The Portland daily press., 1869-02-06

carrying the order into effect. The Postmaster Gen
eral may also discontinue or curtail the service in
whole or in part in order 70 place on the route su-
his judgment, shall require such dlscontnuance OF
eurtaiment Tor any other cause; he allowing as tull
indemnity to contractor one months extra pay on
the amount OF service dispensed with, and pro
rata compensation tor the amount OF service retain
ed and continued.
0. Payments will be made by collections from or
drafts on postmasters otherwise, alter the expi-
ration of each quarter-say in November, February,
May, and August.
10. The distances are given according to the best
information; but no increased pay will be allowed
sn4utd out they be greater than advertised, - the
nest INFORM themselves this point, and also in
reference to the weight OF the mail, the old ion OF
Ioaus' NUS, streams &c. and all tO-bridges, fer
Iles oL INSTRUCTIONS OF any kind by which expense
may De incurred. No claim for additional pay,
based on such ground can he considered; nor for
alleged mistakes or misapprehension as 10 the de-
gree OF service; nor for bridges destroye ferries
discontinued, or other obstrnctous Increasing Dis
tance or expense, occurring during Tho contsoct
term Offices established AFTER this adver,jsewan is
issued and also during the Contract term are 10 he
visited without extra pay, If the distance be not iu-
creased.
in time to reach the Department by the dav and
hour named, f3 D. m, March 81, 1851 for bids re-
ceived after that time i0U not be considered in com
petition with bid reasonable amount received In
time. Neither bids be considered which are
without the guarantee required by law and certd-
cate OF IN The sutfeieney Of such guarantee.
IL. Bidders should first propose for service strict
accOrung to the advertisement and then, If they
desire, separately for different service; and if the
regular bid be the lowest offered for the advertised
service the other propositions may be considered.
49, There should be but one route biI for in a
ProPosal, Sons4nuated @ OF combination bids l'pro-
den by law and cannot be considered,
IA. Inc route, lhe service. the yearly pay, the
post Office address, and the OF each member OF
firm, where company offers, should be distinctly
stated.
Is. Bidders are requested to use. as lar as prac-
icabe, the printed proposals furnished by the De
partment to write out IN full the sum of their bids,
and to retain copies of them.
Altered bids should not be admttel; nor should
bids once submitted be Withdrawn. No withdrawal
of bidder guarantor will be allowed unless the
withdrawal is dated and received before the last day
for receiving proposals.
Each bid must be guaranteed by two responsible
| persons. The bid and guarantee should be signed
| plainly with the full name OF each person.
The Department reserves the right TO reject any
Did which may be deemed extravagant and also 10
disregard the bids OF falling contractors and bidders
| (Act OF July 2, 1896, section "a
| 10. Inc bld should be sealed superscrbed "AIail
Proposals, State of Maine," addressed "second As
sistant Postmaster General, Contract Ofhce," aud
sent Dy mug, not Dy OF TO an agent and postmasters
will not enclose proposals (nor letters of any kindl in
/ their quarterly returns.
IL. The contracts are to be executed and returned
to the Department by or before the st dan OF JuIg
1869; but the service must be begun that day. or
the mail day next after it, whether the contracts
| be executed or not.
Transfers of contracts, of interest In contracts
| are forbidden by law, and consequently cannot be
| allowed. Bidders will therefore take notice that
ed to them through the whole term OF the contract.
IS. Postmssters at offices railroads,
but more than eighty rods from station, will, i'm
mediatey after the 4th of March next report their
exact distance from the iearest station TO enable
| the Postmaster General 10 direct mail-messenger
| supply from the lst of July next.
~. Section eighteen of act Of Congress ap-
proved March 3, 1915, provides that contracts for
the transportation of the mail shall be Iet 'in ev-
cry case, to the lowest bidder rendering sufficient
guarantees for faithful performance, without other
reference TO the mode of such transportation than
provide
certainty, and security of such transportation.5
Under this law bids that propose TO transport the
| mails with "ceterity, certainty and secarifU,"
havi"g been decided to BE- the only legal bids are
construed providing for the entire mail hotceuer
large, and Ichdtever mag be the mode Of cOnreBdnce
carity, and hare the preference all others, and
no others are considered.
20. A modification of bid In any of its essen
tial terms is tanamount to new bid, and cannot be
received, to interfere with regular competition
Making new bid, with guarantee and certificate,
is the only way to modify previous bid.
Il. Postmasters are to be careful not to certify
the sutticeney of guarantors, suretes, without
knowing that they persons of sufficient respOn-
sibility; gard OF this instruction on post
masters Is vioLdtion OF their oath o. Office subject
ing them 10 immediate remoDdi. All bidders, guar:
antors and sureties distinctly notified that on
failure to enter into or perform the contracts for the
service proposed for in the accepted bids, their e-
gal liabilities will be enforced against them.
%. Present contractors known at the Department
must, equally with the others, procure guarantOTs
and certificates of their sufieiency in the formS
above prescribed The certificate of a suficiency
must be signed by a postmaster, or by Judge Of
| court of record. No other will be admitted.
ALEX. W. RANDALL,
| Postmaster General.