The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-03-15
THE PoSp OFFICE DEPARTMENT.

From the Buffalo Commercial Advertiser, (oPposiionO March loI
A very general expression of regret has followed the
announcement of the serious losses which the Post Once
Department has recently sustained by death. The man
agement of that bureau Is something in which the hum
blest citizen has a direct interest. IL affects the purse.
the feelings, and the convenience Of all classes OF society
alike. Generally well managed, 1t has never been more
efficient than under It's recent control, and even the
aoerbities of political antagonism have not denied to 1t an
honorable need of praise.
The Hon. Aaron v. Brown, POSTMASTER General, whose
funeral solemnities occur to-day, was born in Virginia,
and graduated at the University OF Chapel Hill, IN North
Carolina. In 1915 he removed to Tennessee for the prac-
tice of law, residing during most of his life at Nashville,
where he was for many years the law partner OF ex-Presi.
dent Polk. During nearly forty years he has held Official
position of one kind on another, having been a member
of the Tennessee Legislature, and from 1881 TO i6ao a
representative in Congress.
In 1916 he was elected governor of Tennessee. In
March, 1857, with the incoming of President Buchanan
Administrations, he was appointed POSTMASTER General
In the discharge of the duties of that Office he has recog'
Missed its importance as n means of civilization, and has
been governed by a liberal and even generous policy.
His position on an increase of the rates OF postage seems
to have been misunderstood. In his report to Congress
on the subject he stated that # the department was to be
made sell. supporting, it would be necessary to increase
the rates. He never, however, committed himself to tho
idea that the department ought to support itself.
In personal character Gov. Brown was a genial and
amiable man, with fair executive abilities, He was much
respected by all who came in contact with him. and made
very few enemies. His age at the time of bis death was
sixty-three. p.
The other loss by death to which we have referred
was that of John Marion, esq, the Third Assistant Post
master General. He entered the department as a clerk
in 1880, rose by regular grade to be chief clerk in 1886,
and has been Third Assistant for a long series OF years.
TO his bureau was assigned the financial affairs OF the de-
partment. In their conduct he WAS at once faithful TO
the government and obliging and afiable to those doing
business with him. SO intimately connected and nc,
unainted with all the intricate web of post office finance
had he become that his loss is looked upon MS n serious
calamity, his hold upon his situation being due not to
political associations, but to the difficulty of finding a
competent successor.
MI. Alex. N. Zevely, who the telegraph reports as
death of kr Marion, held the position Of principal clerk
under the Second Assistant, and has been connected with
the department the past twenty years. His long expe.
rience, united with an excellent adaptation to the dis
charge of the duties of the Office, is a guarantee that the
reputation of that branch of the department will not
suffer under his supervision.
OF those who were a week ago the four heads of this
department, only two are Horatio King and
VIM. III. Dundas, First and Second Assistant Postmasters
General. Associated Immediately under them as princi-
pal clerks are st. John b. l.. Skinner, Robert J. Neyen,
Thos. p. Irott, and b. N. Clement. Efa
All OF these gentlemen are of that class of officials like
Mr.. Marion, kept in office year after year, and term after
term, because government cannot well get along without
them. Habituated to their duties, and having the adj
vantage OF long experience, they are almost a part of the
system. And it is a redeeming feature in our shifting
government, where new men are annually foisted into re-
sponsible places for which they are untitled by reason OF
their habits of life, that in some of the more responsible
branches of executive action things have been SO system
atized that only competent men can occupy the places.