Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-06-01


jrHO1se of Representatives, We give Al
1'extFAeE. 1z5 i.ii 80 81 - 1oi'-
HThe FIRST seven sections refer to hi
fmode of eompensating Postmastsrs, = spb
fleet which hashefetofote claimed the At
ftention of Congress, and one which con
tsider Of the frst importaace 70 this De
I partment. The following are smung thu
Emore prominent reasons which present
themselves TO my mind in favor Of fxe6
salaries instead Of Commissions for Post
imasters: .9 'ass5a '+fiA sa' 90
"Uuder the existing law, minute &C.
lcoauts are kept of the postage on all mail.
Fable matter sent aad received, paid as we'll
las unpaid, Involving the necessity Of en-
lpl0ying maHy clerks in posto6iees for this
partfcnlar purpose, uaud also m the Office
of the Auditor of the Treasury for the
Postofice Department, where the accounts
OF the POstmasters are examined.
"Thus, from Boston, New York, Phila-
delphis, Cincinnati and Chicago-only i've
postofices-ffty thousand fOlios of tram
script are sent to the Auditor each quarter,
the originals being kept In those Offices
The whole bulk of accounts from all the
postoficss can be reckoued by tons; and
they are mainly kept for the purpose OF ar
irving at the allowances to Postmasters,
iUhieh Gye eStIRGted on the amount Of postage
collected. For any other purpose the ao-
countsHof mails sent aud received are prac-
tically useless. The great mass of mail
matter is prepaid by postage stamps, which
are charged to Postmssters, and for which
they are held accountable. In this way
the revenues of the department are sum-
ciently protected. II, then, the compen.
sstion of Postmasters be fixed, as proposed
by the bill in question, NO accounts will be
required of mail matter prepaid by stamps,
and the work in all the postofices will be
expedited, with great saving of labor and
expense. The accounting in the Auditors 3
Office Of this department will be much SIM
plifed, and there will be no difficulty in
holding PostmasteFs TO strict responsibili-
~ each quarter; whereas, now, in the ordi.
nary course of business, the accounts OF a
Postmaster for given quarter cannot be
adjusted until after the end of the next
quarter.
"There will also be considerable saw
ing in the items of blanks for postofices.
The estimated cost of paper and printing
next year is nearly one hundred thousand
dollars, while the proposed change in the
form of accounts will require less than
one half of that expenditure.
"The present law limits the commissions
of Postmssters to two thousand dollars
per annum, and .also forbids allowances
from other sources beyond that amount;
so that, in fact, the Postmasters Of all the
principal offices already have fixed sGla-
ries, Gin no case exceeding four thousand
dollars per sunum) though they can only,
be paid after presenting Voluminous ac-
counts on each and every letter mailed. aud
of numerous rates of commissions differ
ing according TO the character of the mail
matter, and also according to amount,
there being no less than ten rates. Other
changes and credits ia an account current
number twenty Eve, making in all thirty
FIVE heads Of calculation whereas, by the
proposed new law, all accounts will be
reduced 10 tho fmpiest forms, --- '--
'FThe rule for fixing salaries Is such as
to ensure ample justice to all Offices; and
The provision for revising the ciassif cation
must have the effect to stimulate Post
masters 10 performing their duties, lest
they should suffer q reduction of salary
for a diminished business, whilst they
have the assurance Of sproper addition
for an enlarged business. 9
"Tbe reasons for special legislation in,
the case of the Postof6ce at New York are
obvious. Its net revenues to the Depart
ment- are now at the rate of nearly one
million of dollars per aunum-one hun
UEEu OCubs dOONS G1EEg
The business counection with the foreign
mails alone entTtle that Office TO a separate
classification, while its other interests aud
responsibilities are equally commanding.
and entitls it to q corresponding dtstfnc-
ton in respect to emolument."
I These are interssIng fscts= bearing upon
the needed and concentrated TetoTE7Tl
facts in which the people are vitality inter-
ested-because the more simple the ma.
chinery of government can be made in any
Department the nearer it approaches that
standard which, since the ffouRdation of
republican Institutions in this country, has
been the desiderstum sought. -s i
y To recur briefly The contemplated. re-
form proposes to divide the compensation
Of Postmasters into Ave classes, the first
TO receive not more than four and not less
than three Thousand dollars, and so on
down to the fifth, which from the business
done affords less than one hundred dollars.
BY ineredSe of bwsiness an office may be ell
eVsted TO p higher class, thus presenting q
stimulent to each officer to do his duty in
every respect. The post Office incnmbents
should hail this reform % one which,
whilst It does not curtail their salaries at
all, relieves them of the most eumbersome
aud perplexing part of their labors and re-
sponsibilities ;7capd the people at large
should hail il as oueWhfch, less costly en-
sures more prompdtude spdleispre for due
service on the part of public fuuctionaries.
It. lis only within the past few yeaEs that
the most striking and needful improve
ments in q branch of the public service so
necessary, to the welfare and comfort of
society have been made, and after what has
already been, accomplished in this direc-
lton, We are prepared to welcome With our
best wishes, whatever may make 1T still
more Perfsotiniits capacity, to benefit soci.
ETY. and the eiwOFld st1large. gers da0s =u1
WiVim0V.v NnI0dSH9 Is