The national Republican., 1860-11-27
POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT.


direction and management of the Post Office De-
partment are assigned by the Constitution and
laws TO the Postmaster General. That its bus-
ness may be the more conveniently arranged and
prepared for his final action, 1t is distributed
among several bure .us, as follows The APP
pointmeut Office, in charge Of the First Assistant
Postmaster General the Contract Office, in
charge of the Second Assistant Postm aster Gen.
eral the Finance Office, in charge Of the Third
Assistant Postmaster General and the Inspec-
ton Office, in charge of the Chief Clerk.
appointment Office. -Horatio King, Esq, First
Assistant Postmaster General, and nineteen
Clerks. To this Office are assigned all questions
which relate to the Establishment and discon-
tinuance of post offices, changes of sites and
names, appointment and removal of postmasters
and route and local agents, as also the giving
o. instructions to postmasters. Postmasters are
rnished with marking and rating stamps and
letter balances by this bure III, which is charged
also with providing blanks and stationery for
the use of the Department, and with the superin-
tendence of the several agencies established for
supplying possmasters with blanks. To this
bureau is likewise assigned Thu supervision of
the ocean mail steamship lines, aid of the foreign
and international postal arrangements.
Contract OEce.-William H. Dundas, Esq,
Second Assistant Postmast Geieral, and TWEEN
ty-six clerks. To this off Q Is ASST yned the
business of arranging the mail service of the
United States, and placing the same under con-
tract, embracing all correspondence and proceed
gs respecting the frequency Of trips, mode of
conveyance, and times Of departures and arri-
walls on all the routes the course of the mail
between the different sections of the country,
the points of mail distribution, and the regula-
! ms for the government of the domestic mail
vice of the United States. It prepares the
advertisements for mail propo -als, receives the
bids, and takes charge of the annual and occa-
s'onal mail lettings, and the adjustment and exc
cution of the contracts. All applications for
the establish uent or alteration of mail arrange
ments, and the appointment of Mail Messengers,
should be sent to this Office. All claims should
be submitted to it for transportation service not
under contract as the recognition of said service
10 frs. to be obtained through the Contract
Office, as nece7 7sary authority for the proper
credits at the Auditors Office. From this Office
all postmasters at the ends of routes receive the
statement of mail arrangements prescribed for
the respective routes. 1t reports weekly to the
Auditor all contracts executed and all orders
affecting accounts for n Ill transportation pre-
pares e statistical exhibits of the mail service,
and t reports of the mail lettings, giving a
statement of each bid also, of the contracts
made, the new service originated, the curtai-
ments ordered, and the additional allowances
granted within the year.
Finance OGce.-A. N. Zevely, Esq, Third As
sistant Postmaster General, and twenty -one
clerks. To this Office are 7igned the supervis-
ion and management of tie financial business
of the Department, not devolved by law upon
the Auditor embracing accounts with the draft
Offices and other depositaries of the Department,
the issuing of warrants and drafts in payment
of balances reported by the Auditor to be due to
mail contractors and other persons, the supervis-
ion of the accounts of offices under orders to
deposit their gu lrterly balances at designa' ed
points, and the superintendent Of the rendition
by postmasters of their, quarerly returns Of
postages 1t has charge of the Dc.sd-Letter
Office, of the issuing of postage stamps and
stamped envelopes for the pre- payment of post
age, and Of the accounts conneted Herewith.
To the Third Assistant Postni i,ster General all
postmasters should direct theirt uarterly returns
of postage; those at draft ofies, their letters
reporting quarterly the net ppceeds of their
offices and those at deposting ,ffces, their GER
tifcates of deposit to him sh,uld also be di-
rected the weekly and month"; returns of the
depositaries of the Department as well as all
applications and receipts for posage stamps and
stamped envelopes, and for dead letters.
Inspection OGce.-Benj. N Elements, Esq,
Chief Clerk, and seventeen clerk. To this office
| is assigned the duty of receiving and examining
the registers of the arrivals aid departures OF
the mails, certificates of I've srvice of route
agents, and reports of mail failures of noting
the delinquences of contractors, and preparing
cases thereon for the action o the Postmaster
General furnishing blanks TO mail registers,
and reports of mail failures providing and
sending out mail bpgs and mai locks and keys,
and doing all other things whih may be aeces-
sary to secure faithful and e,act performance
of all mail contracts.
All cases of mail depreciation, of violation Of
law by private expresses, or y the forging or
illegal use of postage stamps, Ire under the su-
pervision of this Office, and sLauld be reported
to it.
All communications respecting lott money,
letters, mail depredations, or ober violations OF
law or mail locks and keys, shuld bs directed
"Chief Clerk, Post Office Department.