Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1840-03-06
WARRINGTON, Thursday, Feb. Goth.

WARRINGTON. Thursday, Feb. Goth.
In the House Of Representatives, this
morning, we had a very int eres,ing expo.
sure OF the manner In which "houest
Amos" manages the affairs Of the Post
Office Department, and converts il into q
political electioneering engine, for the ben
eft Of that pseudo democracy Of which he
aspres to be The head and chief.
Mr.. Graves, Of Kentucky, introduced o
PREAMBLE and resolutions, sustained by
documentary evidence. declaring that one
E. w. ROBINSON. formerly a Postmaster
at Winchester. Va. and more recently
Clerk in the General Post Office, in this
city. has for some months past resided al
Frankfort, KY, and conducted Van Blu.
rem paper at that place, called the ken
lucky Yeoman," while at the same time,
he has received pay at the rate Of $1,000
per annum, as Clerk in the Post Office
Department, and has employed a substitute
to perform his duties, OF about $40 per
month, or $500 per anoum-and all this
with the knowledge and consent of Mr..
Kendall himself Mr.. Graves made this
charge in q speech which he delivered in
the House a lew days since, and being de.
| sirous 10 ascertain the truth Of the story be-
fore he gave the speech to the country,
through the newspapers, he wrote letter
10 Mr.. Kendall, stating the charge that
he had made, and proposing several inter
rogatories, to which he wished direct an.
| swer Ist, whether the said E. w. Rob-
inson was recently employed as Clerk in
The General Post Office, and II so, at what
salary? I'd, Whether he had ceased TO
occupy that station, and If SO. when he re-
signed Sd, Whether, If still Clerk in
the Department, he acted in person, and II
not, who performed his duties, and what
sum was paid the substitute
Mr.. Kendall returned very singular but
able and ingenious answer. He SAID,
among other things, that no did not deny
the right Of The members Of the House to
interrogate the Departments in relation to
public business; but he did deny their right
to become the retailers Of malignant gos'
sip on the floor Of Congress. and then TO
call upon the Offices Of government to prove
the truth or falsehood Of their assertions.
He regretted. he said, that the idea Of do
ing justice to him did not occur to the
honorable gent leman before he uttered the
charge alluded to. IF he had called upon
him before he delivered his speech. he
might have furnished him with all the in
formation he desired but under the cir
cumstances, he declined assi,ting him 10
make up speech different from that which
he had delivered on the foor!
Mr.. Graves produced certain proceedings
Of the Van Buren, Assoc iatou of the DIS.
trict Of Columbia, by which 1t appeared
that Robinson the Clerk mentioned above
was President of that Society in December
lasts and that he resigned his office about
the Let of Jan. with the intention of leaving
the city Of Washington for distant psr'
Of the county. Also a draft for 800
drawn upon the Post Office Department
in favor Of one Charles ]. Nourse, dated
January l, 1910. and signed by Robinson
by which it would appear that he received
q portion of bis salary as Clerk for the pre-
sent year, in advance, previous to leaving
the city. and that the whole affair mus
have been known to MI Kendall OF his de
pu,ies.
Mr. Graves moved that the whole sub
ject be referred TO the Committee on Pos
Offices and Post Roads, with instruction
to consider and report upon the supposed
case Of NAL. administration in the Post Of
fee Department, and also upon the exPe
dlency of reducing the salaries Of the C'erl
in that Department and that the Com
mittee have power TO send for persons AM
papers.
The Locofocos. on all sides, objected Il
the reference. Mr.. Graves then move
TO suspend the rules, for the purpose o
putting the question of reference 10 tn
House; but Mr.. Kendall's faithful defen
ders refused to permit this dangerous in
vestigation, by vote Of 80 Nays 10 III
Yeas. A vote Of two thirds Of the mem
bers present is required TO suspend tn
rules. So the matter was passed by 70
the present.