Evening journal., 1911-05-05
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
When Uncle Sam Had Only
One Postmaster
By "Holland."


DO you know that until the latter
part of Grants second administration
there was only one postmaster in the
United Statesq"
The questioner was James Henry
Mari, who had entered the Postoffice
Department as clerk under Amos
Kendall. Jackson's last Postmaster
General, risen to First Assistant POST
master-General under President Grant,
and at the time he put this question
was chief clerk to the First Assistant
Postmaster-General in Cleveland's
first administration.
Yes" continued Mr.. Marr. from
the foundation Of the Federal Govern
ment until the latter part Of Grants
second administration-near one
hundred years-the country had but
one Official postmaster. though during
that period there were many individ-
uals who were that postmaster. The
postmaster of the United States dur
ing all that time was always none
But at one time during that period
If II had not been for John c. Calhoun,
the law which designated the Post
master-General as the postmaster of
the United States would have been re-
garded as a dead letter and treated ac-,
cordingly.
A short time after Mr.. Calhoun had
resigned the vice-presidency of the
United states and been elected SEN
ator from South Carolna-that was
IN lS32-he one day entered the office
of the Postmaster-Geueral, Amos Ken
dali. Mr.. Calhoun's long. dark hair
was brushed straight back from his
forehead; his eyes looked like two
burning Goals OF fire. I was with Mr.
Kendall; Mr.. Calhoun spoke most
courteously TO me-he was courteous
TO overybody-and then turned to the
Postmaster-General
MIR Postmaster-G General. he said.
] have Just noticed a disposition TO
make out improperly commissions to
those appointed to take charge of post
offices throughout the country. Mr.
Postmaster-General. you are the only
postmaster i'm the United States; your
successor will be the only postmaster;
all men appointed to take Immediate
charge of the various postoffices
throughout the county are, under the
law. deputy postmasters and nothing
more. The man in charge Of the post
Office at New York is "A deputy post
master; so is the man in charge of the
postoffice at Philadelphia Let us say
that probably by 'inadvertence a com
mission has just been made out ap-
pointing a man postmaster / desire to !
have that corrected. No man under the |
law can qualify or take charge OF a
postoffice under the designation of
postmaster" Unless now, so far as |
know. no commission has been out
since I have been in public life by
which any one has qualified To take
charge of any postoffice in the country
except under the title of deputy post
master" And If It Is possible for me
TO prevent IL, no commission shall be
made out in any other way
Mr.. Kendall thanked the great Cal
houn for calling the matter to his at
tention, and assured him that all com
missions to appointees TO take charge
Of postofficcs would be made out in
strict accordance with the law; and
that way they were made in every case
to my personal knowledge. as long as
Calhoun lived
Furthermore, I had occasion not |
long ago to look over the records re- |
lating TO the appointment Of men TO |
take charge of postoffces. found |
that as late as General Grants second /
the POstmaster-Gen- |
eral was the sole postmaster of the
United States, all the so-called post /
masters throughout the country being
set down in the records as deputy
postmastcrs But I'm Grants second
administration the law was changed
so that IT became legal TO drop the
word deputy and tho unique distinc-
ton that the Postmaster General had
enjoyed for nearly "A century OF legally
being the country's only postmaster
was lost to him"
Copyright. 1911, by r. J. Edwards. All
rights reserved).
TOmorrOw Mr. Ed,Vord. ,.-i1r an "a