Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1835-02-26

out to the American people delusive
view DC the prosperity Of an important de
partment Of the Government, and natural
" induced belief that il was wisely and
economically administered; while. IN truth,
the public monies were squandered. and
tho department was rapidly sinking to in
solvency.
The report OF your committee which
was presented to the Senate on the 9Th
ray Of June last, aas, since that time, be
some subject Of esry general discussion
Aiost or the speciaE eases therein noticea
have been commented upon ~ Pubilca-
tons issuing from ta.Ious sources, and to
all these, so far as they contained denial,
explanation, or argument, your committee
have given the most full and candid con
Alteration. They were well aware that
the magnitude OF the task imposed upon
them, the obstacles which were thrown in
their way, and the limited time which was
allowed for the Investigation, had mecca
sarily rendered that report imperfect IN
its details and liable 10 error. They there
fore sought additional evidence. IN all
cases where 1t was supposed TO exist, and
when time was allowed them to procure
it, 1t was their wish TO have made this
examination complete, embracing all the
cases which they bad touched 10 their
former report; but those cases were so
numerous and diversified, and the evi.
dence necessary 10 explain them SO volu
minous, that the vacation was consumed
in tracing, 10 all their windlngs, few
which were considered the most impor
tant.
RoBiEsoE's CASE.
TT A. - A..
carry the mail from Cincinnati TO George
town, Kentucky; was carefully re exam
ined by your committee, and for the pur
pose Of correcting the errors into which
they were lead in their former report upon
that subject, as well as TO show the true
character Of the transaction, they deem il
necessary TO consider il somewhat 10 de
tail. In their former report it is noticed
in the following terms:
james 4. Robinson contracted to car.
ry the mail daily in fur horse post coach
es from Cincinnatii, Ohio, TO Georgetown,
Kentucky, seventy two miles. in fourteen
hours. at a yearly compensation of 81 900.
His schedule was so changed that he was
required to run through in twelve hours
instead of fourteen, making part Of the
trip in the night for which he was allowed
the additional yearly compensation of g.,
900. Ii is not perceived by your commit
tee that The change Of schedule was at all
essential to the public interest"
In the above statement your committee
was mistaken in surprising that the con
tractor was required by the change of
schedule to run through in twelve hours
instead Of fourteen hours; and also, in
supposing that the schedule was so chang
ed that he was Obliged TO perform any
part Of the trip in the night; neither, in
fact, was it the ease; and your committee
was led into error in this. as 10 several
other instances, by placing reliance on
such parts oil the letter Of the Postmaster
General Of the Sd Of March, 1884. as were
not contradicted by other official papers,
or in some other manner disproved. The
above transaction is stated IN that letter
as follows: " iS34-James II. Robinson
Is the contractor for carrying the mail
from Georgetown, Kentucky. to CiHcin
natii, Ohio, seventy.two miles, daily, in
four horse post coaches, from LIST January,
1882, 10 5lst December, 1885. at com
pensation Of one thousand dollars per an
mum.
"By the original contract he was re,
CURED to perform tsp in iooGecn hours
each way, &c perfect connection at Gin
cinnatii with The great mail 10 aud from
the east, and at Georgetown with The
great western and southern mails Under
their increased expedition it became ne
cessary to run through in twelve, instead
Of fourteen hours, and during half the
year, TO run 10 the night instead of the
day. The additional expense in such cases
are required by contract 10 be betrayed
by the department. In this case the con
tractors presented n claim which the de
partment declined to allow. Ii was fiHal-
ly referred to the arbitration of two eXpe-
rienced, disinterestcd individuals. Their
decision was, that the service required
four additional teams, at an expense of
eight hundred dollars per annum, each,
and two additional coaches, the use of
which was worth one hundred and fifty
dollars per annum, each. making an addi
tional expense of three thousand five hun.
dred dollars per annum. The allowance
of that sum was suspended, and the OPT
MON asked of three other disinterested in-
dividuals who certified that an additional
allowance of three thousand dollars would
be but a moderate compensation. The
additional compensation was then allowed
from January 30th, 1888, at the annual
rate Of 5000"
Theabove extracts do as far we know,
comprise all that has been written by the
Postmaster General, in defence or explain
alton Of the transaction under consldera-
ton. The statements therein contained
are slngularly erroneous, especially when
we consider the means of knowledge in
the power Of those from whom they EN-
anated, or who prepared and furnished
the materials from which they were drawn
A simple narrative Of the progress OF this
negotiation. aud a statement of the true
condition Of things, will show to the Sen
ate, not only the truth OF tue present case,
and the erroneous light in which it has
before been presented To YOUR committee