New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-11-27
ru vopv nA11y TRIBUNE THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 81, 1881.

ted an opinion Of the National Legislature that ~ was
night 10 pursue sc cuiaI slngs on that day To runs
Il eplied that the safety and due regulation 81
society demanded The employment of come ol ~
agents 81 which the Post-Oilico was an important
one, on the sabbath that spectators anl others
would send forward expresses on that day tgivinE
ore part Of the community advantages over The 9TH
err ifthe mails were stopped on Sunday ihA, the
diffusion Of information important 10 the promotion
Of the intellect and virtue OF the country would be
retarded in degree corresponding with the delays
OF The mails all which made Il IN act Of mercy as
well as Of necessity 20 send them forward that the
new postal regulation did not interfere with the
rights Of conscience, because all Who entered upon
the service Of the Posi-0ihce establishment did 50
voluntarily that the according Of the prayer Of the
petitioners would amount to legislative decision
OF an ecclesiastical question that all history proves
such interference by the State with religious ques-
tons to be detrimental to the peace OF society that
the powers OF Congress were limited by the Cohstitu-
ton, and did not extend to questions Of this class
and that the State authorities alone were compe-
tent to make The interference proposed. Two lucid
and beautifully written reports, generally a'trlou-
ted to the pen of the Rev. O. B. Brown, Baptist
clergyman at Washington, handed 10 the House of
Representatives by the chairman Of its Committee on
Post-otices and Post Roads, IN 1929 and 1880, had
important influence in fixing the sentiment OF iae
public and of Congress adverse TO the proposed
change IN the postal regulations.
Return Jonathan Meigs, of ONO, was commits
stoned Postmaster-General on the TN OF March'
1914, at which period the establishment had grown
TO considerable importance-havng nearly SOU
pos,masters and over $1,000 miles Of post road IN
operation, AID gross annual revenue of S'3OoOO.
At this period part OF The posimasters deposited
Their collections in banks in their ycinltieS the resi-
due transmitted their funds in bank notes 20 the De-
partmcnt. This Afforded an opportunity to MI.
Bradley the Finance off ,er Of the establishment.
Occasionally 10 accommodate, on their Application,
the commissaries OF the Government, and members
OF Congress, with an exchange of bills and checks
The practice had, however, the unpleasant effect
about this time ofgetting up a charge against him
Of specializing in the funds Of the Department. \
Congre ss.ona Investigation vas had, which resulted
in nothing preudlcal to the fair fame OF that high
minded and accomplished officer.
In 1916. postal &C, was passed fixing The postage
rates as they stood from that time til 1873, VIZ .
cents for single letters going less than 50 miles. 10
cents under So l2 cents under $50, +. under 400,
and 25 cents fer greater Distances Thanks to the
National Legislature that these high rates, under
which the country So long groanej, age among tie
The things that were.
An application having been made to Congress ia
1915 for the establishment. of branch OF tle Gene
raj Post Office in one Of the Western states the
Pos:-Oaice committee reported adversely thereto,
stating The opinion that such division, so far from
increasing the efficiency Of the mail service even IN
the Western states, would impair the same, b. d.
miuishlng The uniformity Of proceedings OF the Of
fee and making il less convenient to the Represent
atiyes Of those states They thought the entire cs
ta5lslmen. should remain subject to The direct IN
spection and investigation Of general head residing
al he location Of the legislative and the othof ex
ecutlye departments of the General Government
very wise decision. gentlemen.
John Mclean, Of OniO. then Commissioner Of the
General Land Office, and previously member Of
Congress from Ohio, took the reins of the establish
nent on the lst Of July, 1923. He possessed fine ad
minisrative talents, and great tact in inlusns his
own spirit Of energy and zeal into his associates AMI
subordinates His administration forms bright
page in the history Of the Department During his
term, in March, 1926, postal act supersedns all
previous ones was passed, which, in It's main fei-
lures, constitutes at this day the fundamental Ian Of
the Department Some Two years after this Con
gIess augmented the Postmaster Generals salary 10
$4,000 per annum thus raising the POst-Ofice, which
till then had been a bureau, TO the rank OF a De-
parlment OF the Government. Mr.. Mclean did not,
however, take seat IN the Presidents CABINET tie
was the first TO carry into effect, # not to conceive,
the happy idea OF paying the mail contractors by
drafts On the post-oiiices thereby Superseiing the
old, loose and hazardous system OF having the money
transmitted BY those officers TO Washington, thence
to be returned by tie same hazardous mode to the
contractors. During his term the mail service vas
Immensely extended.
The following shows the moneys paid INTO the
Treasury during the administration Of this gentle
man and some Of his predecessors, VIZ
Oseood. to -Sl1,3J2
Hale, Slam. 1895 10 -S6J3lO