t
Ptatns, iobpiiilent of, ami )ii.if In, the action of
Congress. To inch they limy be again reduced,
wheurvsr il (lull suit tli g.sai pleasure of I lie
Legislator.', AoiiMt m:U rd two, ilr Pre-'
dVol cart protect W nA( by no exocutiv posr,
but ouly by liis Lo"dliv negative. Among the
tiotn of frfvloHi which our Isthert incorporated
into our 1111 if Right, it la declared "thai I fro
qwNit recurruuco to fimdamenlsl principle i b
htnj M-cr la preserve lb bicasmgs of bber.
1 Mtr baa in truth or necessity bwu
anor clsarly demonstrated, lbs by (ha alarum
Intensions of Executive avwer now ot up for Hm
rat time. Accustomed w are, almost at lb
end of half century from th beginning of the
Uorernment, to iew I ha President of th United
?(!, exercising the authorities ami dispensing
tha patronage derived i) cooscqiiertce of luor
that thousand statute, we aro apt to overlook
tha relation of tho Executive to tbo other Apart.
.cnenU of tbo Guveriuocul, and to miaUko lha de
rivative; M ad original power. Hence wo bear, in
tbo Protest to lha Senate, of "original Executive
power," "kit unchecked by the Cunatilutiuo." .
And of trvtlotftoa drawn from tbo power of "the
bead of tbo Executive Department," "in lha Go
vernmeot from which many of tha fundsmsntal
principles of our syatam aro derived." nr, ' m
Constitution, aa I staled in tbo beginning, eoiiierrsd
only specific power on tho Prsssdeot, aa wall aa
04 tho whole federal Government, and did not
P check" power before possessed. Ha dediicaa
froe it bia wbulo odioial existence, and I tru4eat
agaioet his derivation of any power (totn'jtyvr
onre to the prerogatives of tbo King of Ureal
Drnian. . Wo have bora alao told in Ibia debate,
by tbo goutleinaii who preweotwd theao resolutions,
.1 1 tho excess of adiniraiija for the Executive, in
disparagement of the Legislative department of
Oovernraient, that the la Iter had been alwaya an.
diet ad to usurpation, and the rV-naJe i Rome waa
Cited aa an example. I tbsjik God that tho liber
tine of my country aro fixed aoaia more secure
, than thiaw of any nation either1 of ancient or mn
d-irn Europe. Hut for the amka of "setting hiatory
right," would any a word in vindication of the
Uwgiver of ntbnr timea. The Komane did not
Ceaae to be free until the peopU had become tho
riNijrMy corrupted by their ayatem of plundering
the world and living on the epoiU. From the iuflu
" aocei of venality and corruption in the kutnr day
. of 4bo KapuUie, ekaa waa entirely exempt
b-rt uiuVaa my recollection be untrue, the la at
flickrring flame of Roman Liberty expired in the
bHMto hnuae. And eveu alter all hope waa oat
on the fatal held of Pharmlia, and the darkneae of
military deapotiain had apread over (he land,
1ishtni02.ilih. fjtM firtt of freedom gU-jiiuod
from the dagger of a Patriot senator I n
aturdy Barona who eatabliahed Mafitm Chart,
the llanindene, the Bidneya, and Ruam-U, who coo-
tribnted at iiiurb to wreet abeiduie power from the
a UHi of we mng, ana encure popular ngma, ine
I - P irlianient of. 1 89, and tho American Colonial
' Legialaiuroi aro aurely exceptiooe to the general
' denunciation of tho fentleman, unleaa indeed it be
; o urpalioo in tho Kepreeentativee of tho people tn
d-riy the atavrefi dortrinee of non-rrtatane and
f p taajvo obwlietKse to. too divioo right at King.
' Our prodecoaanra ton, in theao hall, deaervo no
onck imputation, eince, in tho lapee of more than
htlf century, they hare not enacted more than
' h lf 1 duxca aUtutee. which the Judiciary haa de
clared to bo beyond )h? limiia of their power.
(7b h aoncluJrd next aawA.J
rr posT-orncE.coRRUPnoNS.
