Western courier. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1837-1838, 1837-07-13

! lrom lne contractors credit 1t Is too OBJ
vious to need illustration, that the only
lawful claim to interest, as far at least as
that sum was concerned, was NTH the De-
partment, and not with the contractors.
From these considerations, it will be
perceived that the whole allowance for in
terest is illegal, and that some parts of it
are illegal on more grounds than one.
A more extraordinary case than these
facts present, can scarcely be found in
history of this or any other Government.
The accepted annual pay on the
Wheeling routes, was So, $50, which was
in fifteen months run up to $38, ,505. 1t
was then cut down by the retrenchments,
to $21, ,946; but now it is run. up to
$57 1852, sweeping back to June 1, 1882,
and attempted to be forced up to Decem-
ber 81, 1885! The original pay would
have produced in four years eighteen thou
sand and two. hundred dollars; the inn
proved pay produces TWO HUNDRED
THIRTY-ONE THOUSAND FORTY
EIGHT DOLLARS, upwards of t,co
hundred thousand dollars of wAich the
contractors haze actually receired!
Whether any equivalent service has
been rendered, the public may be able to
judge by the preceding narrative.
The accepted aDnual pay on the Phila-
delphia routes, and those connected with
them, was $14,5O0. 1t was Immediately
run to $34, ,050, besides an extra of S3,-
$50 for an s'express mail' on the Lam
caster road. This extra was retrenched
in 1884, but the other improved compen-
sation was not touched. Now, $4,000
is added in one year, sls, 200 in another,
| S9,lOO for extras, covering about three
| years, besides other items. The original
pay on all these combined routes would
bave produced, including the Baltimore
and Washington mail, sirtyJfve thousand
taoo hundred dollars in four years; the
improved pay and allowances produced
upwards of ONE HUNDRED AND
EIGHTY THOUSAND DOLLARS,
more than one hundred and seventy thou
sand Of which the contractors have actu-
ally received!
Whether they ever rendered more SER
vice than was offered in the first PROPOSE
ton for $14,500 per year, republic will
now be able to judge.
OF these sums the committees of Con-
| gress had no knowledge of a single item
in the Solicitors award, making up the
aggregate of ONE HUNDRED SIXTY
| ONE THOUSAND FIVE HUMID
RED SEVENTY THREE DOLLARS
| NINETY-THREE CENTS, although
their Investigations covered the same con-
tracts, the same services, ,and threej jourths
! ofthe same time.
Under the liberal construction Of the
law admitted by the Postmaster General,
he has paid one hundred taoenty-tmo thou
sand one hundred one dollars ,forty-sir
cents of this sum, being EVERY DOL
LAR which was known to be claimed
when the contractors applied to Congress
for relief, and which formed the subject
of that application.
The remaining $50, ,472, AT he believed
to be allowed, not only without conside-
ration, but without authority of law; and
he was willing to pay, for nothing, so
large sum of the public money, which
oughtto be applied to the improvement
of the mail service, unless 1t were requir-
ed of him by the clear and mnequiUical
mandate of the lao. But he has always
said, as he does now, that when Congress,
upon full knowledge of the facts, de-
eide by joint resolution or amendatory
act, that this money ought to be paid, he
will cheerfully bow to that decision. He
has only asked that the matter be referred
back to them; that they be put in possess
sion of the facts Of the case; and that
they be requested to revise and Explain
their oon laac. And what possible obiec-
| ton can there be to such course? Did
any one fear an exposition of the facts
before Congress and the nation? If so,
that ONE Was not the Postmaster Gene,
raj.
But he would gladly have been spared
this exposition before the public, and has
consented to it with great reluctance
He has no i'll will towards the claimants,
who are still faithful and efficient SER
wants of the Department. Blu, they have
pressed their claims in the wrong tribu-
nal, and have caused him, however unin-
tentionaIly on their part. to be held up
before the public as tyrant, exercising
his official power to oppress his fellow
citizens, in defiance Of law, and in dero-
CATION Of right. Knoaoing that his object
is to obey the law, to do justice and resist
wrong, he has no mode of vindicating
himself before his countrymen, but by
suffering them to be put in possession OF
the facts, and the law which have constl-
tuted his guide. Instead of using his