Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1834-02-13

sh the most satisfactory vindication OF that Off
ser that can be-certainly that has been given.
And the mode of pleading what the lawyers call
sct off. in adjusting the accounts between the
losses of the Post Office, and the credits of the
Txecptiye. though they may not be allowed by
the Committee Of Claims, will be freely admitted
by every person who holds TO the present or the
vt administration for the rewards due TO pure
disinterested, uncorupted patriotism,
~. Y. Duly Adp.
MAI. DowNING's CORRESPONDENCE
To ny old friend, Mr.. D,cight, ofhe Ne,o York
Daily Adrertisr.
WAsHINaToN, Jan. Is, 1894
You remember telled you spell ago, that
after we got the message done, we was obliged
10 take il all to bits, and mock out good many
things about the counts, and run the chance Of
lettn Congress skip en- over; and telled you
too, that I would to rights git the Gineral's
sparks, and Civ EN- twist round to plain sight,
and let him take look at things jest as they be,
without a biz of Glory about en- Well, a
mong them accounts we had got In the Message,
was the Post Office accounts. | didn't like to
look on EN- bit at the time, but as every body
said money was plagy scarce every where, the
Gineral thought il natural enuf to ind IT
pretty scarce in the Post Office too. Now, says
l. Gineral, my notion is that best let Major
Barry tell his own story about it; for as he has
done so much in reforming things, and as we have
got now pretty good majority in Congress, he
may get out of the scrape. Well the Gineral
thought that was about the best way; and Major
Barry made his report, and telled pretty consi-
derable of a cute story about his hayin found an
error in the Post Office accounts, that had been
overlooked ever since Gineral Washington's
time
began to think for a spell that would stump
Congress, about as much as though there had been
a fire in the Post Office, pretty much like that
1 one in the Treasury last spring. But, some how
or other, some of the plagy Senators have been
smellin round, and got on track that led en-
right up to the fact that the Post Office is head
4 and ears all over in debt; and that II has been
borrowin money for over two years now, and ne
yer said word ont to Congress. And ] am
peskily afeard, that scein the Law says none Of
our folks shall borrow money without consent OF
Congress, (and which, upon the hull, is apretty
safe law for Congress couldn't tell otherwise how
the money was goin.) / am, say, pretty peski-
y afeard we cant get the Post Office folks out of
this scrape, without reforming some on EN- out
of office But as they all are our best friends,
and have done more for Glory and Reform than
most folks we shall let some on EN- resign, and
then apint EN- to some Office abroad or git EN- In
to some place where they can git livcn without
workin for it; for the Gineral wont let any on
EN- suffer no way.
When the Gineral come to hear what the Sc
nate was ater, says he, Major, will them accounts
Of the Post Office stand the racket, or not? Why,
SAYS L, naTu IclllU, Uut its dS 4
calklate, says ], guess they wont in the way
Congress settles accounts--things look plagy
crooked says |; and the worst ont is, them &C
counts have been so twisted, first one way, and
then agin another way, that | am afeard now
they wont stand twistin any more The ony
way, saysl, is TO straten EN-, and that's all can
do about EN-. But, says l, If they break to bits
in straitcnin on EN-, cant help it, Well, says
he, Major, wish you'd try it; for, says the Gil
neral, if we cant keep Barry up, there is no tel
ling what will become on us; for it seems 10 me,
ever since Mr.. Van Buren, got the Post Office
Department into the Cabinet, we have been able
to do more in 'rewardin our friends, and punish
in our enemies than in all the rest of the de-
partments put together. Well, says I, Gineral
Filthy it, says ]; and the Gneral wei TO bed
and got my slate, and got all the Post OfhcS
accounts from the time Judge Mclean left the
office, and Major Barry came into it. II took me
good spell to git all strung out IN regular or
der; and Jest as was beginnin to sifer up, thu
Gneral he rz up in bed, and says he, Major,
reckon can help you along. Well, says ], Gil
neral, want all the help you can give: I'm
thinkn, says he, you best say that its all own
to Biddle; for he is crampin all the people III
can, and that he makes money so scarce, folk
cant pay postage; and that if we had not takeI
the deposites away from him, things would D.
twice as bad now. Well, says ], Gineral, that
good notion, and I'll see to rights how II VIII
work among figures. thought I'D just tell you
MAJOR, says the Gneral, afore forgot If, Tor tn
notion just struck me as was goin to sleep; am
so the Gineral laid down, and ! went TO sIferi
agin.
II was most daylight afore got through; and
finished off with the sums Major Barry says h
mas been borrowin, and left blank to put IN tn
amount he says the Post Office has oycrdraw
the banks where the hostages are kept; for as h
don't know yet what that amount is, can't tel
myself; though suppose could. upon pinch
make nigh upon good guess at II as he coul
OF any one else. But thought | wouldn't CUES
a. nothln. never guess when get hold OF m
STATE; sifer on one side, and then chalk dow
q me , sum on tother there can't be no mistake
w men come to flyer up the hull amount tn
Cst once has gone astarn since Judge McLea
pit II, begun to bile up like one of old Cap
h1nker's steam kittles; and was glad the Cine
raj was snorin, for don't like to let people Sc
me when my steam is up; but if don't do som'
Tim, suppose / should blow up Just like stea
9oat on the Mississippy-and so got my AK ar
uown stairs went with light TO the wood hous
ana split up more than three cord and half
nckory aiore got in good temper, and afore
mought II was safe TO go TO bed-and then we
10 bed, and slept like top till breakfast time.
The next mornin, when the Gineral came in
me Cabinet room-well, says he, Major, did y
hn'sh them plagy accounts? Yes, says !, Gin
rn, did, and split up wood enuf 10 last us
monih IN the bargain. And Jest telPd the
neral leetle about it TO prepare him. No
l. 1ineral, let me have your specs, says j
mihlt-and took EN- 10 the window and civ I
screws twist, and tried en-; and seeing eve
thing looked natural, | handed EN- TO the Cir
RAJ and then he and took the slate, and we
Yer me hgurcs-both on us standn up by the
PIE side by side. First, saws I, there is
P',uun account and stationery Of the Post Off,