-; " UU"5irfiwiaf IleUigtmrx xfjmnmmry 27,
JLlJhlfcpatiJHtJyi.M Ewiug, frptn the
Comnuttee on the General Puat OtHce, (which, the
tvader ariu fowHaal-oy.-roor H loo Benaio
dunng I lie late reocea of Uongreaa) made a Report
. Tha raading of-tbio ttaport ooenpiod the Senate
the n-niwl buur of .adjourwiMuitT and waa- not
-OKrtuued when llie Senate adjourned,
r Aa it ia doubtful whether it will ever Je poaaible
tor ua to publiah tho whole of thia Report, (however
. deciniblo if would be to doo,)wo have availed
to5Wtrh. "of t mt opportwAiry to make eocb an
jtbitroctjo JKepfflrt
C'lumia, aa time allowa, without limiting onraelvea
to thai, part only of at Jwhiob baa bee rtud m the
Borate. - -
-The RenorW ootwithataBding ita birge volume,
and the evidence which it carnea on it lace, and
iutli-f Mat kbo Wareriir olP
tie okv grea totwe perweerafler t not f
? ' 'lAiiiiive,' but tikWwi report otjfcogfwaiojfj
tlie Committee, ao far a they have gone.
i The report after elating tho meeting of tho
co.nmittee ia thia city on tho 19th of September
""lif, and tho accomodation of a room in thai Poet
' it Bee afforded to them for their aitttnjja, commence
with 'a deacriptioft of tho ennfuavd elate of the
-B-iokaof tho-.Puat CMke which .rendered it im-
pntctteabie-tooocertaiti with anything tike acenra
, cy the true atate of tho nnnnoeo of the Post Office,
1 or of tho' aeeounta of individual with it. ' Jn nw-
tkulare. wm only to be giuhcrcd illieMiCaarBV.
irt tho margin of the book. Of tho inaccuracy of
T-feas Bsttaa eevei! instance- are etrttea ot
" riTy" be Very brief t a aingle instance, quoted from
;M Report, a tollowa, mum aervo aa an exampien
.m,.Mrafcyanr fjumratttee wilted wtho exieouia at Joie
Resi and it waa ahowa them on the ledger," when
' t!i"re aDiwareil a balance against fcim, on the 1st April,
I'nf 8l13 07. -rm aueouating nnicein, nuwe-t
1 r, Informed your Committee that the ledger did not
present ail Uie creoiia to wnicu nr, bwo wa riui
tl"d, and they have aince exhibited an account craitain
. in 2 manv additional credits, by which there appear to
. b? a balance in hi ftvor, on the 1st July, 133!, of $)7,
(24 5, making a difference of about 81,fl0a Rome
. as the erediU bear dato between Ue 1st of April and
. ilia 14 of July, but a targw aart of the amount made
.tV of entrie which, if entitled at all to a place in the
. accounV belonged to date prior to the' Jt . April 1834
"T!ie' tinrrocttfea iif IheseTWveTar creditr rdHbe'ttKf
. aidereUn another : pft of- thit Repor-. -
, lo consequenco of tho difficulty' experienced by
the cominitlee, from these Causes, in arriving at
true reaulta, from the books, the committee employ.
-1 two accountant, onammoMsly approved, to ex
. tmiM and audit the books, in which business these
Mrsona have boon and are atiJI iCtigently engaged',
the result of whoae labor the committee will re
port when orrired at and examined.
Meanwhile, with tho material 5o theirpoaeeaeiim,
4ho committee enter into an elaborate comparison
of tho report of tho preaeoUind Uie Poet ma titer
General, and of the report of tho present Post
mooter General with fict djewloeed by the booka,
dt. to which nothing buf a literal franaenpt (which
we have now no opp'trtimity of timkm) of lha
whole of I lua part A ll rrport ca.t du )niu'-.-.
Tim re i one parngiaph of it, howtivrr, Iim b
forcibly attract! tair ittUulwat, tual at have thought
it pr)a-r, by rxlrmiinj it, lu imtke it aa exciptMin
to lite rnt. It la a follow i
"Tlier if imtlirf il.'ia iilnluca into the atitamitnt I
of the kof ieretflhr, Hit, of which your t-Vnmit-
tea an notimiK until auM-a Uwir lfiiiT HtxwL nj
did out eve vpl IU xwtitnre.r-It la a baUneei
rtinal tmu-hw, U p.y.ni.U made Um Urfiire tha
tat " pril, pa Uie current aervice of the quarter
which ended that day, and fur prior satvica. wkk had
B4X yet txtn placed tn Uieir cradit, rl7 !W, Vwur
Uauuiitte Jul M aupwa a fund of Una character snd
siuount exurfed in the credit of Uie department, becsuas
iney anew, by Kiriiier UteinrnU, that tiwre wre very
urge sum scufy tm to Contracts-, for service rut
Iv and faithfully psrfiamd ia prevmu quarter, which
the Department was Uaind, ia gwid faith and ia justxa,
to pay. These sums, srtually due, were not paid ft
want of funds lorge sums were alao burrowed from
Banks, on interest, snd It seemed ineunoeiveable that.
