The national Republican., 1867-12-16

pensed with, and pro rata compensation for
tho amount Of service retained and continued.
0. Payments will be made BY collections from
or drafts on postmssters, or otherwise, after tho
expiration Of each quarter--say In November,
February, May, and August.
10. The distances arc given according to the
best information; but no increased pay will bo
allowed should they be greater than advertised,
II the points to be supplied are correctly stated
Bidders must inform themselves on this point
and also In reference to the weight Of the mail
tho condition Of roads, hills, streams, 30, and
all toll bridges, ferries, or distractions OF any
kind by which expense may be incurred. No
claim FOR additional pay, based on such ground
eau be considered; nor for alleged mistakes or
misapprehensiou as to the degree Of service; nor
for bridges destroyed, ferries discontinued or
other distractions Increasing distance, occurring
during the contract term. Offices established
after this advertisement 10 issued, and also dur.
Ing the contract term, are to be visited without
extra pay II the distance be not increased.
IL. Bidders are cautioned to mail their propo.
sails in time to reach the Department by the day
and hour named % p. m, March 4, $685. for
bids received after that time will not be consid.
cred In competition with q bid OF reasonable
amount received In time. Neither can bids be
considered which are without tho guaranty re-
quired by law and q certificate OF the suficiency
Of such guaranty.
H. Bidders should Grst propose for service
strictly according to the Advertisement, and
then, II they desire, separately for different scr.
vice; and II the regular bid be the lowest offered
for the advertised service, the other propositions
may be considered.
10. There should be but one route bid for In
proposal. Consolidated or combination bids
('proposing one sum for two or more routes')
ore forbidden by law. and cannot be considered
IL. The route, the service, the yearly pay, the
name aud residence Of the bidder, Chat 10, his
usual post office address,) and the name Of each
member ofa firm, where company ofEcrs, should
be distinctly stated.
is. Bidders are requested to use, as far as
practicable, tho printed proposals. furnished BY
the Department, to write out In full the sum Of
their bids, and to retain copies Of them.
Altered bids should not be submitted; nor
should bids once submitted be Withdrawn. No
withdrawal Of bidder or guarantor will be al
lowed unless the withdrawal 10 dated and re.
ceyed before tho last day for receiving proposals.
Each bid must be guaranteed by two response
be persons. The bid and guaranty should be
signed plainly with the full name Of each person.
The Department reserves tho right to reject
any bid which may be deemed extravagant, and
also to disregard the bids of falling contractors
and bidders.
10. The bid should be sealed, supsrscribed
" Mail Proposals, State Of Maryland, - addressed
Second Assistant Postmaster General, Con.
uhot Omce, huu bont Dy mail, not by or TO an
agenti and postmasters will not enclose pro-
posals Tor letters Of any kind In their quarterly
returns.
II. Tho contracts are to be executed and re.
turned to the Department by or before the 1st
day Of July, 1868; but the service must bs be.
gun on that day, or on the mail day next after
1t, whether the contracts he executed or not.
Transfers Of contracts, or OF interest in con-
tracts, are forbidden by law, and consequently
cannot be allowed. Bidders will therefore take
notice that they will be expected to perform
tho service accepted to them through the whole
term Of the contract.
IS. Postmasters at offices on or near railroads,
but more than eighty rods from a station, will,
Immediately after the 4th Of March next, report
their exact distance from the nearest station,
and how they arc otherwise supplied with tho
mail, to enable the Postmaster General to d.
rect a rsii.messenger supply from the lst of
July next.
~. Section eighteen Of an act of Congress ap-
proved March 8, l845, provides that contracts
for the transportation OF tho mail shall be lot,
"in every case, to the lowest bidder rendering
sufficient guarantees for faithful performance,
without other reference to the mode Of such
transportation than may be necessary to provide
for the due celebrity, certainty and security Of
such transportation" Under this law bids that
propose to transport the mails with " oslerity,
certainty, and security" having been decided
to bo the only legal bids, are construed ne pro-
yiding for the entire mail, however large, and
Whatever may be the mode of convey ance
necessary to insure its celebrity, certainty, and
security" and have the preference over all
others, and no others are considered.
20. A modification of q bid In any Of its es.
sential terms is tantsmount to a new bid, and
cannot be received, so as to interfere with reg.
ular competition, after the last hour set for re.
ceiving bids. Making new bid, with guar
anty and certificate, is the only way to modify
previous bid.
81. Postmasters are to be careful not to Ger.
tify the sufhciency Of guarantors or sureties
without knowing that they are persons Of sutfi.
ccnt responsibility 4 disregard Of this instruc-
tion by postmasters Is q violation Of their oath
Of office, subjecting them to immediate removal.
All bidders, guarantors, and sureties are dis.
tincty notified that on 4 failure to enter into or
perform the contracts for the service proposed
for in the accepted bids, their legal liabilities
will be enforced again't them.
20. Present contractors, and persons known at
the Department, must, equally with others, pro.
cure guarantors and certificates Of their suHi-
cheney substantially in the forms above pre-
seribsi. The ceatihcate Of suficiency must be
signed by q postmaster, or by judge of q court
Of record No other will be admitted.
ALEX W. RANDALL,
leIh.nE pnstmnatar Ganeral