South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1835-02-21
The Post Office.
WASHING roN. Feb. Ia.

WASHINGTON, Feb. IA.
In the House ofRepresentatives yes
terday, the bill which has passed the Sc.
nate unanimously for reforming the
administration of the Post Office ,recev-
ed its FIRST and second reading, and was
referred to the Post Office Committee.
1t was a concurrence OF circumstan.
ces rather remarkable, that, ON the
same morning, the Committee appoints
ed by the House OF Representatives 10
June last to examine into the affairs Of
the Post Ogice, should have brought in
its Report. The Report was present.
ed by Mr.. Connor, the Chairman Of the
Committee, and, without reading, be-
cause of ito great length, was ordered
to lie on the table, and TO be printed.
VIZ. e. Whittlesey, on behalf of the
Minority of said Committee, who, he
said, had not been able to take, 10 all
particulars, the same views as .be Ma
joriiy of the Committee, offered Re.
port on their part; which was also or
dered to lie on the table, and TO be
printed.
We have not, Of course, had il in our
power to read any material portion OF
these Important and volaminous docu~
ments. But, DESTROYS to see to what
conclusions the Majority Of the Com
mittee* had arrived as the result of their
investigation, we turned TO the last pa
ges of their Report, and found them
there stated in such frank and manly
terms, as to do honoreoually to the spi>
rit and intelligence Of the Committee,
who have dared be honest in the teeth
of party. We copy the concluding pa.
ragraphs ofthe Majority Report Chat
Of the Minolity we have not yet exa-
mined ITO which there is no occasion
to ask the attention of every reader:
"The Committee, in concluding this
brief analytical review Of the results Of
very pa,ien. and laborious inyestiga-
ton of the condition and proceedings
of the Pos, OHaee Department, should
not consider their duty as fully dis
charged to the House, and to the coun-
try, without frankly submitting the &C.
neral conclusions, to which their minds
have been brought. The few PROPOSE.
tons which follow, and which condense
these conclusions, this Committee doubt
not, if examined, in spirit Of candor
and imparaaiity, will be admitted, as
Just corollaries from this report:
DIST. The finances of this Depart
ment have hitherto been managed with.
out ffugality, SYSTEM intelligence, or
adequate public utility. The cardinal
principles of an enlightened economy
have been violated. Ignorance Of the
real fiscal ability of the Department
has long prevailed. Expenses have
not been kept within the limits Of in.
come. Means have not been proper.
toned to the ends sought to be attain.
ed expenditures to the benefits to be
purchased. The records ofthe Depart.
ment, in this vital particular, have no,
been kept with method and accuracy
for the data they furnish ,coaduct TO
widely varying results. The accounts
of the receipts, expenditures, and losses
Of the Department do not, in fact, illus.
trate, with certainty. the actual fiscal
condition of the Department. No com.
mon test or standard appears, at any
time. to have been employed to detect
such casual errors as might creep in to
derange the balance between receipts
aud expenditures and hehce the ex-
isting unfortunate excess OF the latter
over the former. The absence of such
test produces the effects, of incerti-
tude and doubt, upon the mind, as to
the accuracy Of the conclusion which
it may reach by any ordinary process
of investigation and upon the practi'
cal operations of the Department, of a
perpetual liability to fall into error,
without any certain mode of its detee-
ton. This evil is within the reach of
legislation, and should be corrected by
establishing proper system OF checks
and balances.o
"2d. The negligent and unsystemat-
ic form of making and preserving mail
contracts is such, that nc human mind
could comprehend the whole, and
maintain in order so vast aud compli'
Gated a machine as the General Post
Office. the contracts are now, and
have, at all times, which have fallen
under the observation Of the committee,
been most loosely contracted. 1t is
occasionally impossible to penetrate
their obscurity often difficult to deci-
pher their interlineations and marginal
notes !; and always TO be doubted
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