Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-04-19

ton and Gen. HarFison's. Serious ques-
tons of law, Of statutory construction,
Of department precedent and routine
arose, and tie official correspondence
during several years, concerning Moses
and his s. contract. became 50 vclumi-
nous that it would fill small volume.
Moses understood nothing Of all this be
kept on In his simple, straightforward
way, carrying the mails, in order that
the service might not be interrupted,
and depending on the governmental set
him right in the end.
Finally it Became apparent that the
1 only way to cut the red tape and let
Moses out was for him 10 become tech.
nica!ly detaultcr on his contract by
refusing to perform the service. lie
gave . months notice in the spring Of
lssS, and, at the same time, wrote, or
rather dictated, personal letter n the
second assistant postmaster.general. II
is not without path0s and honely
dignity:
kSoB LICK, Mo-, March /. Isss.-Dsdr
SIR: notified the honorable postmaster
general that | was compelled to give Jpn
contract.
Ny bid was 500. The postmaster at
Knob Lick made it ont for me. and made
u si when he wanted to make it S400. The
Postmaster-General wrote me that for
further information to communicate with
you and state the reason for quitting my
contract. am poor man and have a
family to support, and how can / do it on
81 year.
1t would be limited support, and if YOU
can do something for me your favor shall
never be forgotten. | assure you. have
now carried the mail three quarters. Am
now bound TO quit If there Is not d change
made. Please let me hear from you soon,
l am yours, truly, MosEs PEHDERGRAss.
In reply, Moses received curt note
from the Office of the Second Assistant
Postmaster-Gener informing him that
If he abandoned the service it would be
reiet at the expense of himself and his
sureties. Moses held on for 80 DAYS.
and then for 10 days longer in order
not to embarrass the United States gov
eminent. Then he quit, and the depart
ment engaged somebody else to carry
the mail bags, paying the substitute Sc
trip, where Moses had received about
one cent and one eighth trip, or So. ~
lor a year Of 3l2 thirty-mile trips. Then
the Hon. Adlai Z. Stevenson, as Acting
Poslmaster-General, issued an official
proclamation declaring Moses Fender
grass defaulter on his $4contract with
the government; and the sixth auditor
OF the Treasury ciphered out the gov.
ernment's claim for damages against
Moses and his sureties. The exact
amount for which the government of
the United States held Noses responsible
was 81, 459.s5.
such is red tape. The claim of the
United States against the poor faithful
fellow was alive until 1890, when il was
graclously RENTED, or compromised, on
consideration OF the payment by Moses
OF 81 into the United States treasury.
Moses paid mis- dollar, thereby parting
with about one-quarter of his entire
gross receipts for nine months of dill.
gent work rs government contractor.
No way was ever discovered by the
authorities of the Postoffice Department
to square accounts with Moses Fender
grass on the basis of equity and plain
justice To that innocent sufferer from
the clerical blunder Of another mun.
lie las waited seven years for the
money which he honestly earned. A
bill to pay him for his nine months
service in lsS7-SS, at the rate proposed by
tho next lowest bidder in the competi-
ton wherein he figured at 81 year,
has just been reported fayorably BY the
Senate committee on postUffices.
We think most of our readers will
agree with US in the opinion that the
Moses Pendergrass bill ought to pass.