The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1892-01-16
For the fiscal year ended June &C

For the fiscal year ended June 80,
1869, the revenue amounted to $751;
344,5II. For the year ended June
! 80, 1874, it amounted TO S2647Io72,
and this was an increase of S8,I26, sol,
or more than "A per cent, over the
revenue of 1869. The year r874-the
last year of Mr.. Creswell's administra-
tion-showed the unprecedented in
crease over the revenue of the previous
year of little more than IS per cent.
The total increase of revenue from
1874 to I $40 was only s., $50, OH, CT
about IL percent. While the increase
ofrevenue from 1869 to 1874 was at
the rate of Al per cent, the increase
of expenditure was at the rate of only
about IS per cent, Notwithstanding
that many of the improvements de-
vised by Mr.. Creswell were intended
more to promote the public convent
ence and to increase the usefulness of
the service than to profit the postal
revenue. In 1869, about 22.6 per
cent. of the postal expenditures were
paid out of the general Treasury on
account of the insuficiency of the
postal revenue and in 1874 the de-
ficiency of revenue supplied out of the
Treasury was about I76 per cent. 1t
was not, however, until 1882 that the
service again became self sustaining,
and this was followed by a reduction
OF letter postage to two cents-a step,
which, as l have said, met with MIR.
Creswell's warm approval.
l have but impertectly sketched
Mr.. Creswelps career as postmaster
general, but the records of the Depart
ment show thu for a successful grap-
pling with great questions, and for
important results accomplished, his
administration was o~e of the most
brilliant IN the history of the postal
service. He resigned his portfolio at
the end of June, 1874, after serving
five years and four months-the
greatest length of service of any head
of the Postoffice Department since the
days of William T. Barry, who was
Gen. Jackson first Postmaster Gen
eral, and the first Postmaster General
to occupy seat in the Presidents
Cabinet. Throughout his admlnissra-
ton. Mr.. Creswell retained Gen.
Grants undiminished confidence, and
shortly after his retirement flom the
Department, his legal services were
called into requisltion to represent the
Government before the court of Ala
bama claims, in which position he
greatly added to his record of dis
tinguished public setvice.
Mr.. Creswell was exceedingly popu-
lar in the Post office Department. He
was just and generous in all his deal
ings with his subordinates, and he
made them feel that IN him they had
a friend and protector. He was too
big to try to shift responsibilities upon
those who were beneath him in official
rank, and he always promptly went to
the front to resist any attack made
upon his Department. He was quick
10 recognize good work and quick to
commend and reward it. Good service
was sure to be followed bv promotion
and time and again he urged upon
Congress the justice of a better remun-
Grafton for the poorly paid employees
of the service. Alter his retirement
he continued TO manifest his regard
for his old friends in the Department,
and his advice and counsel were freely
sought and as feely given. 1t was but
natural and proper that his death
should be mourned by those who had
been associated with him in the pub
lie service.