Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-09-09

OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE ON A oUEsTIo,
INNOI. WING S4Ih hn

Some interesting correspondence has passed
between Comptroller Porter and the Post
Office department as to the fund from which
the amounts set down for the compensation
of pOStmasterS in the general deficiency act
and the sundry civil act are to be derived.
The source is not specified in either bill. The
question has arisen whether the amount ap-
propriated, $3.50 in all, is to come from the
Treasury, or from the postal revenues; !;
whether 1t is an actual appropriation or only
ing to the department. Before the question
was raised. the Post Office department having
the best OF reasons for believing that the
money was to come from the Treasury, made
rtquisition for the amount Comptroller Por-
ter, not knowing the form in which the esti
mates were laid before Congress. and finding
that no fund was specified in either bill as the
source from which the money was TO be de-
rived. hesitated to honor the reQuiSition, and
was inclined to believe that the amount set
down for the compensation of postmasuers
was included, so far as the Treasury was con
cerned, In the amount appropriated to meet
deficiencies in the postal revenues, provided
the requisition, but holding the matter in
allegiance, wrote to Sixth Auditor McGrew at
the Post Office department, as follows: My
attention has been directed to TWO requiSi-
tiOns OF accounts received at this department
from the Postmaster General for the sums of
SlOOOtO and $4,000, appropriated by the def
ciency act OF June "a, 1878, and the sundry
civil act of June 20, lSIS respectively, to sup
ply DEFICIENCIES for cOmpen ,atiOn of postmas-
lers. The requsitions are certified by you.
WIN you please inform me upon what ground
said sums are said to be payable out of any mon
les III the treasury not otherwise appropriated
l do not know what estimates were laid before
Congress, and in the absence of any provision
OF law directing the sums to be SO PAYABLE |
must, as at present advised decide that they
are included in the appropriations contained
III the acts cited, TO meet deficiencies that may
occur in the revenues of the Post Office depart
ment for 1873" A reply has now been sent to
this letter by Third Assistant z. M. q. HaZen,
in which the reasons for believing that the
money was appropriated from the Treasury
recommendations upon which the apDropria-
tlonS were based are inclosed. 1t appears
that in bis letter of April 25, to the Speaker
of the House of Representatives, the Post
master General suggested that the deficiency
appropriation, solicited for the compensation
OF postmasterS, be paid out o. the postal reve-
taken into account in the estimate of the ap-
preparation needed to supply deficiencies ia
the revenue. AS poStmaSterS retain their
salaries out of the revenues, according to law,
this is the proper plan; but the House took a
different view of the matter as the remarks
OF the Hon. Mr.. Blount, of Georgia, who had
the matter in charge show. He said: AS to
the next item QOr pay of pOStmasterS) it will
be observed that this money is not taken from
postal revenues, but comes out of the Treas
ury. Therefore it is fund which the depart
ment may use even If it gets this 8, ,00J O00
But We have provided an appropriation of
$55OGO0, and these two items come
from tne treasury directly, making S90D,0JU.''
When the Postmaster General sent his letter
OF June 9Th to the chairman of the Senate CON-
mlttee on appropriations, asking for further
appropriation in the sundry civil bill, he did
not continue to act as in the previous case.
but followed the course pursued by the House
in the deficiency bill, and made no suggestion
that the appropriation should come from the
postal revenues, but left it to come by infer.
ence from the general treasury Both items,
for compensation OF pOStmaS, erS and for sup
plying deficiencies, were treated as distinct
appropriations from the Treasury in the Sen.
ate discussion. 1t is thus shown that in both
branches of Congress the intention was that
the money should come from the Treasury,
Mr.. HaZen'S letter closes: Moreover it has
heretofore uniformly been held that all apprO-
prlatlOnS for the service of the Post Office de-
partment, made outside of the regular Pos
Office appropriation bills, were payable out
any money In the Treasury, not otherwise ap
prOprlated, unless expressly stated. 1t is Ger
tain that if the two items in question ale held
chargable against the revenues, the depart
ment will fall short of the means required to
meet its authorized expenditures for the fiscal
year ended on the 30th of June last. In view
OF the facts it is earnestly hoped that the re-
QUESTION will meet with your approval" The
cutting Off of nearly half million dollars from
what the Post Office department considers to
be the amount OIL Its appropriation would be a
serious blow. But the plain intention of Con-
gress, the precedent in such cases, and the
needs of the department so strongly urged by
Mr.. Hazel, will perhaps bring the matter to a
satisfactory termination.
1t would be unfortunate II these appropria-
tiOns from the Treasury, intended by Con
greSS, should fail to become available on &C
count of any seeming defect in the phraseOlO-
gy Of the bills which provide for them.