The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-01-30

usual Dost-of1ce address,, aud the name of each
member Of firm, where company offers
| should be distinctly stated.
| 10. Bidders are requested to use as far ms
practicabie, the printed proposals furnished by
| the department, TO write out in full the sum Of
toeir 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| should bids once submitted be Withdrawn No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 guarantor will be
| allowed unless the Withdrawn Is received twen-
ty-four hours previous to the time fixed for open
| ing the proposals.
| Each bid must be guaranteed by two respon-
| sible persons. The bid and guarantee should be
signed plainly with the full name of each per-
| son.
| The Postmaster General reserves the right to
| reject any bid which may be deemed exLrava-
CANT and also to disregard the bids of failing
contractors and bidders. (Act of June 5, 1872,
section 249)
l6 The bid should be sealed, superscribed
MAN proposals, State of -" addressed
| tract Office" and sent by mail, not by or to an
agent. Bids of $4,000 per annum and
upward must be accompanied by GER
national bank, equal to 5 per cent of the
amount. (See law of Congress of June s. ls72l
II. The contracts are to be executed and returned
to the Department by before The LIST day Of June
1873 other,oise the accepted bidder ,oiH be consid.
cred as hauiug failed, and the Postmaster General
may proceed to contract for the service ,oih other
parties, according to lao
Transfers of contracts, or of interests in con-
tracts are forbidden by law, and conselusn 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 g. 1872 uro
vides that contracts for the transportation OF
the mail shall be awarded TO the lowest bidder
rendering sufficient guarantees for faithful per.
formance, without other reference 10 the mode
of such transportation than may be necessary to
provide for the due CELEBRITY, certainty and secu-
rlty thereof Under this law bids hat p, oppose
to transport the mails with celebrity, certainty
and security having been decided to be the only
legal bids, al construed as providfng yor the
tire mail however large, and tohateper may be the
mode or conveyance necessary to insure ITS zee
tertty, certainly, and security and haze the pref
erence ouer all others, and no others are consid
cred, except for steamboat routes
l9. 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 a new bid, wit h guarantee
and certificate, is the only way to modify pre-
vious bid.
90. Postmasters are to be careful not to certify
to the suff1cieucy of guarantors without knowing
that they are persons of sufficient responsibility.
(See section 247, act of June s, lS72) They must
notsign the certificate until the sum of the bid is
inserted, and the bid and guarantee are signed
by the bidder and (two) guarantors; disregard
Of this instruction by DostmdSterS totU subject them
to in,medtate removal, and to severe penalties.
Postmasters are also liable 10 dismissal from
office for acting as agents of contractor. or bid
ders with or without compensation, In any busl-
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
q. 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 gurantors and certificates of their sufi-
cheney substantially IN the forms above pre-
scribed. The certificate of sufficiencY must be
signed by postmaster.
JNO. A ]. CRESWELI.,
ia l3--6w Postmaster General