The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1871-11-18

explained by certificates OF pOstmasters OF
the affidayits of other credible persons, for
failing to arrive in contract time; for
neglecting to take the mail from, or deliver
it into, post Office; for suffering it to bs
wet, injured, destroyed, robbed, or lost !;
and for refusing, after demand, to convey
the mail as frequently as the contractor
runs, or is concerned in running, coach,
car, or steamboat on route.
Z. The Postmaster General may annul
the contract for repeated failures to run
agreeably to contract; for violating the
post office laws, or disobeying the instruc-
tions of the Department; for refusing to
discharge carrier when required by the
Department to do so; for running an express
as aforesaid; or for transporting persons or
packages conveying mailable matter out Of
the mail.
8. The Postmaster General may order an
increase of service on a route by allowing
therefor pro rata increase on the contract
pay. He may change schedules of depar-
lures and arrivals in all cases, and particu-
larly to make them conform to connections
with railroads, without increase of pay,
provided the running time be not abridged.
The Postmaster General may also discon-
tinue or curtail the service in whole or in
part, in order to place OH the route supe-
IloI scIfiCc, VI whichever tuc puDllC inter-
ests, in his judgment, shall require such
discontinuance or curtailment for any other
cause; he allowing as full indemnity to
contractor one months extra pay on tho
amount of service dispensed with, and a
pro rata compensation for the amount of
service retained and continued.
y. Payments will be made by collections
from, or drafts on. postmasters or other
wise, after the expiration of each quarter
say in November, February, May, and
August, provided that required evidence Of
service has been received.
III. The distances given are believed to
be substantially correct; but no increased
pay will be allowed should they be greater
than advertised, if the points TO be sup
Piled are correctly stated. Bidders must
inform Men'selces on this point, and also in
reference to the weight of the mail, the
condition of roads, hills, streams. &c. and
all toll-bridges, turnpikes, plank roads, fer
ries, or distractions of any kind by which
expense may be incurred No claim for
additional pay, based on such ground; can
be considered; nor for alleged mistakes or
misapprehensions as to the degree of SER
vice; nor for bridges destroyed, ferries dis
continued, or other distractions causing or
increasing distance or expense occurring
during the contract term. Offices estab-
lished after this advertisement is issued,
and also during the contract term, are to
be visited without extra pay, if the dis
lance be not increased.
II. Bidders are cautioned to mail their
proposals in time to reach the Department
by the day and hour named, g. p. m,
March 1, 1872 for bids received after that
time oM not be considered in competition
with bids, of reasonable amount, received
| in fima Nathan bids ho
which are without the guarantee required
by law, and certificate of the suficiency
of such guarantee.
~. Bidders should first propose for ser
vice strictly according to the advertisement,
and then, if they desire, separately for diff
ferent service; and if 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 eombi-
nation bids proposing one sum for two
or more routes'') are forbidden by law,
and cannot be considered.
IA. The route, the service, the yearly
pay, the name and residence of the bidder,
THAT is. his usual post-office address, and
the name of each member of firm, where
a company offers, should be distinctly
stated.
Is. Bidders are requested to use, rs far
as practicable, the printed proposals fur
nished 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 with
drawn. No withdrawal of a bidder or
guarantor will be allowed unless the with
drawal is dated and received before the last
day for receiving proposals.
Each bid must be guaranteed BY two
responsible persons. The bid and guar
antee should be signed plainly with the
full name of each person.
The Postmaster General reserves the.
right to reject any bid which may be deemed:
extravagant; and also to disregard the bids
of failing contractors and bidders. Act
of July 2, 1886, section 24)
16. The bid should be- sealed, super.
scribed email Proposals, State of Mary
land" addressed "Second Assistant Post
master General, Contract Office" and sent
by mail, not by or to an agent. Bids Of
20, OOO per annnm and upward must be-
accompanied by a certified check or draft,
equal to per cent. of the amount
II. The contracts are to be executed and
returned to the Department by or before
the 1st day Of July, 1872; but the service
must be begun on that day, or on the mail
day next after it, whether the contracts be
executed or not.
Transfers of contracts, or of intereat in
contracts, are forbidden by law, and con-
sequently cannot be allowed. Neither can
bids, or interests in bids, be transferred or
assigned to other parties. Bidders will
therefore take notice that they will b.
expected to perform tho service accepted to.
them through the whole contract term.
Is. Section eighteen of an act of Con-
gress approved March 8, 1S45, provides
that contracts for the transportation Of the
mail shall be let, Sin every case, to the
lowest bidder rendering sufficient guaran-
tees for faithful performance, without other
reference to the mode of such transporta-
ton 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
q" celebrity, certainty, and sseurity," having
been decided to be the only legal bids, are con-
strued as prortdfng for the entire mail, AoU-
eoer large, and sohatsoer may be the mode Of
conveyance necessary to insurv its "celertty,
certainty and security" and haoe tho prefer
ence orer all others, and no others are con-
sidered, except for steamboat routes.
10. A modification of a bid in any of its
essential terms is tantamount to new bid,
and cannot be received, so as to interfere
with regular competition. Making new
bid, with guarantee and certificate, is the
only way to modify previous bid.
20. Postmasters are to be careful not to
certify to the sufficiency of guarantors
without knowing that they are persons Of
sufficient responsibility. They must not
sign the certificate until the sum of the bid
is inserted, and the bid and guarantee are
signed by the bidder and two guarantors;
a disregard Of Mis instruction by postmas-
tiers is a riolation Of their oath Of Office, sub
jccting them to immediate removal. Post
masters are forbidden By lac, under penalty
Of dismissal, to act as agents Of contractors,
or bidders, in any matter or thing relating to
the business Of the Department
81. All bidders, guarantors, and sureties
are distinctly notified that on failure to
enter into or perform the contracts for the
service proposed for in the accepted bids,
their legal liabilities Will be enforced against
them.
%. Present contractors, and persons
known at the Department. must, equally
with others, procure guarantors and csrti-
fcates of their sufficiency substantially in
the forms above prescribed. The certificate
-