Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1841-07-01

Ihave the honor to be, with the highest re-
spect, your most obedient servant,
GEORGE T.. BADGER.
To the PRESIDENT of the United States.
FROM THE POST OFFICE DEPART
MENT.
POsT OFFICE DEPARTMENT, MAY 90, 1871.
SIR: The arrangement Of business at, and
| the manner of returns TO, the General Post
| Office, forbid detailed report of its opera
| tons at the approaching session of Congress.
L have, however, felt it my duty, at this time,
to call public attention to the present state of
its finances, so far as have yet been able to
learn their condition.
When first entering upon my official du-
ties, my attention was forced to the constant
demands for payment beyond the ability Of
the Department to discharge; and with view
to ascertain,as nearly as might belts undispu-
ted Liabilities and probable means, on the 9th
day of March last letter was addressed to
the Auditor of the Treasury for the Post Office
Department, requesting from him information
on those subjects. A copy of which letter,
marked A, is herewith submitted. Such
statements have not been furnished, for rea-
sons clearly set forth in a letter from the Au-
ditor, dated the 25th day of May instant; of
which copy is hereto appended, marked b.
1T was also important to learn, without de-
lay, what were the pressing liabilitiesIland
what the active funds of the Department.
For this purpose, directions were given to the
chief clerk to state the amount due to contrac-
tors anterior to and for the quarter ending tho
3lst December, 1910, so far as they had been
reported by the Auditor, and also the amount
in deposite, subject TO draft, for the discharge
of such arrearages. His report is herewith
submitted, marked G.
BY an examination of that statement, it
will be seen that there was due and unpaid to
contractors, of ascertained balances, on the
LIST day of January last, the sum four hundred
| and forty-seuen thousand and seuenfy-nine dol.
lars, ($4f7,O79) considerable portion Of
which has been paid from the revenues of the
quarter ending on the 3lst of March. A re-
| port from the Auditor upon all the outstanding
contracts will undoubtedly increase this a.
| mount OF indebtedness to Il total exceeding
hay a million of dollars. Of such demands.
no notice can be taken at this time, nor is it
proper that an opinion as to their justice
should be now expressed.
Under these circumstances, two questions
naturally present themselves: How is the
Department to be sustained under its present
embarrassments! and, What are its financial
hopes for the future?
As no estimates, upon which can be based
an answer to the first inquiry, can be presen-
ted until full statement of the balances due
from postmasters shall have been reported by
the Auditor, it is passed, with the single re-
mark, that, although it can hardly he doubt
ed that large aggregate sum Will be found
due, it is to be feared that, from the small a.
mount of most of such separate balances,
scattered throughout this widespread nation,
the want of responsibility liz many of these
al 4
lapse of time since these balances accrued, but
an inconsiderabe part of the amount actually
due will ever be received. 1t therefore re-
mains for Congress to determine whether the
amount now due to contractors shall he paid
from the National Treasury, or whether this
Department shall struggle on with its present
embarrassments, consuming its daily accru-
ing revenues in the partial payments of old
debts, and still leaving large balances which
it has not the ability 10 discharge.
Not withstanding the heavy increased ex-
penditure consequent upon the act of 18th Jul
ly, 1888, and although, instead of the suppos-
ed gradual increase ofrevenue, the receipts for
the quarter ending 3lst March last present,
as compared with the corresponding quarter
of the year before, diininution of more than
sic per cent. still the Department would prob
ably find sufficient relief i'm its future opera
tons from the decrease of prices which, it
may be calculated, will be hereafter demand
cd upon most OF the routes, were il not for the
continually increasing eSactlons i'll other
branches of the service.
Topresent this subject in its most inteligi-
bic form, the First Assistant Postmaster Gen
eral has prepared tabular view of recent pro-
posals, that comparison may be made be-
tween the amount of present bids and the
sums now paid for mail service upon the
same routes. This table is hereto annexed,
marked ID.
| On an examination ofthis statement, it will
| be seen that, in some cases, the amount de-
mandcd by railroad companies for transporta-
| ton of the mails is more than trio hund,ed per
cent. higher than is paid for coach service,
upon roads forming connecting lines between
different railroad companies, upon the same
main route, and that too where the night ser
vice upon the railroads is less than that per-
| formed in coaches. Such demands deserve
more consideration from the fact that, whilst
ut the recent lettings in n. York and in the
six Eastern States the accepted service by
coaches and other modes Of CONVEYANCE has
been secured at anaverage saving Of t,oenfy-
ftoo per cent. upon the contracts Of 1897, there
are but few instances where the demands OF
Incorporated companies have not been increa-
sed IN such manner as imposed upon nc the
necessity Of suspending the contracts. Nor
is the extravagant price demanded for mail
transportation upon railroads the only manner
IN which these interpretations affect the rev.
enue of this Department The facilities Sc
cured by this mode OF conveyance cor send