Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1835-04-09

whom the boats did not run. this mail nat
ter was carried in wagons"
All that il to he elected from this con-
fused tumble OF mail lines, and transporta-
tion lines. and fast mails and slow mails,
between these two clties,ss this: they have
between those cities one regular daily line
which runs for the purpose OF carrying the
mail, all the rest OF the lines are adjusted |
and arranged to suit the convenience OF
the contractor, and relieve him from part |
Of the weight of the mail 10 his principal |
mail line; not for the benefit Of the public |
so far as expedition is concerned, but to |
their injury, a large portion Of the mail
matter being sent in transportation wagons
which carry merchandise from city 10 city.
Pcemiary Transactions betpeen the Post.
master General end Reside.
Your committee would again call the
attention OF the Senate 10 certain pecuni.
airy transactions between the Postmaster
Obadiah b. Brown and Reside and Stay
maker, noticed in pages ID and Is of
their former report. The first named case
is stated in the followsng words:
alt also appears that, in the spring or
summer OF 1881, Mr.. Barry applied to
Reside, 10 Philadelphia, to assist him in
negotiating an acceptance for 1000 dol.
lars to raise some money for his (Barry's)
individual use. Instead Of doing this, Ree
side advanced him the 81 900 and he sta
ted before the committee that Mr.. Barry
paid it by his acceptance at short date,
which he (Reeside) negotiated in the
Schuylkiii Bank. On inquiry Of the cash
Ter of the Schuylkil Bank we were inform.
ed that no such acceptance was negotiated
there"
The very large amount Of the extra al
lowaBces made 10 Reside and some other
individuals, gave. in the judgment Of your
committee, strong ground for the opinion;
| that a portion Of those allowances were
used for secret purposes. or that they were
shared by individuals having authority or
| influence in granting them. Hence they
| felt it their duty scrupulously TO examine
the pecuniary transactions of those princi-
pal contractors with the officers Of the de
partment. Reside, in his testimony TAX
en- on the 2ist Of May, 1884, in part Of
his answer 10 the inquiry, whether at any
time he gave. handed over, or lent any
sum OF money 10 an officer of the Pos.
Otiice Department, says: "Another in.
stance in which | lent money was when
Major Barry was 10 Philadelphia, abou,
three years ago, and was about TO bring
away his family and his sick son, who had
been under Doctor Physic, at an earlier
period than he had intended. He applied
TO me TO know il | could no. get him an
acceptance for 600 dollars negotiated,
10 enable him TO bring his family home.
| told him could loan him l 900 dollars,
which did. and he gave me bis accept.
ance Tor that amount at short date, pro
badly at so days. 1t was negotiated at
the Schuylkl,l Bank, and paid at maturi
ty' Your committee thereupon address
sed letter to the cashier Of The Schuyl
kill Bank, inquring whether such draft
had been negotiated there, and received
for answer that il had not The first letter
not having described the instrument ac
cording TO the description Of it given by
the witness, and this being discovered, q
second letter was written, correcting the
error. to which also an answer was receiy.
ed 10 the same effect Under these cir
cumstances, your committee referred 10
the evidence as il then stood, and left il
without comment. But subsequently TO
The presentation Of that report, infoIma
lion entirely satisfactory has been received
from the cashier Of that bank, and from
other sources, that such draft as was de
scribed by Reside had been negotiated in
that bank some six months before the sun. |
posed date. but payable at ninety instead |
OF thirty days. Your committee have no |
doubt that IT IS the same draft mentioned
IN the testimony of Reside; and they
now refer to this additional evidence; for
the purpose Of correcting any erroneous
lnierences which may have been drawn
from the state Of the proof as it existed at
the close of their former investigation.
There are many other matters within |
the scope Of the present inquiry which !
have been pressed upon The attention of
your committee. Some Of these have been
partly considered, others remain unfouch
ed but your committee hope 10 examine
and present 10 the Senate those which
they deem OF the most importance within
the present session.
SO numerous and SO great are the abus
es which have grown up in this depart
ment. that reform has become absolutely
necessary; but the measures By which il
is to be effected are by no means free ftom
embarrassment. They are the more diff
cult, as many of the evils which require a
remedy do not arise from the defects in
The existing law; but from an habitual dis
regard OF plain legal provisions They
may, however, be principally traced 10 the
absolute and unchecked power which a
single individual holds over the resources
and disbursements, and all the vast ma
chinery OF this department
The checks of various inferior officers
upon each other are Of no value, when all
are guided and controlled in their acts by
one dominant will. Within the compare,
lively short period of fifty five years that
department has arisen, from a feeble no