under these eircomstaacss, so Urge a sum uf onstey
should have been advanced lo a fsw contractura, beCirs
they were sntitled to ruceiv it by Die terms uf tiieir
..... .-. . .
contract, nut me present inveatigitasi has ssiwnsa
your CVsnmittee Dial very large sums were, a at still
are, due from co-itracUirs for illegal payments snd ad-
vancea of money; and that this sum, at least, swl pro
bsbty a much larirer suia. ooilit to be reclaimed from
them aad piacsd lo the credit uf the DeoartiaenL"
-Tho next topic embraced io tho report is that of
tho removal ot Puatimvitera wittviut cause, to make
way fur mere parlixane, in many cases wholly urn
worthy of credit or eoniileiice, ate. In the prose
rut ma of their inquiry into the cause of these re
movals, tlie coumuiIUjc were, as the reader already
koowe, met by a refusal uf the Postmaeter General
to furnish the committee with the mfiirmation de
mantled, in a letter which the Postmaster General,
with a dian-spnet toward the committee that is
merely alludod lo in the report, caused to be pub
lished in the otlicial journal here within a few days
alter tho date of the transaction. Thia branch of
(he Report cmicludes a follow ;
" Vuur (amimiii(is did not think it incumbent upon
them lo Mtter into a diacuaram with Uie Puatuuuter
tiuucral on the subject of limir respective rights' and
duties, nor do Uiey now thuik il proper in Uu paper to
examine uuuu, or to bhmd sn argument on cmatitulioO'
al law with the facts which they were required to ex
amine and report to Uie Menale. Tins refuaal of Uie
Pualmsaler-Oneral to peruul Uie innpectioo of Uuwe
paper on allnigsd eoneUlutamal gruuuda, which appli
ed ajike to lha whole class uf sbnve referred to,
and which rest ua the aaius principle, of course put an
end to thia branch uf Uie investigation. Finding the
door cbwid upon thetn here, they turned their silentiuo
to other subjects of iiMUiry, touching the condition uf
uie lA-partiueut and the management of it concern.
The Report th:o proceeds lo the exaruiualion of
the practice of the Department tit hiaking ciaitmcU
in a manner contrary lo law, and equally unautho
rised bv a regard to equity and to the public inter
est. The account of the Improved Bidf. which
have had auch an unfortunate agency in tlie present
in t vency ,4 (be Post Ulhee, will be new to many
of our reader. We therefore copy it t
"Tlie practice ha lately prevailed extensively In
Ulla Ien
the mail '
manner from that la which it ia in (set lo be carried
of receiving bids fur carrying it io a ditfWeot manner
from that ia which it is advertised, which are called
" tmprmttd BuU,"o( accepting the bid a made all
roctaer, and entering their acceptance a applicable
to that part of tha bid which confirm to the advertise
ment, and immediately chinglng thoin to the Tmsrosed
4 Did, sod ss exeeutmg theeonteaett thwa, in eftect, let
ting or making the contract witooul advertiaaniewi.
Thia is a vioiation of law, and has given rise lo, and is
made the apology for, oilier violations of law and offi
cial duty
The Report then roes on to shew thai, in resard
Ito.aH Jbi claasof J' improved- Udawhicit have
been made the ground nf extra allowances, there
are iinpurtaiit disc ru pa ncias between the Reports of
Ihe.roetmaster Oencral and the tslue . Lions, (tlie
printed list ot contracts and alUwaswos) sod be
tween the Blue Book and (lie actual contracts ; and
thai oooeof tbomsrotobaulied upon.-The prac
tice of hI lowing these " improved bids," awl making
these " extra allowancca," the Committee aay,
throws the door wide open lo unfairness, favoritism,
and collusion. And I lie Report, on the same sub
ject, continues thus i -
. "The Aubhe kuow nolhiiiff of the purpose or. the
srisliiu nl tha I uiurtmarit in tha limn artil manner
ii imiisnfi llllg uin inaun, CAt-in iinuuii hue iii-uiuiii
of the public advertisement And the honest business
nnn,' whtrirnuld "wtuh'to S a tontrart, thfeujh fkir
competition, would naturally tuppoae that a bid, pun
ant to the advertiaement, would be the one, and the on
ly one, bv which he could procure auch contract And
I . I . .. . . . 1 I L t .... J 1...
