The daily union., 1846-10-01
ANOTHER GROSS MISREPRESENTATION CORRECT.

ANOTHER GROSS MISREPRESENTATION CORRECT.
Ed
The following artica meets our eye in yesterday =
baltimore American" 1t is strange that any
press which has any respect for itself (and we
freely award high and respectable standing to
the Baltimore Amercan") should catch up the
bold and reckless assertions Of anonymous scrib-
bcrs touching the credit and even solvency of one
of the most important departments Of the govern
ment, unsupported as they with one title Of es-
timony, and heedIessly circulate them broadcast
over the land:
"The Washington correspondent of the New
York Journal writes
There are some screws loose in the Post Office
Department. There ID more complaint now, on the
part of contractors for carrying the mail on account
of non-payment, than there was even IN Barry 8
time. One quarter is due, and another is abou: TO
become due, and still no money is forthcoming"
The foregoing misrepresentation belongs to that
class of reckless ISLANDERS, for the manufacture of
which certain Washington letters have become so
notorious They mot all, free to admit,) sell
scandal to their employers by the square yard, and
during the recess of Congress are compelled in
der to make up the proper quantity, to libel each
department in turn. Knowing nothing of the sub
jects upon which they descant, it would be re-
markabe coincidence if they were ever to bIunder
upon the truth; and such condolences are indeed as
rare as mermaids and sea-serpents.
The first two sentences of the extract, that "therG
are some screws loose IN the Post Office Depart
ment," and that "therc g more complaint now on
the part of contractors than there was even in Bar
H., I, l. 4 II.
mark that it will require something more than
letter-wrlter's ralnOr to shake the we-grounded
confidence of the community in the present admin
istration Of the Post Office Department; and that
there cannot be more complaint on the part of con-
tractors now than there was during Mr.. Barry's
time, when there is now none. We say none; for
each contractor is paid according to the terms of his
contract unless from his own fault, and consequent
y cannot complain.
The third sentence of the extract contains de-
finite CHARGE "that one quarter is due, and another
is about to become due, and yet no money ia forth
coming" Now, there is not a post Office in the
Union, to which this assertion can be sent without
being pronounced false the spo and this, too, by
the person of all others best qualified to speak-ihe
contractor himself
There is no analogy between the present condi-
ton ofthe department and its condition, while it was
under the direction of Major Barry. Then, the de.
parment was acknowledged on all hands to be very
much embarrassed iu,its finances .No,o, the means
arising from the postages and from the contingent
grant from the treasury are ample 10 pay crer5 dollar
justly due
''The quarter which has expirod," we presume, is
that ending the 30th June last. The pay for that
quarter was only due in all the month of August.
But very large proportion was in the hands of the
contractors, from the Offices on the routes within
the frat week Of July For the balances not 80 paid,
final settlements were made and drafts or warrants
were RENTED in great majority ofthc cases prior 20
the 18th Of August and, since that time payments
have been made, from day to day, as fast as the
proofs of service were at hand so that at the pres-
ent time there are not thirty contractors, nor tho
amount Of three thousand d0iidrs due 10 all the con-
tractors in the Union prior to the 3Oth of June last
and the delay in this small number of cases exists
from their own neglect.
The foregoing facts we have learned on inquiry at
the Office Of the Auditor for the Post Office Depart
ment, in which the Office settlements arc made with
contractors and feel confident that this enerprsing
body Of men may continue to rely upon the degree
Of promptitude in that Office, which has heretofore
been the subject OF much congyanlalion on their
part,