The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-03-18
DEFICIT IN q posr OFFICE APpRoRlArIoN
We find the following statement 10 yesterday Eve
ming Star, which is doubtless an official promulgation.


We find the following statement 10 y~esterday's Eve
ming Star, which is doubtless an official promulgation
The opposition press is grossly unjust 30 the memories
of the lat3 POSTMASTER General and the Third Assistant
Postmaster General In It's comments concerning the do
paItments deficiency. IL alleges, hrst, that the exhibit
of affairs, recently prepared at the instance OF the Presi-
dent, shows a deficit for the current fiscal year of fully
Sc, 900, 900, instead of 50, 682, I27, as computed ia the
last annual report of the Postmaster General. This state
ment is then made the ground of allegations Of ''cul-
pable ignorance on criminal suppression of facts against
those who recently managed the department finances,
both Of whom being dead cannot rcpei such baseless
ISLANDERS.
II is. however, fortunate that they were 80 methodical,
and that SO carefully arranged was the public business
deyolving upon them, that their successors have found
very little difficulty Ia fully oompTehending everything
Hence the data for a complete refutation of these charges
is easily obtained.
Thus, on page 20 of his last annual report, the Post
master General recapitulates the expenditures and means
Of the department for the current year ending June 80,
1859. His original estimates had been submitted ON the
oath of March, 1853, prior TO the lettings of new con
tracts for the term commencing LIST of July last, which
embraced the entire transportation of the mails In
twenty-one States and Territories of the West and South
west. The estimate of expenditures was derived from
well-establshed data, and the amount of money required
could be pretty accurately stated. In computing the es-
innate for means, however, no such defniteness was
attainable inasmuch as these were necessarily arrived at
through calculations founded upon operations of former
years, and affected adyantageously or disadvantageously
by circumstances wholly cxtraneous to the influence Of
the department. For instance, the several items OF this
estimate are as follows
Balance to the credit of the department on the A"ditor's
books on the LIST of July, IS58------------ $60s ,3I3
Gross revenue for the year 1859, including for
eign hostages, fees paid in by letter carriers,
and miscellaneous eceipts 1885, $50
Appropriations by the act of Congress of l847,
1851, and 1853, applicable to the expenses
OF Z,'o0,OOO
The aggregate of the estimated means is found to be
Sill ,094, 1913, while that of the expenditures amounts to
$l4, 776, $40, leaving an estimated deficit, as above stated,
of So, 682, l27.
The sum of s6O8, 3I3 given in the above quoted esti-
mate is there regarded as available means, but that is not
really the case. 1t embraces $I34, 89l Al due by the late
postmasters whose accounts are in litigation, and SPILL
867 IS in the hands of late postmasters, whose accounts are
in process of settlement. The residue-S26I, 553 CO.
is the aggregate of balances in the hands of acting post
masters throughout the country. IL is easy to under
stand that there can be no certain prediction as to what
portion of these sums will be collected 30 as TO be availa-
BILE for the expenses Of the current year and as it has
been found impossible to collect all the revenue from
postmasters promptly on the expiration of each quarter.
because of the changes occurring constantly in the in
c~umbency of those positions to the extent of upwards OF
seven thousand annually, the aggregate balance on the
books of the Auditor at the close of the year will not
essentially differ from the sum above given. As
old debts are paid up, new ones will be contracted, thus
keeping up a constant floating debt in favor of the de
partment from year to year. 1t is obviously unfair, there
WV ~" "' "so'.S"o oo'"i
the aVaiianie means Oh tne department
AGAIN IL Is Paipaoie tha1 'he gross revenues Oh .he De
partmeht ior hecuffcht year, estimated aDoVeat Sbfoo,-
ooo, couid oh'y DO aPproN'matc'y ascei'aihea "heh the
were prepared ~ hiatch Hast, OF wheh the last
arnaai report w"s connpieu, Ih's esunna'e % founded
on the operations OF inc preced'ng year. 10 winch four
per cent. was auuco . Increase u ac'aai auuiuhS Oh
the hrs' quar'crs ieoe,P's, however, uc,aons.'aocs that
the revenue was, y 'ha' t,hc, ie'niy 9Af'oao VI less
than OF a corresponding per'ou ol inc previous year. IN
stead OF oeng iour per GEM. greater. II we ,ake the
operauons Oh 'ls' quai'ci, 'heh, Us OASIS ior those OF
.ne onute year, we ascertain tno gross iecelp's 70 DC
or less uhah those Oh the preceding year. 10
TINS we must auo q sun Oh INC lo"f per ceh''in auo'noh
MADE III ~ es.ina'c, sA'y'4'i - aho we VIII nave us
the result sa9' 300 90, oe'ng the amount In which the
actuai rece'pS VIII an snortoi 'e csNh'aeco aggrcga'e'
ouptfacuns 'hS nohi N "niae amount we nave
gross revenue .................. .s7,7s6 $50 90
Actual on'nanon - v. 1850 30
Actual p,oss revenue. ass 424 Il,
actual deficit v III be as much greater than the estimated
deficit, thus
nu,o, no. u y !. = - - r. ''f s'oszs2s 10
-
Actual dCHClt. ...... =. JOfVTSy ID