The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-03-26
Postmaster General CresweII on the
Postal Car Trouble.
THE GOVERNMENT AND THE RAILROADS.
President Grants Promotion Of His Son q
Surprise to the Army.
SENATORIAL WHITEWASHlNo.
The Interior Department Determined to Collect
the New York Central Tax-Appointmenb
and ConArmations--The Vacant
Kansas Senatorship.

Kansas Senatorship.
WASHINGTON. March 25, 1873.
Postmaster General CresSvell on tho
Postal Car DiMculty-Tho Department
Ready to Fight the Railroads.
Your correspondent called this evening on the
Postmaster General with reference to the postal
car difficulty. The afrabe Marylander, ever ready
to give his views any subject OF public interest.
waXed quite warm as he poured into your corre-
spondent's ear tale of the grasping avarice of the
railroad menopoes, who, in order to obtain their
eXtortionate demand, grind the faces of the poor
and subject the people to great injury and incon-
venience. The conversation was commenced with
the remark
81 hear you are put to great trouble, Postmaster
General, by the shabby treatment oil the railroad
companies. In the classic language Of Tweed,
What are you going to do about it p"
cat present we can do nothing but wait. You
see the railroad service differs from all Others in
that we cannot advertise and call forth cOmpeti-
ton. The compensation for railroad service is
fixed by law, and can't vary from the rates pre-
scribed by Congress. All We now can do is to get
ready for any emergency. We don't know exactly
what the roads are going to do. There is gener-
ally great deal of buster and talk before they
take action. On second thought they may change
their minds about their ext0rtonate demands. II
one road won't do the postal service wen try to
get another to do it, and II no roads will
do it We'll see what power we have
over them and IL we have not sufficient control in
the matter Wen go to Congress and ask for more
power. If they don't look out Congress will knock
daylight out of them next session. The railroads
don't seem to understand that can't exceed the
provisions OF the law and fix prices in excess of
those determined by Congress. am in a better
position since the passage OF the act last session in
SO much that can pay for Whatever services the
roads may do. l am not limited in quantity as l
was before"
''What increase Of compensation do the roads de.
mand9n
'They want to force US to pay for their postal
cars such extraordinary prices that we can't en-
plOy them. The Western railroads are gratifed by
the passage OF the law last session. In fact all
satisfied except few roads centring in New York
York city. Congress has appropriated for them an
increase of 100000 and yet they this time to
make trouble"
''What is likely to be the consequence II the rail-
roads should not yield and should withdraw their
postal cars9"
''why, the next thing the people may do is to
tear up the tracks, They are net going to be with
out their mails"
"Cannot the government compel them to come to
termsg''
''The extent Of the powers OF the government
ever railroads has not yet been clearly defined. but
If the roads bring it to an issue they will find what
the power of the government is. If 1t comes to
that Congress will probably decide that railroads.
being post routes, are under the control OF the
government and may be compelled to afford proper
facilities at such reasonable rates are deter
mined by Congress, and II the railroads refuse
Congress will declare that the Postmaster General
shall have power to forward the mails in his own
post cars and locomotives as often and as rapidly as
the public interest may require, and then the roads
will be admOnlshed to clear the track, and not
clearing it, the army will see to 1t thati Is cleared.
hope there will be no occasion to use even ask
FOR such extraordinary powers. But these cOrp0r-
atiOns who have received their franchises from the
people certainly owe in return certain duties to the
people. They not only owe the duty OF transport
ing passengers and freight, but the still greater
duty of transporting the mails with facility and
despatch, and the people will see to 1t that their
rights are enforced"
"Will not the greatest inconvenience fall upon
New York city in case the road Should withdraw
their postal carsy'
SIT would cause great deal or delay, but we
shall try to do the best we can. II we could not
make arrangements with other roads we should
number OF clerks to assert the mails on arrival. II
too small for this we shall have to
engage another building or assert the mails
at the depots. We are getting ready for
any contingency. We don't know exactly what
the roads will do, but we are making the best ar
rangements we can. II the railroads should with
draw their postal cars they might subject us to a
great deal OF trouble and annoyance, and Sc
rously interfere with their own business. But him
whom the Gods would destroy they first make mad.
II they persist in this they'll get sc0rchng
from Congress next December
Clayton Well Whitewashed by the Sem
ate-Patterson Wants Permission to
Daub Himself.
There was more than the ordinary amount Of
useless talk in the Senate to-day The mud incrus-
tations on Clayton's character have been washed
away by large majority in favor OF the resolution
OF the special committee generating him from the
charges Of fraud in his election. Several Senators,
notable among whom were stockton, Stevenson
and Carpenter apstained from voting. on the ground
that they had not dad time TO read the volunin-
Gus report OF the special committee. Norwood,
the dissenting member OF that committee, made
q very able argument reviewing and Analysing the
testimony, and showing conclusively therefrom
that the minority report had ''ample room and
verge enough~ to stand upon. He was
interrupted frequently by Clayton himself,
who took exception 70 Mcconnell, who was
one OF the principal witnesses against him, being
called his private secretary, he having merely an
swered some unimportant private correspondence
from constituents for Clayton. Mcconnell was de-
nounced by clayton and his colleague Is lesier,
man Of brightness and talents but wholly unre-
liable, utterly unscrupulsus and not to be believed
on OATH. Norwood defended the credibility 81
Mcconnell he having been corrosorated In great
part and in several instances by the testimony Of
Clayton himself Mr.. Morrill,, Of Vermont, said In
passing, referring to the Interruptions and state
ments OF Clayton. that he had made many state
ments In, reference to the whte-Hadley transac-
ton not under the sanction Of his oath, and Mr..
Clayton reiterated these statements, saying that
he willing TO advance TO the bar Of the Senate