied; il is denied
that he held at nAught the high authority Of the Senate
by so doing The Senate did suflOrize the committee
10 enquire into Tie cause OF the discharge Postmaster
or OF the PGsimaslcrs clerk, OF any individual about
his own Office or the uiIcc OF any Postmaster. Tie com
niitee being empow cred TO examine into the situation OF
the PSsi.oce Department, docs not inply ,st iey are
TO inquire into the OF the removal OF Postmaster:
Eor AZ hat inquiry Intended 10 he embraced la the cx
snhnatOb by tie Senate, will appear by the prcecd