Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1835-03-27
POLITICAL.

LETTER OF VIM. L. BARRY, Postmaster General,
10 the House Of Representatives. Of he United Sates-
Rerie,ong The Report of The Scsct Committee of that
House, appointed to Investigate hc oFars IF the Post
Office Department:
Posr-ofrlcE DETACHMENT, March I'd, 1885
To the Speaker Of The House of Representatives
1t is with the deepest reluctance that the UNDERSIGNED
is compelled TO appear before the public in his
half in vndicating himself from aspcrsons alike unan
ucipatcd and unmerted.
The pursued by tho committee of the House of
Representatives in the investigation of the Office
Department. has been directly Mt variance with that
sacred charter of rights, the Constitution of the IT,
States, that other alternative remains than TO seek
through the House of Representatives that justice which
has been denied by its committee Had the
right been extended him. of being apprzcd of every
complaint, and of being permitted to respond or to as
sign the for what the committee have
as exceptonabe, it might have been necessary to
nave taken further notice of their But
many OF the most important subjects of complaint were
concealed from the undersigned during the whole nvcs
tgaton, and were first made known to him by the pub
LEGATION of the report The undersigned was frequently
informed by members of the committee that nothing Of
an unfavorable nature relating TO the administration of
the department. had been, far regarded himself de-
velopcd in the investigation; and in no sinpe point ON
which the committee been wish of their annad
VERSIONS was an opportunity given for explanation
defence. When an executive department of the 90.
vernment is thus assaed by committee of branch of
the Legislative department tits but Justice due to
the executive to the people, and TO himself for the head
of that department to present the facts the public
Inc long tram of reasoning upon the construction of
iaws-the legality or lllegalty of the practices which
have always prevailed, which appear bear the charac
ter of legal bubbles rather than of solid argument or
practical utity-the complaints of gnorance of a want
OF intelligence OF frugalty of system of regard to pub
lie utility; alike applicable the undersigned and
to all his predecessors in Office But while they betray
an ignorance of its practical exgences least equal To
what they affect to have discovered in others they an
pear to manifest strong propensity point out imper
ceuos whether real or imaginary, without the slightest
disposition to acknowledge any thing worthy of appro
baton. IT.
TO follow the committee through all their remarks,
would be unnecessary The object of this address il is
believed, will be well attained by noticing few of the
most prominent, as furnishing the general character of
the whole
Postmaster General to have made any Improvement in
existing contracts for the transportation of the mail pror
TO the passage OF the law of March 3d. 1926 and they de-
rive all subsequent right to do so, from prohbitory
clause in that law, which provides that no additional al
lowance shall be made by the General to the
contractor or carrier of the mall any route over or
beyond the amount stipulated in the contract entered in
TO for the transportation of any mail such route unless
additional service shall be required and then no add
tona compensation shall be allowed to exceed the exact
proportion of the original amount the additional duties
required"
The authority given the Postmaster General TO pro-
vide for the transportation of the mail establish
ed by law, the mode and frequency subject the sole
discretion of the Postmaster General which contain
ca IN the former laws, and continued the March
3D. 1879, appears TO have been regarded by every Post
master General comforting ample power to make such
improvements the increasing wants of the different
sections OF country should require without waiting tho
delay OF years for contracts 10 expire without VIC.
ang the faith Of the department. by annullng exist
s.
above quoted appears to have breTegardsd by the late
postmaster GcReral during administration il mass
ca noSs conerrng original power but a restriction
oi inc power winch had ever been exercised and the OK
isence OF which had been called in question The
undersigned has gold reasoilor different con.
Sructon He has viewed this subject if the same liot
as his predecessor appears to ave loe ms efed
on the same principle.
The practice which had long prevailed in the depart
ment OF receiving proposals otranspor the mail on Sc
vera different for gross sum is condemned Law
the committee This practice did not originate with t.
andersigncd out 1t has been continued by him, and in
many instances has proved highly advantageous both
IN point OF service and economy The committee do NOT
aege that IT is unlawful but they Teprobae the practice
because, rs they aege, such bids cannot be tested bv
comparison with separate bids for the same rou;e and
because IL is mpractlcabe contrast them with other
cosoidated BIDS, TO determine which is economi-
cal and advantageous TO the public. Their alteration in
both cases is TIE Of what Experience
70 be the fact There greater difficulty i'm determine
ing whether gross amount for several different rons
Is Tess than inc sum OF the lowest separate responsible
bids on each of the routes than there is in elr
mining whether one separate bid is lower than another
nor has any d1Cuy arisen in determining which bid
most economical when different consolidated bids coyer
the route. No can be spgriled i'm which cou
solidated bid has operated TO the prejudice Of senaro
Dld Tor single route, except when the acceptance of
the consolidated bid proved saying Of expense to the
department.
The committee deny the right Of allowing contract.
or additional compensation for any of increase
in the weight Of mails This has never been done bv
the undersigned, except in where such increase Of
weight imposed upon The contractor services and expc
ses beyond what were stipulated in his contract If
contract IS entered into, for carrying the mail over Ger
tain route, on horse, and the weight of that mail shall
so tcresse as to render impossible for horse TO car
ry it, he must either leage part of the mail nnca
red, or he must useitwo more horsee TO aransporf
1T. But his conlraetdoes not require him fo ,so M,
than one horse lie is then compelled 10 perform moro
service, ad to incur greater expense tan his contract
requires and ia gacl cases il has been considered M
well by ms predecessor IS by himself boil lawful ard
equitable 10 make Increased allowance uroyifed II
shall not exceed the pr0 roa. Or il the orinol cen
tract IS TO carry the mail in stages tis kind of trans
portaton, from the year i7Sj, when the Gref roie
was made in the United States, for TRANSPORTING the mail
IN stages was intended TO facilitate TRAVELLING: and I,
ts siu stipulation IN every contract for transporting
the man 40 four horse stages, dat the contractor ,ha
provide suitable accommodation for copvcviup soven
passengers IN the stage which carries The mail To
these passengers the coniractorGks fsr considerable
proportion of ms compensation When he enters into
contract be can comply with his d8Qaqement by carry
ing inc whole mail and the stipulated mum Der Of s ssen
gers BIT the mail increases 10 more tbsu ton
weight, and he must either carry it only i'm par or he
must exclude all passengers But 10 exclude The spula
ted number OF passeuqerg would be violation Of HE CON
tract and iu point would deprive him OF a stimulated
Denett on which hc s warranted by tic terms Of his
cOntrae to depend, in part for the remuneration Of lis
expenses 10 perform the public service then imposed
upon him by increased weight IS the nail be- cofnpe
iso 70 run gp ndfSoigi iue Of slegcs but ts il ser
VICE heTOnd what bis contract rcgusss. and unless for
this additional service, he shall receive en- sdditoaa al
icwonco always keeping within the pfo rafa DC must
which claims Tor such services might be urged bot hey
have seldom been allowed and never EXCEPT the case
was 50 strong as 10 place TIC iUscc and equity Of fo
claim beyond all possible doubt
During the years 1880 1881 and 1892 the proposals
when were received 10 p9rsuance Of advertisements for
confidential clerk Tornable him TO accomplis ne
service IN proper time private room was aeei0ncd N