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

up CAIN OF SlO, ,2UU LOT JnDnlUS IL hihe-
ty days during the preceding winter,
was resisted by the Assistant Postmaster
General, who had made the arrange
meat, and not allowed at that time. In
the spring of 1885, they again pressed
their claim, and added $4,000 for like
service. one hundred days, in the pre-
ceding winter. In April, 1885. the Post
master General allowed SIG, 900 for each
season, making $s2, 400 in all, which was
passed to their credit, and afterwards sus-
pended by the present Postmaster Cen
eral. Now, the Solicitor allows the
whole S32, 400, and adds S 800, making
up The whole amount charged by con"
tractors, although the records of the De-
partment show that they charged for at
least forty days more than the mail was
actually run.
The most extraordinary part of this al.
lowance is that which is applicable to
the route between Washington and Bal>
tlmore. On that road contractors were
under contract and pay to run FIVE daily
mails up 10 5lst December, 1884, though
they never ran but two, certainly not more
than three. When this swift mail went
into operation, the number of mails actu-
ally run ON this road was not increased,
that mail taking the place of one which
was before running. OF rather being moth
| ing more than one of those mails expedit-
ed. Yet, this expedited mail has been
| construed. into an additional mail, enti-
tling the contractors to heavy extra al
| lowance, on road where no addition to
! the mails was made, and where the De-
partment had right to order two or three
| additional mails, without adding cent
! to the compensation. Thus were they
| paid for six daily mails on road where
| they never ran more than tzuo or three.
The Postmaster General would not
have considered himself as doing wrong
if he had refused to pay any part of the
award which relates to this service, on the
ground that, excepting the increase of ex-
pedition, the service charged for was
part of contractors regular contract SER
Uice, for which they had already been
paid. But as $32 400 Of it constituted
| part of the suspensions, the adjustment of
which we believe it was the bona .tde in
tention of the law to vest absolutely in the
Postmaster, and as he was disposed to give
the law and the award the construction
most favorable to the claimants, he con-
tented himself with Withholding only the
$500 rejected by his predecessor, but
added by the Solicitor to those extraordi-
Diary allowances.
The next item of the award not exc
cuted is an allowance on an account for
running second coach, with double mails,
from Baltimore to Washington, when the
mails were too heavy for one coach," du-
ring the years 1882, ,-33 ia, and the first
quarter of 1885, 455 trips, at $40 per
trip, amounting to $4,000, being more
per amnum than their pay for afW line.
This account had been presented to the
late Postmaster General, who allowed so
much of it as bore date prior to March,
81, 1888, amounting to $4,000, and re-
iect the balance. But the Solicitor allow
ed that which the late Postmaster Gene
raj rejected.
1t will be recollected that the contract
ors were under contract and pay to run
fue daily four horse post coach lines be-
tween the two cities, having also offered
in their proposals 'to run express mails
whenever and wherever required and
that the Solicitor added pay for sinth
daily mail during the winter, though nev-
er more than three were run at any sea-
son.
There was no contract whatsoever on
| which these charges were based. They
were, to all intents and purposes, special
The circumstance which has been con-
strued into contract, is the existence OF
letter to contractors, directing them at
all times to bring on the whole mail.
The contracts always stipulate for the
conveyance Of the whole mail, according
to the uniform construction. If the whole
be not carrled the contractors subject
to penalties, unless the Department deem
their excuse sufficient. If it be found
that they leave any portion of it behind,
they are written to and admonished to
convey the whole without fail. Such
letters, instead Of being contracts emitting
contractors to extra allowances, are but
the ordinary means Of securing the exc
cution of existing contracts; and to pro-
mote them to a higher dignity, and make
them the means Of obtaining extra allow
ances to contractors, is to prevent the
means used to prevent their subjecting
themselves to penalties into an instrument
Of increasing their pay, 1t is deemed
impossible that they can be viewed in the
: light Of contracts or additional con-
tracts within the meaning of the law.
But ifthere were contractin this case,
AZ or;a;nol scusnans;on of pav' upon il