Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, 1837-09-20

have received lie entire revcauc OF the OH.
ces Supplied ty them, balances are SUI que
These balances arc lis readily paid oil BY
drafts on ihc postnastcrs in the c;;'cs "h>r'
the surplus arises, Us ihey could by CHECKS
on banks in the same places. The process
is rendered tho more easy from tie fact
tlats,hc heaviest surp plus accru2s at tnoS"
points where the funds arc the most v'iua'
jle, particularly at New York, so that the
drafts of tue Department 10 pay balances N
ihesmos distant paris OF The ua!on &rt
generally better III n cash, bclag araIa1lt
iar mercantile rcn,;,,anccs. Thus, the re-
ccssary transfers Of tie Department are rea-
dily effected; and. as this state OF ti'n9s is
not hkely'to change. it would seE0om' t!
ever become necessary for the Department
10 transport specie troEl one posnt to anoth.
or. if,here was r.ot bank in existence.
Upon the suspension Of the banks, ctiors
y re made in some quarters TO compe! the
Department TO receive irredccmaoie and
d .preciated paper for postagcs. Law. JUS
ii C, and pubic policy, required an !nliez.-
Bic resistance OF these efforts. Cold and
Silver are the only constitutional and lega!
currency Of the United States, aud not'''ng
but. that currency. or lis equivalent, can be
legally offered 10 the public creditors in pay
I men. All taxes and postages are impose.4,
in this currency, and all contracts arc made
: upon its basis. The public faith could be
kept, and the public business successfully
carried on, only by a strict adherence 10
the plain letter, us well as obvious spirit: oi
the law.
The undersigned is happy to state, that
all attempts TO force the department to re-
ceive deprecated paper weae soon abandon,
ed that little difficulty has been experienced
tin collecting pcs ages in spccie,& ,&nonc w!!en
the circnlu,ion of change tickets has been
successfully resisted. and that the credit OF
the depar ment has Leen preserved unlm-
paired. Nor is any difficulty apPrehendHd.
so long as poslages are, collected in the con-
stitutional currency Of the United States
But, should the department be compelled to
receive, and offer to creditors, the dcprecl-
a,ed notes issued by hundreds OF emoarras-
sed, faithless, or bankrupt corporations or
individuals, no sure calculation can be made
as to the future; and there is reason to ap-
prehend general discontcn. extensive failures
and deplorablc disorganlzation Throughout
the mail service. With what face could
the department INSIST on. and compel strict
performance Of contract obligations by con-
tractors, when stripped of the power to per-
form the most vital part ofthe contracts $50
far as the interest ofihe contractor is con-
cerned) on its sownpart. Justice and sound
policy alike demand firm adherence, IN the
mail service, to the standard of value, and
the basis of contracts, prescribed by the
Constitution, and hitherto strictly MAINTAIN
ed, Except for short period amidst the ca
lamities OF war.
On the whole. no legislation is necessary
TO maintain the crcdi. of this department: or
enable it to manage its fiscal concerns, the
existing laws being deemed ample for those
purposes.
have the honor 10 be, your oocdenl
serval I.
AMOS KENDALL.
To the President of The United States.