The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1837-12-19
$1,000 90
sl,0l9,327 60
Total disbursements

1t is not possible to distinguish the amount re-
ceived and dsbursed in specie from that in other
the greater part was in bank notes. having been
made before the suspension of specie payments
The Department has no report of the funds in which
warrants on banks have been paid, 1t is understood
in specie since the suspension, and have so paid
S2S,279 62. There has also been paid by the Bank
Of the Metropolis the sum Of 1886, 426 II in specie,
which was specially deposited.
as before the suspension, has been paid in bank
notes. If So they have been received by the crcdi-
tors ofthe Department of their own choice for all
warrants on banks returned with proof Of refusal to
pay in the legal currency OF the United States, have
been promptly paid in gold and silver. No drafts on
postmasers, drawn for the purpose of paying ba-
lances due contractors, have been returned for reu
sal to pay in gold and silver, and it is not doubled
that nearly the whole amount has been paid in that
currency In that currency, also, the collections by
contractors have generally been made. That there
are many exceptions in the ten thousand post offices
from which the contractors collect is very probable
but only nine posmasters have been reported to the
Department for refusing TO pay in gold or silver, and
their aggregate quarterly balances do not exceed
81 ,525. Eight other cases are reported involving
about 81 600 in which bank notes had been received
by district attorneys and others for old debts due the
Department In some of these cases, the notes or
certificates Of deposite have been returned in others
retained because there bad prospect Of getting
any thing b Ing else. ,,...,.. !, c,n,.
4.
ceived and dsbursed If any, other than those al
ready communicated"
No regulations not already communicated have
been issued.
s. "The instances in which those regulations
have been dlsobeyed or dispensed with"
In no instance have the regulations relative to re-
cepts and disbursements in the legal currency of the
United States been dispensed with"
There is no law or regulation expressly requiring
postmasers to collect hostages in specie or It's equ
valent. Gold and silver constitute BY law the cur
rency of the United States and the standing regua-
tions inform postmasters that they will be response
Bile for that currency its equivalent and that no
credit will be given them for depreciation OF bank
notes or for counterfeits. Before the late suspen-
sion Of specie payments, the postmasters took bank
notes on their own risk, being required to account
for the legal currency. Theten thousand conccnon
Offices remain on the same footing STILL and the only
change made BY the circular of May l3 1887 TO the
draft Offices, was to prevent further depostes In
banks To ensure greater certainty in meeting the
drafts of the Department, they were required TO re-
tain, the amount due in specie. The former regula-
lions in reference to collections not changed.
The cases where pos,maslers have been reported for
refusal TO pay specie demand, are rather viola
lions of law than of the regulations OF the Depart
ment, and are SO treated
G. Separate statements Of the aggregate amounts
lefl In the hands of collecting officers, paid into the
Treasury and deposited In bank, the mint and its
branches or other repositories, since the date first
mentioned"
The amount left in the hands Of postmasters since
the first Of May most of which would have been de-
posted in banks under the former system, Is S5i4-
BE 81.
The amount deposited in bank, as exhibited above,
No deposites have been made by this department
In the mint or its branches in other deposiores,
nor has any thing been paid into the Treasury.
In further explanation OF the operations OF 'nis