Morning journal and courier., 1890-12-12
A TALK BY MIR. N. D. SHERRY

Before . Meeting Yesterday of the
 New England Division of Postal
 Clerks-Their Position of Great
 Responsibility and Danger-Gov-
 ernment Aid a Duty-The Public
 Lacks Proper Sympathy.
 The regular monthly meeting of railway mail clerks off duty of the New England division was held yesterday afternoon in the United States court room in this city. There were present about forty, among whom were Superintendent Ryan, Assist ant Superintendent SIM. Shepardson, Chief Clerks B. P. Jewett, W. H. Farwan and Horace Merrill, all of Boston. N. A. But ricks of this city was president of the
 meeting and H. E. Babcock of Hartford
 secretary. Business of routine nature
 came up for discussion, chief of which was
 the consideration of the department bill'
 now before congress. The expressions ut
 tered were mostly in favor of it. A com
 mittee was appointed to consider it more
 fully and act with similar committees ap-
 pointed by other divisions.
 One of the most pleasing features of the
 meeting to the members was the appear
 ance of Hon. N. D. Sperry, who had, upon an urgent invitation, come to speak few words to them. He was introduced by President Butricks in terms of highly complimentary nature. MT. Sperry was received with prolonged applause, for he is we'll known in the service as the warm hearted friend of all in the departments 's employment, and therefore it is needless to state his popularity is pretty nearly un- limited. His words in brief are as follows: ''It is always pleasure for me to meet those who are connected with our postal
 service, especially the postal clerks, and I hail them as my friends. The service is one of the greatest departments for the public of the United States, for we have to do with every eperson
 in the country, pretty nearly, who is C old position of the highest order and responsi- bility-one that should make everyone entering it's service feel the weight of dig | nity and importance. The service is made up chiefly with the small incidents, which necessitates constant and unwearying ap- plication of mind to the work.
 We in the service are dependent on each other, and the business interests of the country are totally dependent on us; | therefore it behooves us to be unit, with | the heart and soul, as it were, of one man. We ought to see how high and | grand we may build it, and to do this in tegrity and love for the service is supreme ly essential. speak as man who has had more than a quarter of century's eX- perience in postal matters. You can't be too careful how you conduct your busi-
 ness affairs, because you are performing them not only for yourselves, but the great public as we'll.
 In 1867 the first postal service was es- | tablished in New England with one cal
 running between New York and Boston | in charge of MT. Boyd, now assistant | postmaster of the New Haven office, who | had but one with him for assistance. Now l it requires for New England force ot | their fullest capacity with mail matter | The total number of miles travelled per year by the clerks of the country in dis
 charge of their duties is over 122, ,000,0 ,000 l the average trip per day of each clerk | being about 132 miles. The people dc 1 not begin to realize how enormous is the l extent of the postoffice department. The l number employed in 1888 in the postal ! service was 5000 and has been increased some since. The number killed, maimed l or wounded the same year was 356. The | people also do not understand the trials hardships and dangers which you con | stantly encounter.
 I believe firmly it is the duty of the gov ! ernment to give governmental aid to al meritorious men, or their families, who
 have been killed or injured while engaged | in so hazardous duty. This, I believe, il right, especially in the days of civil ser vice reform. I hope the day is coming 1 when civil service reform will mean some | thing, if it means anything at all.
 believe that the public is not half sym pathetic enough with you when errors arr made. I often wonder that no more mis takes are made, for they would be made i l the Angel Gabriel himself were superin | tending matters. It is great wonder tha
 so many letters go right. But let us try t. make the service credit to the depart
 ment. Let us put forward our best indi
 vidual efforts to aid the postmaster gen
 eral. who is aiming to make it second t.
 none in the world. Daniel Webster, grea
 as he was, could not step into the position
 that each one of you holds and fill it nor
 acceptably, any more than you could d.
 the great work of Daniel Webster.