The Northern star, and constitutionalist. [volume] (Warren, R.I.) 1834-1837, 1835-02-07
A.@AS


They may however, he principally traced
40 the absolute and unchecked power
which single individual holds over 'hv
resources and disbursements, ana all
the vass snachlnery Of this Department.
sThe checks OF the various Inferior
officers upon each other are ofno value,
when all are guided and controlled IN their
acts by one dominant will
within the comparatively short period
of filty five years this Department has ris-
en- from feeble beginning until i, has ac-
ouired a revenue equal To that of the I'm
ion itself ut the time Of its organization,
and its extensively and diversified oper-
atoms, its patronage, its resources and It's
power, hy The mere frce Of clrcums' anccs
go on increasing indefinitely, with the IN
crease Of our country in population, bust
nes, aud wealth.
sThe anual reports Of the Postmaster
General arc of little value rs n restraint
upon the head oi the Department, or ns
means Of calling puplic attention to his
official conduct These Reports 'nny be
true. yet the state of affairs which they
indicate cannot be understood without
thut careful examination, Which few or
none will feel willing to give them, amidst
the other arduous duties Of legislation; or
those statements may he false, and yet
few will be disposed TO bestow on them
the labor, bodily ard mental which would
be necessary for their correction (; and to
encounter the bitterness OF party rancor,
and the reckless violence OF party calum-
ny, which those must encount@r who VEN
ture to explore the secret mysteries OF
great patronage and high power, md to
expose their enormilics TO the public
gaze.
From reflections OIL these md other
causes, leading TO tn same result, your
Committee incline to the opinion, TINT
there will be few instances in the future
history Of our country of full and search
ing investigation into the conduct and
management Of the Post Office Depart
ment.-They deem it, therefore, their
duty, at this time to propose such meas
ures Of Legislation, as will, in their opinion
most efectualIy prevent the recurrence,
in future. Of abuses sipilar to those which |
this investigation has disclosed. This
they conceive, cGn be best effected by n
change in the organization Of the Depart
ment,so as to place the collection aud dis
bursment, Of its funds IN different hands,
and under the control of officers entirely |
independent Of each other.
'The Department, as at present nrrang-
ed, is dangerous anomoly in our system;
and by whomsoever its concerns arc here |
after TO be conducted, its organization
ought to be changed, so as to conform
more nearly to that of the other great De-
partments of our Government. The &C.
countability Of its officers ought also to be
rendered effective, and their discretion
limited, as far as is consistant with the eC-
icient performance of the public SERVICE
u. S. MINT.-The report Of the
general transactions of tho Mint during
the last year shows that tho coinage cfcc-
ted within that period amounts to 1888
423, comprising S3,954, 27O in gold coin
SO, ,4l5, 900 in silver; Sl9,l5l in copper;
and consisting of ,G3I ,643 pieces Of
coin.
Owen Murrey, one orlhe rioters Of
he Baltimore and Washington rail road,
has been found guilty of the murder Of
John Watson, the superntendcndent
who WIS inhumanly butchersd during the
prevalence Of thoic disorders on that work.
"A RoBBER TAKEN. On Monday morn
ng, about 4 o'clock, villain by the name
Jefferson Hoddy broke into the Perth
Amboy Bank, lifted handful Of bills,
md started for New York. The Cashier
,ho ,1onk 10 Sho h,:i<l,r,v L.
ho bark of his dog, and on discovering
he robbery instantly got track Of the Gl- I
ow, and with competent officers followed '
lin to the city, where they seized him {
morning in Porter House called |
w ashington Lunch They found about
lis person $50 in counterfeit: bills which
we're stolen. II does not yet appear that he
ook genuine bill out Of the Bank, or
my thing that could have been Of the |
slightest value to him, even had he sue Z
,eded in getting off. q
I. DEDIcArroN.-On Wednesday last, the
,cw Unitarian Westinghouse in This q
,lace was dedicated to the worship Of Al C
mighty God. The dedica,ory and con- g
:luding prayers were by the Rev. Mr.. IL
Bigelow OF Taunton. The reading the
scriptures and sermon by the Rev. Mr.. !,
Briggs, the Pastor of tic Society. Mu- ?
'ic by the choir and on the organ was ex. [
client, & such a. was highly credible to /,
ho performers. The discourse was writ h
en- in chastS and energetic style that /
would have done credit TO much older
nan or scholar The whole services I
we're solemn and impressive, as was cvi- /,
lent from. the strict attention OF a very g