The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1837-05-24
POSTdCES.

making power have forbidden.
POSTACES.
The following letter from the Postmas-
ter General to the postmaster at Baltimore,
clearly shows that be cannot countenance
the receipt of irredecmable paper for post
ages, without direct UioidtiOn of the taws
Of the land. He has no authority to dis
pense with those laws, and if he were to aid
in their violation, he would knowingly sub
jcct himself to the penalties of impeach-
ment. In addition TO this conclusive con-
sidcration, the public faith is bound for the
payment Of the contractors, and others en-
ployed in the mail service, in gold and sill
yer, or their equivalent. How can this be
done unless gold and silver, or their equiv
alent, he collected for postages! How can
the department redeem its plighted faith,
itself of the means which the laws have fur
nishcd to sustain theml And how could
the Postmaster General, as an honest man,
even if his legal authority were unquestlon-
able, with his eyes open, take course which
he knew must end in violation of his en-
gagemcnts, n prostration of the credit of
the department., and the interruption Of its
operations
We have no doubt, that when the people.
perceive how illegal il is to receive ire
deemable paper, how certainly 1t would
lead to a violation Of the public faith, and
how extensively it would hazard the sys-
tenn which diffuses intelligence to them,
they will cheerfully endure the inconven-
fence of paying their postages in specie un-
I'll the present storm has blown over. There
are sixty to eighty millions of specie in the
pockets of our people, and in few days it
will doubtless he known where sufficient
quantities for this purpose can he procured.
Post Office Department, !
May IA, 1887.
Sir: Your letter of yesterday, by express
mail, was not received until it was too late
TO answer il by last nights mail
You state that there is dissatisfaction in
Baltimore at the requisition of postuge in
specie. No man can deplore more than
the undersigned the causes which render
the requisllon necessary, and none will la
hor with more uncensing devotion TO re-
move them.
"S S''S" WV but
repetition of the standing instructions con-
tained in The printed phamphlet Of laws and
regulations which have governed the de-
partment from time immemorial. The act |
establishing the rates ofpostage, has always
been construed To establish them in the Ie-
gal currency of the United States. Accor-
dingly, you will find the following iustruc-
,ions in the printed regulations, viz:
mo II. You ,eiA rcceire nothing but specie, or
lis equirdieni, for postage"
No. 2i5. All payments 10 the department
whether upon its drafts, or by deposite in banks,
mast be ia specie or its e9uiratea No atocdnce can
be made 10 posinds,ers for the depreciation Of money
Or theft"
The legal duties of the department and
It's officers are, il possible, rendered more
imperative by the following section in an
ict passed April Ia, 1896, viz:
SECTION . That hereafter no bank notes of a
ess denomination than ten dollars, and that from
md after the third day of March, ammo Domini
eighteen hundred and thirty seven, no bank notes
,f less denomination than twenty dollars shall be
,fercd in payment in any case whatever in which
money is TO be paid BY the United States or THE
'osT OrFICE DEPARTMENT; nor shall any bank note
any denomination be Sooferei unless he sam. shall
payable and paid on demand in gold and sirer CON
e place phere issued and rlaeh shall not tc eqnir-
lent to specie at e place rhere offered and eonrerti-
ie INTO gold and sirer upon the spot ot he ,riR Of tie
older, AND ,cithom delay or loss TO hn: Prcrided
othing herein contained shall be construed to ,
make any thing but gold and silver legal tender
y any individual, or BY the Uni,ed States"
Accordingly, one of tho articles Of agree
nent required from the banks by the net t
assed June 23d, 1896, "to regulate the S
eposites ofpublic money" is in the follow T
lg words, viz: I
Secondly: To crcdi, rs specie all sums
epositcd therein to the credit Of the Treas q
rer Of the United States, and to pay all
hccks, warrants, or draft, drawn on such i
eposiies, in specie, il required by the hold c
r thereof" c
Section 9th Of the same act euac,s. tha, i
no bank shall I've selected or continued as q
place Of deposit, of the public money, $
'bich shall not redeem its notes and bills, c
u demand, in specie"
And the Sth section Of the s,me act pro- u