The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-02-07

usual post-oflee address,, aud the name of each
member of a firm, where a company offers,
should be distinctly stated.
10. Bidders are requested to use. as far as
practicable, the 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should bids once submitted be Withdrawn.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 a bidder or euarantor will be
allowed unless the withdrawal is received twen-
ty-four hours previous 10 the time fixed for open.
ing the proposals.
sible persons. The bid and guarantee should be
signed plainly with the full name of each per-
son.
reject any bid which may be deemed extraya-
CANT and also to disregard the bids of failing
contractors and bidders. (Act of June s, 1872,
i6. The bid should bs sealed, superscribed
Mail Proposals, State Of" addressed
Second Assistant Postmaster General, Con-
tract Office" and sent by mail, not by or to an
agent. Bids of $4,000 per annum and
titled check or draft on some solvent
national bank, equal to s per cent. of the
amount 1t, lsee law Of Congress Of June 5, ls7sl
". me contracts are to be erecuted and returned
to the Department By or before the LIST day Of June,
1873. ohertotse the accepted bidder ,otH be conSid.
may proceed to contract for the service toith other
parties, according to ldlo.
Transfers of C pntracts, or of interests in con-
tracts are forbidden by law, and consequsn thy
cannot be allowed. Neither can bids, or inter-
ests in bids, be transferred or assigned to other
parties. Bidders will therefore take notice that
they will be expected to perform the service
awarded to them through the whole contract
term.
Is. Section 249 of the act of June s, 1879, pro-
vides that contracts for the transportation oil
the mail shall be awarded 10 the lowest bidder
rendering sufficient guarantees for faithful per.
Torrance, without other reference to the mode
Of such transportation than may be necessary to
provide for the due CELEBRITY, certainty and secu-
rity thereof" Under this law bids that propose
to transport the mails with celebrity, certainty,
and security hduing 6ssn decided TO be the only
legal bids, q; G construed as pr0Utding for the en-
tire mail, however large, and ~tohdteper may be the
mode Of conveyance necessary to insure ats zee
lerity, certainty, and security" and have the pref
erence oper all others, and no others are consid.
cred, except for steamboat routes.
10. A modification of a bid in any of its essen
tial terms is tantamount to a new bid, and can.
not be received, SO as to interfere with regular
competition. Making anew bid, with guarantee
and certificate, is the only way to modify a pre-
yious bid.
%. Postmasters are to be careful not to certify
to the suficiency of guarantors without knowing
that they are persons of sufficient responsibility.
(See section 247, act of June 8, lS72) 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
ofthfS instruction By poStnaSters l0tH subject them
to Immediate removal, and to severe penalties,
Postmasters are also liable to dismissal from
office for acting as agents of contractors or bid
ders. with or without compensation, IN any busi-
ness, matter, or thing, relating to the mail SER
vice. They are the trusted agents of the Depart
ment, and cannot consistently act in both capa.
cities
81. All bidders, guarantors, and sureties are
distinctly notified that on a 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,
gurantors and certificates of their sufi-
cheney substantially IN the forms above pre-
scribed. The certificate of suficiencY must be
signed by a postmaster.
JNO. A. J. CRESWELL,
10 l3-6w Postmaster General.