New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-09-16
ADJUSTMENT OF posTMAsTERs' SALARIES.

WHAT "CLAIM AGENT" HAS TO SAY ABOUT IT
To the Editor or The Tribune.
SIRE: Eleven years ago Kansas postmas
ter employed me 10 collect his claim Ter salary
He served from April Ia, 1871. to June 80 1877 ana
pad the whole cost running the Office. He collected
in hostage 81 O7s and rents constructed at his
cost $40 90 and paid the ole amount OF both on requ
sition to Department. To compensate MIN TOT MS
seryces and the hundreds of dollars expenses he Was
compelled to incIr Tor the whole term, the Department
maid him SO 49. Many similar claims had previously
been paid and this by precedent and by
law entitled TO a salary OF $500 per year. This claim
created great commotion. II turned out TO be one OF
great number. The Postmaster-Genera by circulars
warned postmasters not TO correspond with me. Inc
claim was finally made test in the Court OF Claims to
determine the rights OF great number This man failed
TO recover the Supreme Court holding the Postmaster
Generals readiustment an executive act made neces
sary by law In or to perfect any liability OF the Gov
ern ment. =, (95 u. s., p. $50.
The record and decision OF this case then sub
mitted to Congress- and Senators Bailey and Kirkwood
investigated whole subectin the Department and the
sensto Post Office Committee unanimously reported
hill and at the end Of the XLvh Congress unani
mousy passed by the Senate In the XLVth Congress
the sa me committee again unanimously reported bll,
and it was also unanimously passed by the Senate.
The Post Office Committee OF the House OF the
XLVIth Il. Congress fully considered the subject
and unanimously reported bill The House in Jan
nary 1881 voted 159 for to So against bill the
XIYIIth Congress the House Post Office Committee
unanimously reported bill on March l3, 1ss2. and II
passed the House April g. with but 35 opposition votes
This bill was fully considered by the Senate Post Office
Committee and unanimously reported with some verbal
amendments on June %, 1882. II was unanimously
nassed by the Senate on March 3, 1893. and IN full
and attentive HBuse 1t was taken by unanimous con-
sent of the from the Speakers table read through
and the amendments cOncurred In. Throughout all these
proceedings this violently opposed by tn
Post Office Department.
when It became a law there was great commotion
among the sub of eials who had resisted II. They
vorerated that there was neither money clerks TO
execute it,, II is well known. however that with u
force of fortyhve clerks all told IN the First AS
sistauts Office 80 900 salaries were readusted be-
tween January and June 1872. In 1SSl-s2 this ONCE
had nfty-two clerks and in 1ss3'S4, with increase
of per cent that of 1882, this Office has
.xtynine clerks Upon these rcadust nens
qure of the postal receipts upon about esh
returns and the Dputation Of communications thereon
consequently they faiea to persuade the Postmaster
General TO the DOn-execuuOn Of the law upon thls
o complying with its uundates The law requires him
u resdust the salaries % postHasers upon the ps OF
commissions upon returns showing the salary allowed
omnIicsTed and asrse theories have been presented
TO MIN as to lis construction The opinion of the As
sisant Atorney-enera, which he asked FOR Is. as IL
nderstood nm consOpap nee with its emphatic require
mentg But out abundant and caution the POst
MASTER General has asked the opinion OF the Attorney
one attorney has conducted from the beginning the
litigation these He has the good opinion OF
thousands of worthy men throughout Tue county, uu
as VET received pay his eleven years OF ser
vice Tit Is the second law Congress has enacted to
secure to people their rights. The attorney has
earnestly TO enforce their rights Does ths TACT
Justify the assault made hun III The TRIBUNE
correspondence Of August % II Is said that tins assault
Is from the sub-oficias OF the Department IL may be
saa in favor OF this attorney and MS clients tbat they
uevec ON behalf OF the United states took upon them
selves the supreme obligation faithfully 10 execute the
Laws In consideration OF liberal salaries TO them paid
and aferward betrayed tine great trust repossd In tHem
by assaults upon the laws and by vicious attempts 10
strike down the rights OF great number OF people.
Aud not one whole number ever attacked through
public prints the private character OF any man De
vIndcaton OF the rights Of the people guaranteed by
the laws. HARVEY SfADiN"'
washington, d. c. Aug 81, 1853.