, 1858-01-08

contract to perform the service proposed with good
and sufficient surcties.
Ihi, do understanding distinctly the obligat ions
and liabilities assumed by guarautors under the 27th
section OF the act of Congress OF July ., 1886.
(5gned by two guarantcrs)
Dated
CERTIFICATE.
The undersigned, postmaster of ---., State of
-, certiies, under his oath Of office that he is a.
quainted with the above guarantors and knows them
TO be men Of property aud able u make good the
guarantee.
Dated
(Signed)
Is. Altered bids should not be submitted; nor
should bids once submitted he withdrawn.
Each bid must he guaranteed by two responsible
persons. General guarantees cannot be admitted.
The bid and guarantee should be signed plainly with
the full name of each person.
The department reserves the right to reject any
bid which may be deemed extravagant and also the
bids of failing contractors and bidders.
l6 The bid should be sealed, superseded mail
Proposals. State Territory Of (Gs the may be)
-" addressed Second Assistant Postmaster
General Contract Office and sent by mail not by or
to an agent; and po>tmasters will not enclose prOpo-
sails (or letters of any kind) in their quarterly re-
turns.
II. The contracts are to lie executed and returned
to the department By or before the lst Of August
1858, but the service must be commenced on the lst
July, or the mail day next after that date, whether
the contracts be executed or not. NO proposition tol
transfers will be considered until the contracts are
executed and received at the department; and then
no transfers will be allowed unless good and sufficient
reasons therefor are given, to be determined by the
department
is. Section IS Of an act Of Congress, approved
March g. lS45 provides that contracts for the trans
portaton Of the mail shall be let n every case tC
the lowest bidder rendering sufficient guarantees fol
faithful performance, without other reference to the
mode of such transportation than may be necessary
10 provide for the due ceery certainty and security
of such transportation" Under this law new des
r l,raI -, ls,
cify n mode of conveyance, but engage to take the
entire mail each trip with celerty, certainty and Sc
curity, using the terms of the law. These bids arr
styled from the manner in which they are eSignatet
on the books Of the department, "StdT bids" ant
they will be construed rs providing for the convey
ance of the entire mail however large, and whatever
may be the mode necessary 10 insure its "celerity
certainty, and security"
10. 10 all cases where the lowest grade Of service
is believed to be sufficient the lowest bid will be
cepted, il duly guaranteed, in preference to star
or specific bid.
When the lowest bid is not a star bid, and specifics
either no mode an inadequate mode Of conveyance
1t will not be accepted but set aside for specific bic
proposing the necessary service.
When the bid does not specify mode OF convey
ance; also, when il proposes to carry according tt
the advertisement" but without such specification, il
will be considered proposal for horseback serv
ice.
20. modification of bid in any Of its essentia
terms is tantamount to new bid, and cannot be re
ceved so as to interfere with regular competition
after the last hour set for receiving bids.
81. Postmas!ers to be careful not to certify the
suficiency Of guaranors suretes without knowing
that they persons Of sufficient responsibility; and
all bidders guarantors and suretes distinctly
titled that, failure to enter into perform the
contracts for the service proposed for In the accepted
bids their legal liabilities will be enforced against
them.
%. Present contractors, and persons known at the
department, must equally with others, procure guar
autors and certificates Of their snfficiency substar
TALLY in the forms above prescribed. The certificates
Of sufciency must be signed by postmaster or by
judge Of q court Of record.
AARON V. BROWN,
Postmaster General
POsT OFFICE DEPARTMENT,
October 20, 1851 TJan. l. 5s-l2w.