The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-11-19
Cave Johnson and his Biundsring Post-O Once
Ma

| JOuOoO0 BkunQ0T1nR
Management.
There has been great deal OF talk on
Cave Johnson and the post-ofiice manage
ment, among different parties; and some Jour-
nails under the immediate influence OF the
department, and in the enjoyment OF the pap II
dispenses, have decided in a summary way that
Cave Johnson is saint like in all his conduct and
that the railroad and steamboat companies are
little short of pickpockets and extortioners. In
| order that we might be able to arrive at a better
knowledge of the subject we have procured an
accurate copy of the correspondence between
the department and the railroad companies
of Richmond and Washington, in relation to
the transportation of the mails.
This correspondence comprises about a dozen
| letters; not exactly love letters On examining
the statements in these letters with the utmost
care, we discover several glaring discrepancies
and gross contradictions into which Cave John
son has fallen, who, in fact, does not himself
appear to comprehe nd what he would be at. In
one letter he says that the maximum rate fixed
by Congress is $2S7 80 per mile; in ano-
Their letter he shows that the maximum rate is
$500 per mile. In one letter he offers the com.
pany absolutely less than his own assumed maxi.
mum of Ss237; and in another he says, Z" we have
offered your company the maximum pay allowed
by law" which maximum pay, his own letters
prove to be $500 Thus he calls less than two
hundred and thirty-seven dollars equal to three
hundred dollars. Again, when the mails were
not so heavy, nor so large as they now are,
nor the expenses 20 high, the Department,
under Mr.. Tyler's administration, paid this
company $I9,5OO for transporting the mails.
IL ,bA,.
only Sll,222 for services increased in i'm.
portance and difficulty, and mails increased
in weight and bulk But as to the weight and
bulk, Cave Johnson sagely remarks that that
has nothing to do with the matter. Here are his
very words "There is nothing in the suggestion
that you take more mail matter. The difference
in the weight and size of the mails is too lncon'
siderable to have any influence on the con-
tracts" Thus he offers a small sum In payment
of increased services, when they have been In
the habit of receiving, in the last few years, a
much larger sum for less amount of services
The grave folly, the impudent incapacity of
Cave Johnson, were never more manifest than In
this correspondence, in which he betrays mis-
cradle, niggardly attempt to evade a fair and
honorable payment and shows that his determi-
nation is to throw the mails into confusion, and
derange all the business and correspondence of
the country, for the patry object of saving four
or five thousand dollars, against all right and
reason.
OF the facts we have here stated, there can be
no doubt; and yet we are not sure but that
we like Cave Johnson, for these and other rea-
sons and considerations. We go even fur
Their, and are prepared to maintain that Cave
Johnson is one of the most distinguished
men of his age. He promises, in fact, to be
benefactor to the human race, and is already the
wonder of post office civilization upon this con-
tnent In former ages of the world, great revo-
lutions, beneficial to civilization, have been ac-
complished by genius, by patriotism, by virtue,
by mighty talents. Cave Johnson promises to
reverse the whole picture, and to bring forth the
most important results and the most wonderful
measures by stupidity and stubborness-by little
ness of mind, In every possible way in which
we can view it through telescope. The gross
incapacity which he has exhibited in the ma
nagement of the PostOHice Department, may
happily lead wise and sensible Congress to
abolish or to modify the whole SYSTEM and
to adopt one according to the new principles of
the age, applied in new way.
Since the time of John Mclean, the Post
office Department has been degenerating in the
same way that horses, shallops, and sloops de-
generate and disappear before steamboats, and
railroad cars. Barry, the Postmaster, was bad
enough; Kendall was tolerable Granger was
gentlemanly and negligent; but Cave Johnson
comprehends in his management every species
of aburdity and boorishness, both as an officer
and as chief. Yet we firmly believe that out
of this bad management will grow and spring
up one of the greatest improvements of the age
For the last two months alone, we have collect
ed the following table, as merely specimen of
the blunders of the Post Office Department.
| MAIL FAILURES, REPORTED DURING THE MONTHS OF
SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER, lS47.
No of Failures
Names Of Places. Sept. Oct. Tot. Remarks.
Augusta, GeOrRia.....
Baltimore.