Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1858-06-18
M Mistellanfous..
of the Administration.
Washington, Juno 2d:IS5S.

washington, Juno I'd 1893.
On July 4, 1856, John Ferguson, of and
then at San Francisco petitoned Congress
that he might be released from his liabili-
tics to the government, incurred by his fail
ing to carry out the terms of his accepted
bid for mail contract. His liability was
$4,000. His petition was presented to
the Senate the latter part of the same
month, ard was referred to the Committee
on Postofices and Post Roads, and on the
31st of the same month Mr.. Yulee of that
committee, addressed note of inquiry to
tho Postmaster General, in regard to the
merits of tho case. Mr.. Campbell, with.
out resorting to that delay with which he
usually retarded the business of private cit
liens, wrote at once sin answer to Mr.. Yu-
lees note of yesterday" recommending the
said Ferguson as "an honorable man" "act-
ing in good faith," and 'cheerfully advised
that his prayer for relief be granted"
"The only instance of the kind" as Sen
stor Weller said, "whcro the Postmaster
General has recommended such a measure "
The result was, the bill passed the Sen
ate without debate. When the bill reached
the House, it was referred to the Postoflicc
committee, and member of that Commit
tee, before reporting upon the Same, wrote
line to the Postmaster-General, inquiring
whether the said Ferguson was not in tht
employ Of the Postotiice Department at tn
time ho made his proposal for carrying tn
mail. The department declined to furnisl
the information, and no further action wa
taken on the bill, it never having left th,
committee room.
Yesterday, just in season 10 be in tim
for the Postoffice appropriation bill, Nj
Gwinn introduced into the Senate the sam
bill for the relief of John Ferguson aud hi
guarantees who are nameless.
This morning Mr.. Yulce, now the Chair
man of the Postofice committee, reporte
the bill to the Senate, with the remarI
that it is not necessary for tho Commits
to mako report, inasmuch as the Senat
passed the bill at the last session Of tho lat,
Congress.
Thus arc bills in favor Of the friends O
tho departments to be rushed through will
unwarranted haste. But the most interest
ing facts of tho case arc yet to bc mad
known. This John Ferguson is now Assis
tant Postmaster at San Francisco, and ha
been in the employ Of the Postofice de
partment for nearly eighteen years.
In 1854, while holding the office of A,
sistant Postmaster at San Francisco, he wa
bidder for some thirty-fve mail contract
tho aggregate amount Of his bids for th
term -four ycars) being $li514,000. Fou
contracts were awarded to him, amountin,
to $4,000. He disposed of three o
them but the fourth appears to have boen
less fortunate contract, and he and his guar
antor, said to be tho Postmaster Of Sal
Francisco, and brother Of ex-senator nov
Governor Weller, are now liable to the gov
ernment for the 5000 aforesaid.
The fact that the law forbids "any Post
master, Assistant Postmaster or Clerk in
Postoffico from being contractor or con
cerncd in contract for carrying the mail,
sufficiently explains the reason why the de
partment declined to furnish tho informs
tion in regard to Ferguson, called for by tn
member of the Postoffice Committee Of tn
last Congress. Comment is unnecessary