Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1835-12-22
hh cannot be foreseen provided for BY contract OF

relation 10 the circulation ofncendary papers have been
enacted Without claiming for the Genera oosef"'he.
the power pass laws o,nnsc ~oence
i nav safely be- assumed that the United States nave nc
rpht through their officers or departments kho"nsy
he instrumental in producing, within inc
tho very mischief which the constitution commands the'"
-. re,rcss It would be an extraordinary construction
of the powcrs of the General Government, TO MAINTAIN
tat they arc bound to afford the agency OF tneir mans
and post offices, 10 connteract inc laws o .le
the circulation of papers calculated to produce domest
,J.ucc when il would, at the same time, be one OF
their most important constitutional duties 10 protect e
States apasl the natural if not necessary consequences
produced by that very agency.
nh. nosi,ion assumed by this Department. is believed
70 have produced the effect of withholding its agency,
generally in giving circulation to .e OBNOXIOUS papers
in the Southern States Whether be necessary more
pcuallv To prevent by legislative enactmentS the use
rs the mills as means of evadng or violating tile con-
st,utona laws of the States in reference TO TINS Polo
of their reserved rights, is quastioh WHICH, II uPi
TO the undersigned, may be submitted 10 congress- "
a statement OF the facls, anu 'hcii wv" Ao5N
the public necessities
The ca pericnce Of the undersigned mas cohhfheo lib
prior Impressions that the Post Office Department re-
aur,s reorganization. The arrangement OF inc aum'
istrativc branch OF the Depatsna, en.n",I
Objectionable; bu. the organization OF It's
is neither convenient safe; and It may be doubted
whether it be constitutional. A., D..
II is not convenient because il imposes on The foSt-
General,
Gent for any man, the responsibility OF setlhs 'ea'
ftty thousand accounts annually, ana a'soufshs up
wards of two millions OF dollars -,
1t is SAFE because the cntre ncdt reSehue o tHe
Deuor,ment which now exceeds So 0uO annually, ID
Inv law nut at the disposition of the Postmaster General
sTbcc 10 be paid over his check draft or order with
cut other safeguards than those he chooses 10 impose OIL
himself. ~, .o.,,,., ,ho r,on.
st;intiou requires that "no money shall be drawn from
th. Treasury, but in consequence OF appropriations
by law; thereby pre-supposlng that the revenues u ~
Government first paid into the treasury Nv
mr., of hc tax collected from the People IN hostages,
pmouutinq now 10 more than 3OOO0 900 annually, eyes
nupears upon the Treasury books and IL Is I'LL
Without appropriation If so large revenue may e
nrooery raised and expended, without going INTO e
rrr,s,Tv by one department of the Government II Is
moi perceived why the other departments may mol De au
tborizcd TO sustain themselves in similar way; tuS
cvading entirely the constitutional pToVsion' al me
more safe construction would to be, thai all mo-
news collected by the Government, whatever may NC M
mode SHALL in the legal acceptance OF the pase u
into the Treasury to be expended in conformity Will aP
propriutons made by Congress.
Thorc would be nothing mpraciicabe, or seriously in
convenient in the application Of this principle TO tie re-
venues of the Post Office Department. To effect tins
object it is not necessary that the moneys bc collected
and deposited IN banks, or any oler Pacc
tia, the existing system Of collection should be dcrang
Cd Almost third of the gross revenue Is ABSORBED III
commissions to Postmasers and the expenses oil tie
Offices Upon settlement Of the Postmaster accounts
nSo4 "''N
credit of the Post Office appropriations at the same time
The received by contractors from postllasefS
may be disposed Of in similar way The result would
be- that although the treasurer would have open accounts
only with the deposc banks OF the Post Once MS BOOKS
would exhibit the whole amount received from the Eco
pie and expended by the Government, on account OF
the mail establishment.
There is another feature in which the present organ
cation Of the Post Office Department IS defective and un
safe 1t is believed to be sound principle, that public
officers who have agency in originating accounts,
should have in their settlement ne war ana
Navy Departments are IN general organized upon lhs
pncipe In the orders, contracts, and regulations OF
the heads of those Departments their ministerial sub
ordnacs issued and made in conformity with law; nc-
counts originate. The moneys are generally paid by
another set of agents. but partially cePendeht on Inc
heads of the DEPARTMENTS and the accounts finally
settled by third set, who wholly independent OF
them IT, from any cause, an illegal expenditure be d.
recled by the head Of Department, it's the duty Of the
discussing agent not 10 pay the money; and II he does
nav il it is the duty of the Auditors and Conptrolcrs
to reject the item in the settlement OF his account But
the Postmaster General practically unitcs these three
functions in his person. He issues orders and
makes contracts aud regulations producing the cxpcn
dture of money settles the accounts, and pays the
new Although he is required TO render quarterly
count to Tie Treasury, TO be settled as other public
counts are this rcquiston has long ceased to constitute
any practical check upon him. nor can ever he other
wise under the existing system. ..
Herewith is submitted printed paIphieI c"'ioi'inS
AS il now exists The most important Improvement re-
ored is to separate the settlement OF accounts entirely
from the Post Office Department. and vest 1t in an Au.
dior apponted by the President with the advice and
consent of the Senate whose duties shall III general cor
respond with those assigned to the Accountant under the
present organization
T'hr Postmaster General would then be placed
similar footing with the other heads OF Departments
His power the funds OF the Department should cx-
tend ONLY to supcrntendence the rendition Of
counts to prescribing the manner in which poslmasters
shall pay over balances to making drafts for the COL
lection and transfer Of post office funds oissung warrants
onc treasury orhe purpose OF paying balances reported
10 be due by the Auditor, and making advances IN spe-
cial cases The remaining portion of his duties would
be those Of ministerial character now performed upon
his responsibility, modified by saluary restrictions upon
his discretion.
To enable him to exercise an cffcctual supervision
over posasers and contractors third Assistant should
be given to the Department. These services have al.
most doubled since a second Assistant added, and
have been recently extended making them too onerous
TO bc performed by Assistants however distinguished
for their industry aud devotion TO the service More
over these duties constantly increasing and will be
greatly enlarged by the extension OF mail service winch
Is ANTICIPATED within the coming year. ii the United
States were for this purpose divided into three divisions,
and an Assistant assigned cach the stations would still
be among the most aborous and responsible Ill the CO.
yernment.
Three Assistants on the footing Of auditors TO sala-
ries with cght clerks cach chief clerk the footing
of chief clerks in the other Departments twelve clerks
for other miscellaneous duties, including the dead letter
service; agent to supernlcnd Tie fosOhlce Dulld-
ing and property and attend to purchases oil stationary,
furniture &C. a messenger, assistant messenger, Il
laborer and two wa,chmcn; would constitute n force
with which the ministerial duties of the Department
could be performed with comfort, promPhude, and eii
cheney.
The Auditors office would be the most extensive
and laborious accounting office in the Government,
mcriling corresponding provision in clerks and salaries
Like other auditors he should have chief clerk for
general duties. The examination of postmaslers' &C.
counts amounting TO about 10000 annually, sending out
crrors and other attendant services constitute severe
Duty and requires eighteen clerks The registration of
posirnaslcrs accounts after examination and keeping
The lercrs of the Department. requires eight clerks TO
keep the paw books that postmastcrs pay over their