The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1871-02-11
Letter of the Postmaster General to the
Senate Post Office Committee.


The following concise and convincing
letter of the Postmaster General is made
by the Senate Post Office Committee part
of their report in the case of Chorpenning:
Posi- OFFICE DEPARTMENT,
WASHINGTON, d. c., Feb. 4th, 1871.
Hon. alexander Ramsey, Chairman of the
Post Office Committee Of tile Senate:
My DEAR SIR:-The Senate having refer
red to your committee the House resolution
for the repeal of the resolution of Congress
approved July Is, 1870, have the honor
to invite at the hands of your committee a
most searching investigation into all the
proceedings connected with the claims of
George Chorpenning, and to request that
no report may be made until you can con-
tidently speak as to my good or bad faith
i'll respect thereof.
In justification of myself desire to make
brief statement.
On the 22d of September 1869, Chorpen-
ming presented to me, as Postmaster Gen
eral, a petition, wherein he asked for the
reversal of decision made by Postmaster
General Brown, and for an allowance of an
additional sum of money in the way of
extra compensation under the first section
of the act of March 3, 1857. After hearing
the argument of COUNSEL gave written
decision on October 10, 1869, adverse to
Chorpenning, and dismissed his petition
on the same ground as that assumed by
my predecessors Messrs. Holt, Blair, and
Randall-namely, that the case had already
been decided by Postmaster General Brown,
and should not be disturbed without further
legislation. This | declared to be a final
disposition of the case upon the law as it
then stood, and suppose that should never
again during my term of Office be called
upon to consider it. But by joint reso!1l-
ton of Congress, approved July Is, 1870,
the Postmaster General was directed to
investigate and adjust not only the claims
of Chorpenning, under the first section of
the act of 1857, on the basis of compensa-
ton allowed by said act for the regular
service, but also Il certain other claim
growing out of the curtailment and annul-
ment of his contract on route 1891, on the
basis of his agreement with the Postmaster
General for that service. This act was
mandatory, and enjoined upon me the
laborious and disagreeable task of investi-
eating and adjusting certain specified claims
i'll prescribed manner, at fixed compen-
sation, and according to the "affidavits
and proofs on file in the House of Repre-
sentatives," i'll 1857. / was made mere
accounting officer and was charged with
the adjustment of Chorpenning's claim,
under the act of 1857, according to unalter-
able and arbitrary rules
AS soon as able, | reluctantly proceeded
to discharge my duty, to the best of my
ability. The result of my labors, present
to you in the form of a report. 1t fully
details the manner of my decision, and the
reasons therefor.
Having given to the subject the best
ability and study could command, sent
for Mr.. j. n. Davis, one of the most
upright, laborious and competent of my
subordinates, and submitted to him my
report for his careful revision. He returned
it at the close of the day with but one
objection. His point was, that | had erred
in allowing for extra services prior to the
1st of July, 1858, at the rate of $50, 900 per
annum, rather than at the old contract
price of $4,000 per annum. l answered
that | had already carefully considered that
point and was obliged to over-rule his
objection. This felt constrained to do in
obedience to the very words of the law. If |
however, l had adopted Mr.. Davis sugges-
ton, it would have made difference of
about four Or five Thousand dollars in the |
amount Of the award.
| concluded my official connection with |
the case by formally filing my report in the
department, on the 23d of December last,
where it has ever since remained, subject |
to inspection and examination. 1t was |
not until the eth day of January, that
copy of it was transmitted to the Sixth I
Auditor. l never signed any warrant,
draft, order, or other authority for it's pay |
ment, or directed or requested any other
officer to do so. On the contrary, l sent |
for Judge Martin, the Sixth Auditor. and |
his chief clerk, Mr.. McGrew and after tell
ing them of the magnitude and character