The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-04-16

,..,0erod was Mr. Amos Kendall agenileman Who how
sr odous politically. 10 the estimation OF portions
~ he country. was undoubtedly man OF great ygor
and activity Of mind and one very competent 70 perform
the duties OF laborous public officer Well. sir. the
very moment the establishment went into operation, IN
1882 he found that there not provided sufficient
number Of clerks and hs Immediately employed add hs
preparation acts Since that period the post oces OF ms
country have been increased from eleven TO seventeen
thousand. The correspondence OF the country mas OF
course increased the business Of the Post Office The
number Of contracts well as the number OF
have increased vastly Inc business q 'as Inspection o.
ure and within the last year we have had an amount OF
new business in the Post ofce which very few gentle
BE 10 investigate the subject In the year s4s enter
ed into postal arrangement with Great Britain, but this
arrangement was not carried into full effect until the
4h OF March last Now, sir, have steamers running
once fortnight. and indeed once week, during large
part OF the time, each steamer bringing TO this country
from forty to sixty thousand letters Under this arrange
men letters from this country to Great Britain may be
either prepaid wholly unpaid. This arrangement OF
requires vast additional amount OF business, for
which they bound to keep account OF all the post
age in England. We are bound also 10 keep account
OF the postage here. We must settle accounts wish
the government OF Great Britain under this postal
angement This throws considerable amount OF bust
into the dead letter office; for vast number OF let
reach their destinations and returned to the
deadleer Office and there opened As regards domestic
away; but il is not 50 with regard foreign dead letters
They must be returned 10 the post offices OF Great Britain
because they charge US with the postage and we must
sions great amount Of business.
Among other items Of business the California mails
are no small matter You will recollect that we made an
arrangement with the government OF New Granada some
time ago, by which we agreed to pay $50 for the trans
portaon Of the first hundred pounds and $2 for every
subsequent hundred pounds o. the mails AT that tune
you could put in the crown OF your hat What is the
TACT now Every steamer brings mail Of immense
90 10 bags containing over 100 pounds each
am authorized to say hatth California mails alone
quire the labor of four clerks constantly employed TO
attend to them. Now, SIR, It was the policy OF Cen
within the appropriation and, ii possible TO cut dewn the
business Of the department. If required for that purpose
Hence he was Obliged to dispense with certain arrange
ments which considered very important and mod
i6caon of which may have contributed in considerable
degree to the regularity OF the mails Until the present
business became too great Tor him. inc rule ~h,en ns
the arrivals of every mail-not the failures This
was rendered necessary Tor very obvious reason
arrival. it would always be done. II i was his
duty TO report the failures only, it would not be
done at all times The contractors in order to prevent
the failures from being reported would promise to grant
some favors to keep them from being known. II has
been discovered that is OF great importance that this
service should be resumed but this the department Is
unable to do unless the force OF the department is In
creased.
Ia addition to that must state that it has been pro-
posed by Post Office Department by appropriation
OF the government. enter into similar arrangement
with Great Britain and in consequence OF the want oil
force in the Postmaster has been obliged TO give up
Considering the vast amount OF correspondence and
the additional amount thrown upon us by the new ar
rangements, think must be manifest TO the Senate that
shment OF The Post Office inasmuch therefore, as we
must add to the force OF the department. do not why
we may not as well do il at once.
Mr.. DAVIS. of Mississippi. Mr. President, 1t is a
known fact that business transferred under law OF the
last session to department and new bureau has
been pretext TO employ clerks to large number, II
think sir there must be something In the atmosphere
operating epidemic to increase them IL IS true
that this matter should be examined In nothing has the
scpefaon OF the been less equal ana less ia
think that in case has the number oil clerks and Inc
salaries been so large in the Post Oce Department
bsrs .hon ua be an do not that
this project comes from committee.
Mr. RUSK. Il comes from the Committee on the Post
Mr. DAVIS OF Mississippi. As | am now informed
this does come from committee, and that certainly gives
claim 10 our consideration should Ike very much 70
vote with my friend from Texas; but thak that we are
called upon TO sacrifice the appropriations OF this deh-
cheney bill for clerks not authorized by law These aPpo.
violation Of aw-shouid be resisted and we should have
thorough examination oil the wants OF government be.
fore we DO any such thing.
Senae but fear my friend from Mississippi did not APP
prehend me when said that had examined into this
subject went the Postmaster General and had recev-
MI DAVIS, OF Mississippi | did not mistake my
friend from Texas all Understood him say that it
was upon acuOn oil the postmaster Generd 10 not
however, hold my friend in any degree responsible.
MIR. RUSK. | did not stop there. Mr.. President;
went to the Office and made an Investigation examined
pretty thoroughly into the whole business, in order TO
satisfy myself to this $4,000 going to department
that voted against
Mr. DAVIS OF Mississippi voted for ii under law,
and am trying TO bring II back 10 the law for which
voted
Dir. RUSK | have examined the law OF 1885, 10 which
the senator from Maryland has referred and under which
the present Post Office Department created AT that
time had about 900 post Offices in the United States
there upwards OF II 900 post Offices and posi-
bly OF their being increased very shortly thousand
more II seems me- that this additional force is clearly
necessary, when take into consideration the very
considerable amount OF business that devoved upon the
General Post Office account OF the postal arrangement
with foreign countries and II Is important that thus IN.
should be made Notwh Standing the ministers OF
foreign governments have asked for arrangements mi
lar 10 those made with other governments, they have
been postponed because the department unable TO
get along with the business they have 10 do look upon
this very important branch Of the service OF the
dollars annually to carry on this department We are
told by the head OF the department. that he has NOT
clerks enough in the department carry and thus
the whole business OF the department delayed Com
plants have been made here this very morning opposi
ton TO this measure, that the mail facilities extend
ed are not carried in the different States and are
sticking about the expenditure OF $50, 900 $4,000
and that ioo when asked by the head Of the de-
parment for this absolutely necessary addition 10 the
force he has This TO me TO be commencing
at the wrong end Of economy We give them plenty OF
labor perform, and then refuse to give them force
enough TO perform IT, The suggestion that has been