The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1879-11-27
NUMBER 81.
Under the heading of "Protection to Post

Under the heading Of "Protection to Post
masters in Person and Property the report
says: 81 desire respectfully to call your atten-
ton to the fact that there is no United States
statute imposing penalty upon any one for as :
sau.t1ng or maltreating Postmaster in the
discharge of his official duties, as in the case of
Revenue officers, and earnestly request that
Congress DO urged to pass such statute"
In connection with the suits recently decided
against Postmaster James, of New York, for
alleged infrin cement of letters patent in use of
canceling stamps, General Key says an ac-
counting of the cases are now being taken, but
as other postmasters are liable to be subjected
to expense IN the same manner because these
stamps have been in use at all the principal
postofices of the country for the last past ten
years, he desires to call attention to the fact
that there is no provision of Federal law to
secure Certificates of the probable cause" to
United States officials other than Treasury
officials in of adverse judgments f4rs acts
done in their official capacity. In the present
instance MFR. james, as postmaster, uses can
ceiling stamps furnished by this department.
The Court adjudged him to have infringed
q patent by such use. The judgment
for damages is against him personally.
In like cases the property Of Treas
ury officials is protected by law from
levy. | submit that similar protection is
due to all Goyernment employees when acting
( The report recommends that the provision of
Section II of the act of March 8, 1879, author
izil g the Secretary of the Treasury and the
Postmaster General to adopt the regulations
for the delivery to addresses in the United
States of dutiable books, with the collectors of
customs duties thereon, be extended to embrace
all articles of dutiabIc matter received in the
mails from foreign countries. The Pos ma ster
General recommends legislation to enable the
department of the Postal Union relative to the
pay mont of the limited indemnity for regis
tered articles lost or destroyed in the postal
service. The report goes to say that the
increasing demands of the postal service call
for a large increase IN the appropriation for the
payment of clerks in postofices. The estimate
($3, 600 ,000) for this item is greatly below tho
actual needs for the service. I have SO esti-
mated, however, because L did not desire to in
, crease the growing disparity between the reve-
nue. and expenditures Of the department. To
provide less sum for the employment fclerks
than have estimated for will cripple the W w,rS
of the postofices, and in many instances delay
the transmission of the mails. The free ldeliv-
cry service is mentioned as having attained a
great success, but the Postmaster General
marks that with larger appropriations. mors
frequent deliveries could be secured, and such
improvement, he believes, would meet with uni
yersaI comnendation in the large cities.
A deficiency of about $24, 900 is reported IL
funds available to pay letter carriers increased
salaries authorized by act oflast February, and
Congress is requested to supply it. The other
recommendations of interest made are, in brief,
that Congress should provide at next session for
supplanting at the earliest possible date the
mail locks now in use by others of new and inn
proved patterns (for which purpose an estimate
of f15O,000 is submitted) that the Public Prin-
ter be authorized to print a new edition of codi-
fed postal laws and regulations, to be sold to
the public at cost; that authority be given to
the Department to contract for the publication
of q monthly postal guide for term of i've
Yeara. -. -