Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1835-02-12


OF the Report but must pass over the expo
sitions of frauds under the name of "eXtra
4 allowances" to the amount Of thousands and
tens of thousands of dollars, and come to the
last class of frauds; which shall take the lib
erty of calling sales nf contracts and Offices
in the department, for the purchase of polltl-
cal agents. he frauds and pcculations up
on the Post Office Department, by those who
have had access to ii, have been part OF the
grand political campaign, conducted by the
chief cook, and the rest ofthe Kitchen under
the sanction, as is believed, of the Magician,
and by the acquicscence $50 far as his depart
ment is concerncd,) of the Postmaster Gene
lral-which political campaign had for its OBJ
jcct the present elevation Of Andrew Jack
son, as a stepping stone to the future eleva-
! ton of Martin Van Buren,. o. b. Brown and
! Company, have been willing agents in this
! work. ard richly have they been paid for it.
/ They have used their official and political in
fluence in every way, by the establishment Of
newspapers, elecloneerng,-dis of
papers. SC. SC. and this as a part of their
stipulated compensation. They have also
/ permitted their names in these contracts to
! be used as covers for vast sums which have
! gone into the pockets Of the leaders, at head
! quarters. And then the Postmasters through
out the country have all as is notorious, been
( appointed in direct reference to the produc-
! tlon of these influences.
H In accordance with this general plan,-the
/ committee disclose purchases of papers-re-
/ wards of editors-rcmoval of contractors and
officers of opposite politics, to make room tor
!, others more amcnable to the authority of the
"party"-bookS uttered 10 corer Jrduds,-nnd
other similar proofs of the prevale ence. .of this
i. system.
After adverting further to the crasures, in
the books of the office, the conflicting testi-
mony of Witnesses, &c. the report comes to
!, the following conclusion
$50 numerous and so great are the abuses
, which have grown up in this Department
that reform has become absolutely necessary
+, but the measures by which it is to be effect
/, ed are by no means free from embarrass
mcnt. They are the more difficult, as many
\ of the evils which require q remedy do no
i arise from defects i'll the existing law,-bu
= from an habitual disregard of plain legal pro
visions. They may however he prlncipall
. traced to the absolute and unchecked powe
~ which single individual holds over the re
. sources and disbursements, and all the ya;
V machinery of this Department.
,eI "Thc checks of various inferior officers uT
:, on each other are of no value, when all ar
- guided and controlled in their acts by OH
:, dominant will.
~ within the comparatively short period c
- fifty-fve years, this Department has arise
= from a feeble beginning until il has acquire
y a revenue equal to that Of the Union itself ;
=. the time of its organization; and It's extenslV
ri and diversified operatlons-lts patronage
70 its rcsources-and its power, must by til
n. mere force of circumstances, go on increa:
70 ing indefinitely, with the increase of o,
ri country in population, business and wealth.
p. The annual Reports of the Post Mast'
! General. are of little value as a restraint NJ
n. on the head of the Department, or as NEAR
Il, of calling public attention to his official col
,;r duct. These reports may be true, yet II
-, state of affairs which they Indicate, cam
"a be understood without that careful examn
~. ton which few or none will feel willing
90 rive them, amidst the other arduous duti'
of legislation: or those statements may
false, and vet few will be disposed to besto
al on them the labor, bodily and mental whiC
'nn would be necessary for their correction-aI
49, to encounter the bitterness of party rance
en- and the reckless violence of party calumn
- which those must encounter, who venture
90 explore the secret mysteries of great patro
N age and high power, and to expose their enc
n, mites to the public gaze.
an "Fron reflections on these and other ca,
nn cs, leading to the same result, your Comm
he tee incline to the opinion, that there will
ay a few instances in the future history OF c
Ic country, of full and searching Investigate
rry into the conduct and management ofthe P'
lcr Office Department. They deem it, thereto
nc their duty, at this time, to propose such mt
@,a, @ surcs of legislation as will, in their opinlt
the most cilcctually prevent the recurren
,o in future, of abuses similar to those viii
,,a this investigation has disclosed. This, tn
~ conceive, can be best effected by a chan
in the organization of the Department, SO
:" to place the collection and disbursement
~ its funds in different hands, and pnder
,h,. control of officers entirely independent
,J, each other.
cv- "rhat Department, as at present arrang
,ct is dangerous anomaly III our system; d
aJ bv whomsoever its concerns are hereafter
'.I be conducted, its organization ought to
-, changed, so as to conform more nearly
IS, IS that of the other great Departments OF
onr Government. The accountability of its
|, iicers ought also to be rendered effective,
"a, their discretion limited, as far as is con
hon tent with the efficient performance OF
do; public service
en- -
We R4TS3M TJVERUDRT