The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1854-02-22

fierS, II any. Inc contract may however, Ia
the case otincrease Of speed, relinq,uisb the
tract by giving prompt notice to the Department
that he prefers doing so to carrying the order
into effect. The Postmaster General may also
curiail or discontinue the service, at pro rata
decrease of pay, allowing one m onth's extra
compensation on the amount dispensed with,
whenever, in his opinion, the public interests
do not require the same, or in case he d srcs to
supersede it by different grade Of transporta-
ton.
8. Payments will be made for The service by
collection Of, or drafts on, postmasters, or 9th
wise, after the expiration Of each quarter-say
in February, May, August, and November
TO- The distances are given according to the
best information but no increased pay WIN be
| allowed should they be greater than advertised
if the points to be supplied be correctly stated.
Bidders must inform themselves or this point.
H. The Postmaster General is prohibited by
law from knowingly making a contract for the
| transportation OF the mails with any person " no
shall have entered into, or proposed to enter into,
| any combination to prevent the making OF any
bid for a mail contract by any other person or
persons, or who shall have made any agreement,
or shall have given or performed, or promised
| TO give or perform, any consideration whate yer
or to do, or not to do, anything whatever, in or
der to induce any other person or persons moi to
| bid for mail contract. Particular attention is
| called TO the 2oth section of the act Of 1886,
prohibiting combinations to prevent bidding.
| IL. bid received after time, viz: 0 a. m,
Of the 10th Of April, 1854, r without the OMAR.
antee required by law, or that combines several
routes in one sum of compensation, cannot be
considered in competition with regular pro.
posal reasonable in amount
Is. Bidders should, in all cases, first propose
for service strictly according to the advertise
ment, and then, if they desire, separateiy for
different service; and if The regular bid be the
lowest offered for the advertised service. the
other bids may be considered if the alterations
proposed are recommended by the postmasters
and citizens interested, or if they shall onnear
manifestly right and proper
IA. There should be but one route bid for in
a proposal
10. The route, the service, the yearly Day.
| the name and residence of the bidder and those
OF each member of firm, where COMPANY Of
fers, should be distinctly stated also, the mode
of conveyance, if higher mode than horseback
be intended The words "with due CELEBRITY.
certainty, and security" inserted to indicate the
mode OF conveyance, will constitute "star hid
Is. The bid should be sent under seal adj
dressed to the Second Assistant Postmaster &c.
neral, superscrlbe d small Proposals in the State
OF -. 1t should be guaranteed, and the
sufhclency OF the guarantors certified. (see
folns0 and should be despatched in time to be
received by or before 3, a. m, of the 10th Of
April, 1854.
II. The contracts are to be executed and re-
turned to the Department by or before the LIST
Of July, 1854.
10. Postmasters at Offices on or near railroads.
but more than eighty rods from station, will.
immeniately after the 10th of April newt, report
their exact distance from the nearest station and
now they are otherwise supplied with the mail,
TO enable the Postmaster General to direct mail
messenger supply from the lst of July next.
-. Section IL of an act Of Congress, approx
ed March 8, lS45, provides that contracts for
the transportation Of the mail shall be let. {. in
every case, TO The lowest bidder rendering suffi-
cent guarantees for faithful performance, with.
out other reference to the mode OF such trans
portation than may be necessary 10 provide for
the due CELEBRITY, certainty, and security OF such
transportation" Under this law a new descr;n.
ton OF bids has been received 1t does not spe-
city mode of conveyance, but engages to take
the entire mail each trip with celebrity, certainty,
and security, using the terms of the law These
bids are styled, from the manner in which thew
are designated on the books of the Department.
"star bids and they will be construed as pro.
viding for the entire mail, hoperer large, and
'ehaterer may DC the mode Of conveyance neees-
sary to insure Its "celcrity, certainty, and secu.
ray."
Such bids will therefore be accepted in pre-.
ference to higher bids for specific modes of
conveyance on routes where the lowest mode
OF conveyance THAT is, on horseback, } is known
to be insufficient.
In all cases whore the lowest grade of service
is believed to be sufficient, the lowest bid will
be accepted, If duly guaranteed, in preference
to sstar' or specific bid
When the lowest bid is not star bid and
specifics either no mode, or all inadequate mode
OF conveyance, it will not be accepted, but set
aside tor specific bid proposing the necessary
service.
When the bid does not specify mode of con-
veyance, also when it proposes 10 carry ao-
cording to the advertisement, but without
such specification, it will be considered as pro.
posal for horseback service.
90 A modification of bid in anv of it's es-
sental terms, is tantamount to a new bid, and
cannot be received, SO as TO interfere with regu-
lar competition, after the last hour set for re
ceiving bids
81. Postmasters are to be careful not to certi-
fy the spfficiency Of guarantors or sureties with
out knowing that they persons of sufficient
responsibility, and all bidders, guarantors, and
sureties are distinctly notified that, on a failure
to enter into or perform the contracts for the ser.
vice proposed for in the accepted bids, their lie
gal liabilities will be enforced against them.
%. The contracts will be substantially in the
forms heretofore used in this Department, ex
cept in the respects particularly mentioned in
these instructions; and all railroad and steam.
boat routes the contractors will be required to
deliver the mails into the post offices at the ends
of the routes, and into all the intermediate post
offices not more than eighty rods from the rail
road or landing.
%. Present contractors, and persons known
at the Department, must, equally with others,
procure guarantors and rtificates of their sut-
hciency substantially in the forms above pre-
scrlbed. The certificates of sufficiency must be
signed by postmaster, or Judge OF clerk of
court of record
Postmastcrs at the ends Of routes on which
they think the present mode of conveyance in
adequate, will we igh the mail each trip for six
successive weeks on weekly routes, and three
weeks on other routes, and report the result by
the 10th OF April, 1854.
JAMES CAMPBELL,
Postmaster General.
PosT OFFICE DEPARTMENT,
January 8, l854.-Iaw12w