The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-11-12

MIR. EDIToR,-I would seem to be no more
than Just for one who publicly charges an
other with misconduct to require him to sign
his name to the charge, that the public may
know what estimate to put upon it The best
official clerk may sometimes make mistake;
but he ought not to be subjected to anonymous
complaints. ts5ogitafE 81 u .4.s.
Tirat the necessity for using fractional cur
rency, instead eff coin subjects the community
to Inconvenience and loss, every one knows
well enough. But government officers are not
TO blame for this A postmaster not only has
no advantage over others; he suffers far great
er Inconvenience and loss than Others because
he is obliged to receive so much of such cur
rency. And if your correspondent had taken
pains to make inquiries, he might have learn
ed some things that would, at least, have Civ
EN- his censures different direction. rl
1. A postmaster has no stamps or euyelopes
except what he bugs, paying Tor them,
in however large quantities. the same
price for which they are sold, Nth
no discount sohdteper.. So that he has not
like the merchant, any profit to make I'm for
any Toss. And he cannot even pay for hem in
the ordinary way; but he must retain the
moneyin his hands, and pay drafts upon him,
IN large sums, to contractors and others
Therefore he cannot use scrip IN mdking pou-
,oeafs5 fui ~ Iuiftu lli.Ef ij Ivl9&
@ All the currency he receives he takes at
his personal risk, though he has no better
means of telling whether it is genuine than
o hers have, The Postofice Department does
not take it, whether good or bad. The
postmaster, precisely hike the merchant must
send his scrip TO the Treasury Departments
or to the national banks that are depositaries
of public funds; and all loss for what is mutt
lated, is his loss. Whether this ought to be so
is not the question. So long as it. is so, he
cannot be blamed for using the same care that
the merchant does, to protect himself
3. And the Rules of the Department not on
" permit, but enjoip snch care. The post
masters are instructed not to take fractional
currency in any case when so much soiied or
de'"ce" mat ITS gennineness cannot be cleariy 4!
md satisfactorily aScertoiheY." ANY other rule
would be manifestly unjust. There is no req
son why one man, because he holds n ooverp |
ment office, should, at his o,on rjsk ana Lse
lake all the delaced and worn not scrin tbat IL
ifioat in the community. nH-rF -,a1 100
should not have troubled you with this ON
my own account; but the Cashier of the post
once IN this city, and'his assistant, have tried
70 40 their duty faithfully. They deny that |
'hey have refused scrip in any such eases as
NOSE named. And no one, certainly, who will |
'""k lhte The currency drawer ut the close of
any nay business, and see what a worthless
looking pie OF rags it contains, will accuse
'neni oi oe'hg over strict. That some persons
VINO nave scrip so defaced or doubtful that
lhey cannot pass it elsewhere, attempt to pass
u 10 lhem, Tor stamps, and COMPLAIN if thew do
not succeed, is. not strange. That there have
been no mistakes, or errors in Judgment. is not
pretended, But that they have by their
piomptness and courtesy, received, az they
not, think, be denied W. DAVIS