The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-08-25

Tor The last three or four years that the chairman ohs
Cola ittee on the Post Office and Post Roads al the
last session deemed Il Incompatible TO report any ball 70
establish new post routes And What has been the
result Why that all the new sections Of this cOun-
Try including the ChsIokee country, almost onethd
oil the state Of Georgia, had been deprived Of new
routes But this Necessity was forced upon the Post
Oace Del arment because IL had not funds defrsy
the expense Of opening them. Tbs, then, the
cause OF the debt being incurred. There also
another fact connected with this subject and that
that the sum Of 81 100 900 and above the
ses Of the Post Office Department had been placed IN
the Treasury OF the United States and there the money
was now which ought 10 be credited the Post Ofce
Department, together with the interest that had &C
crued thereon.
But every body recollected what was the condition
Of the Goyernment--ihat 1t was greatly embarrassed
That money could not be properly drawn as leeiti-
mately belonging TO that Department, and used ii
had been, for the purpose Of The Government general
ly. II this fund they bad right u look or
der TO meet the claims Of these contractors no matter
whether il existed not He called upon the iibe-
raty Of Congress 10 do these worthy and Industrious
justice. He appealed TO gentlemen around him
say whether the laws regulating the mail contfac.
tors were not severe than those placed on any
other class OF contractors MIR ID proceeded relate
insance. Of the great hariships which the mail
contractors IN his State had undergone within the last
few years, owing TO the nen-fultllment by the Post
Office Department of It's contracts with them, post
ponng from time time the pay ment OF due To
them, whilst they were relying, with confidence upon
being punctualy paid Many Of them had their pro
pery levied upon, and Were greatly distressed These
unfortunate men ought 10 be justly dealt with and
the most prompt Ii due 10 the character
Of this Government and Of Congress that they should
by their and conduct pattern 10 the world
oil morality, honesty, and justice And yet, strange
10 say, some gentlemen said no doubt from good mo
uves) we ought not 10 pay these what was Justly
due TO them-thst the Post Office Department
settle that matter
Now he would ask il this was honest If there
man here tho had OF justice and the feel
ngs of humanity his breast no could refuse pay
these contractors Was there present no could
stand by and thus the Government violate its
faith MIR ID. further remarked that he found from
the printed report before the committee, that
there upwards OF $50 coo due 10 mail conlrAc.
tors IN his section OF the country. There a great
pressure among that portion Of the community from
the great New Orleans route to the Georgia line He
wished The People 10 understand the opposition which
made to this bill and that il not founded IN
any thing but that which was just He expressed his
regret al hearing the excuses he had heard My these
Contractors ought not TO be paid x he head OF tie
Post Office Department had been denounced; and il
was asserted that because he ought be trusted
with dollar, these men should not have their claims
settled He declared thai, a. an American citizen ana
member Of Congress be regretted TO hear such LAM
guage. II said but little for moral character al
home or abroad; and II this was The character .ot
New York gentlemen, and they were so unworthy
then, he confessed, he had never known it before
After some further remarks, Mr.. ID. concluded by
protesting against the course OF some gentlemen
that floor INDUCING sentiments Of bite hos ily
10 the present Administration and in speculate Ms Ia
reference TO lis downfall He insisted that they
were entirely unbecomng and out Of pace particular
" on the present occasion, and were only calculated
10 produce unknd feeling and enmy among them
and throughout the land.
Mr.. CHIrTENDEN observed that there were
Thousands Of contractors, at this moment, IN great
suffering and distress for the want of HE money in
which the Government had long since been indebted
10 hem He ~ he oh ,h.t,h
ter General was not to be trusted, aud that he had
brought the Department into dscfedt since he had
been at the head Of II. He showed that there was
large deficiency In ITS means when the present Adj
mlnstraion Came into power and contenIed that
the Postmaster General not responsible for the
inability OF the Department to tie demands upon
II. The question which this committee had decide
was, whether they whould make appropriation 10
pay the honest debts OF the Pest Office Department,
and whether they would suffer honest debtors TO 90
without their just dues Whether they would let the
department remain in IFS present embarrassed sua-
uon; or were they 10 furnish IT with the of
iiei These were the questions 10 be decided.
But !, had been argued that Inasnuch az This Gov
ernment was not responsible for any deficiency in the
Post Office Department, that therefore, we oup BIT not
TO pay The debts Of it.. Now, where he would ike 10
know, did they find the doctrine fur this and where
too was the morality of it II had been well said
by the gentleman iroA New York, that there was an
act of justice demanded our hands; and If the re-
ports We bad heard from tile different sections of the
were thousands Of individuals mo were suffering
and their property sacrificed in consequence Of the
saon-fnlhnent OF the contracts made With this Gov
eminent. And there was evidence 10 show that if
these men got heir honest dues they would have the
means OF saving Their property from execution But,
at present. they were Obliged 10 submit have their
property seized besides be ng fined by the Post Office
Department for not fulfilling their contracts after hav
ing been incapacaied from doing by the execution
OF their property to pay debts when money was actu-
ally due them by the Department
Mr. u adverted TO the charge made against the
Postmaster General Of removing men from Office thus
deceIving the People By acting in fu,6lment of
bis promises made the late Presidential election
he conended that he had done rirh in making reno
vas and said that he had been blamed for not having
removed greater number than he had done He ap-
proved OF the amendment, offered by the gentleman
from Virginia He denied The truth of the assertion
that at the coming in OF the present Administration
the Post Office Department was in flourishinr con-
don, and referred gentlemen the report ofthe late
POSTMASTER General 10 prove that that officer resorted
10 every argument to show why was in deplorable
conduon Mr Y. closed his remarks with the ex pres
sion of his hope that this bill would be passed wi,hou,
opposition.
The debate further continued by Messrs Til
llnghasi, Floyd, Clifford, Morgan Hopkins Bljack
Bovine, Briggs, and Campbell The arguments en-
poyed by the gentlemen both sides were very SINH
lar and may be generally stated as follows
The bill was opposed
]. Because II introduced new princple or Al le,st
new practice into the Government. Va p,vinr ,he
debts Of the Post Office Department out of the renc-
RAJ ifeasufy Of the Government instead Of Aecplnrit
separate, causing ITS receipts 10 its expenditures
when they were redundant extending mail fac lui,s
and when they deficient, curtailing mad facil,
ties.
Because it assumed the existence of n debt which
was not, and could not be au,henicaly stated mas
much as there had not been time to receive the peces
sary returns IN relation TO the payment, of drafts on
posinasters,