The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1841-01-22

2. The mail is to be conveyed in preference tC
passengers, and to their entire exclusion lis weigh
and bulk require it.
3. A preference is to be given to passenger:
brought in the connecting mail lines over those tray
cling in any other.
A. Post Office blanks, mail bags, and the specia
agents Of the Department, on the exhibition ofthell
credentials, are TO be conveyed without further
! charge ON mail lines admitting of such conveyance
5. Mail agents arc to he conveyed without charge
on the principal railroad and steamboat Ines " here
the size of the mails and the number of the offices
will require their employment by the Department
and in that case separate apartment for the as
sorting and se-keepirg of the mail, is 10 be pro-
vided BY the contractor under the direction Of the
Department.
g. In all cases, there is to be forfeiture of the
pay of the trip, when the trip is not run; forfeit
tire of ut least onc-lOurth part of it, when the run
ming or arrival is far behind time 10 lose the
connection with depending mail; and forfeiture
of due proportion of it, when grade Of service
is rendered inferior 10 that in the contract. These
loreitures may be- increased into penalties of high
er amount, according TO the nature frequency OF
the future and the importance of the mail.
T. Fines will be imposed unless the delinquency
be satisfactorily explained in due time, for failing
to take from, or deliver at post office, the mail,
or any part of it, for suffering it TO be wet, injured,
lost, or destroyed; for conveying 1t IN place or
manner that exposes it to depreciation, loss, or in
! Jury; for refusing after demand TO convey Il mail
by any couch railroad car, or steamboat, which
the contractor regularly runs on the route, hey ond
the specified number OF trips in the contract; aud
for not arriving at the time set, And for setting up
or running an express to transmit commercial III
telligence in advance of the mail, penalty will be
cyacted equal to n quarters pay.
8. The Postmaster General may Onnul the con-
tract for repeated failures; for violating the Post
Office laws, for dsobeying the Instructions of the
Departments for refusing to discharge carrier when
required by the Department; for assigning The con-
tract without the consent the Postmaster General
OF for setting up running an express us aforesaid.
9. The Postmaster General may alter the con-
tract, and alter the schedule, he allowing pro
rata increase of compensation, within the rcsrlc-
tons imposed by law, for the additional service re-
qured. or for the increased speed, if the cmp'oy-
mcnt of additional stock or carriers is rendered ne
cessary: but the contractor may IN such case re.
nGnish the contract on liWely notice, il he prefers
ii % the chUner. lie may also discontinue or cur
tail the service, he allowing one month 5 extra pay
on the amount dispensed with
10. The payments will be made through drafts on
post offices OF otherwise, aer the expiration OF each
quarter, say in February, May, August, and Nov,
II. The distances are given according TO the best
nformnlon; but no increased pay will be allowed,
should they prove to be greater than Is advertised,
il the places are correctly Named.
IL. The Postmaster General is prohibited by law
from knowlngly making contract for The transport
talon Of the mail with any person who shall hay c
entered into any combination, or proposed to enter
into any combination, to prevent the making OF any
bid for mail contract by any other person or per-
sons, or who shall have made any agreement, or
shall have given or performed, or promised TO give
or perform, any consideration TO do, or not 10 do,
any thing whatever to induce any other person not
to bid for a mail contract.
49, On coach routes where the present contiac-
tor shall be superseded BY an underhidder, who
may not have the stage property requisite for the
performance of the contract, he shall purchase from
the present contractor such Of his coaches, icams,
aud harness belonging TO the route as shall be need
ed and may he suitable for the service, at fair
valuation; and make payment therefor by reason
able instruments, as his pay becomes due, unless
the present contractor shall continue TO run stages
on the route Should they not agree as TO the suita-
blencss Of the property the Terms or the security,
each may choose person who may appoint thlrC
aud their decision shall be final; or the Postmaster
General will name the umpire. Should the UNDER
bidder fail to comply, his bid will be offered 10 the
contractor; but should he decline it, the proposals
ofhc undcrbiddcr will be accepted Internationally.
The uudeTbldder should give early notice of his in
tention 10 take or not TO take the stock, aud II the
latter, of his rcasons and the present contractor Is
to determine on the first application, whether he
will sell it or not.
H. A bid received after time, 10 wit: the 10th
April next at 3 p. N. or without the guarantee re-
quircd by law; or that combines several routes in
in one sum of compensation, cannot be considered
competition with regular proposal, not adjudged
to be cXtrayagant.
Is. A bidder may offer on coach, railroad, or
steamboat routes, where that transportation Is dli-
fcu or lmpraccablc at certain seasons, 10 snbsii-
tute horse or wagon conveyance or to nternIt SER
vice, specified number of days, weeks, or months.
lie may propose TO omit an Office that Is lnacces-
sble or is not on the stage road, the railway, OF nj
Il steamboat landing as the case may be, or he may
offer TO substitute an inferior mode Of supply in
such cases. lie may propose different days and
hours of departure and arrival, provided no more
running time is asked, and it is obvious that no
mail connection or other public accommodation Is
preiudiccd. lie may ask for Il specified number Of
DAYS for more running time to the trip at certain
seasons of peculiar bad roads. But beyond these
CHANGES a proposal for service different from the
advertisement will prevent it, being considered in
competition wha regular bid, not st aside for ey-
travagance; and where bid contains an, of the
above alterations. their disadvantages viii be esli-
mated in comparing it with other proposals.
Is. There should be but one routc bid for IN
proposal.
II. The route, the service, the yearly pay. the
bidders name and residence, and the name OF each
member of the firm where n company oilers, should
be distinctly stated
is. The following is the form Of tho guaranty
which should he filed, the first blank with the name
ofthe guaranor, the second with that the bidder;
and the third and fourth with the beginning and
terminating points of the route; and after being da-
ted. should be signed by the guarantor, who mus:
be shown BY the written certificate Of postmaster,
to be man Of property, and able to make good his
guaranty. This guaranty, so certified, should ac-
company each bid ..-,,
"Thc undersigned - guarantees that - hs P i
for carving the mail ON - to 49, nc ncctp'eu . ".
the Postmaster General shall enter into an pu
tn the 18th dav Of June next, with g'nn tn"
ties 10 perform the service proposed.
"Datci 49,, a.. a.. r..
The nj shoud he sent urder seal addressed TO inc frt
ss,.r, General with Mail Proposals IN the