lMl 00 woow oe oomw oy
w " u , -K-y- k,.
brw the Ttser rt appeirrto have been the case with
the tmull eontraclort generally. But it ha been fax
otherwise with a clnaaof Isrge contractor, who ap
pear to be eo terms of mliewey ssd eoefidencs with
many of the ofBeera of the Ueneral PusUMnee, sad
wttuse sSkirsare intimitely blended whb the fiscal cim
cerna of the Department Fur example: In looking
over the bid of tlie Fall of 1831. it will be found that
several: mdividuals-whc' obtamei-eontf acts upon the
great mail moles, or a great number of the small ones
united, included in their bids, not only a proposition to
carry, the. mail according: to thaadvertiacment, but with
stipulations that the bidder would bind himself to car-
ry wis man in a fijjrrrm hwiiwt, i a nytr iki.
Of the favored contractors, the bids to carry the mail
pursuant to the advertisement are generally scry h,
m m to cnahleihe. Depxrtuieul lo awaiiitheittilift em
tract white their improved bid, in ponmsnce of which
the eoniract ia
at last executed, u very !,
ensufyt to the extractor aii enormous profit The se-
eeptance is, marked on the ; Pmposal Jkmk, qprswite.the
sum wbicoWaa bid for carrying Uie mail, pursuant to
the gdvertsjemenl, and the rival biddera will see, on sn
the contracts are executed according to the improved
bid, which is alwaya twice or three times the sum at
which iris entered on the Proposal Book laid open lo
the inspection of the public
Of the general effect of thia mode of distributing
at pleasure, the public money to favored contrac
tors, the Report speaks thus :
"It were tedion to enumerate the case in which
this difference exist between the bid made pursuant tn
sdvertrsement and eeepr4 .i t,ntmtisutaB:.
Vm? Committee have caused to be i prepared by Uieir
Secretaryrand they exhibit herewith, a table compiled
from books and papers in the Department, from the
Blue Book, from the letter of the. Hotmter-Gcnersl
of the 3rd of March. ISM, in reply to a call of the Se
tute. and from hia Report of the lth of April, 132,
which ahnwar in each individual case in the contracts
I of 1831. the diffprenct between theiWM entered, on.
the bid book, and the contract as executed, it snows,
iUn. the casM in which no difference exieta. The same
paper ahowa, ia armther colomn, opposite the name of
each eon tractor, wnat extra allowance nave scon muc
him, over and above hia contract as earecutssl, from
which it will be seen, . .
" L That the whole amnont of bid eeepted. pur
suant to the edvertiaements in Uie month nf October,
111, wo - . . .jVMfiMM
AnwunA of eontracU a executed for
4rtl,2.'i 40
Ma
thing a aiiiKrence or . auJkwro
"Afd it Will be n-n tlml tfii whole dufi rauca, to
ti. eibifiiMMi tut-Mint U aWwa, ia luaiJa in Unit of
not pvire lhaa contractor, er cmnpanuM of eoo
lBitiira. inuat of arlwa vuur euiuiniUaa will Ami k tliair
di Li nau-a h.rMnr ia tl.ia tmnrt. aa m mutnta
oHm,, uecuuiary Utvn frwa the DviMrUMaut,"
. . ,j . j , ,l.
, .
cnaracter u m eaiiracia, ana ine uw
J"""'"""" w pu" '"""J w r"""
of accepting the improved bid 1
Tax, esampla, the mule from Philadelphia to
PttlatNirf, which wm Arat accepted Oailr at tlJJW,
aiai wiiH.h, by tha mudinad contract aursuant to tha
tmpton ktd, m carried, a m alladgail, twice daily to
Pittaiturgh, at amjJlX), araf axtendnd to Wbealinr at
$njiWuo4 of the linaa from Philadeljihia tn Pitta-
burg running at aa Increased apead. Now it etnnot
bo eatabliahed aa a mathematical proposition. Out if a
daily staii euta f7jK a mil twice daily should.
by rar( arepartiea, coat fAlxaj( aor do we Uunl
tiiat any oae who aiaiarsUad tbo aatore and value of
service will be prepared lo say that the one bears any
just proportion lo the other. It were vaia lo urge as
an apology fur such exceaaivs increased allowance,
that there is no mean of arriving at the true pro-
port on which the original bid and the utereased
allowance boar lo the aervice reedared under a: er
to each othrr. If such arounaita cannot be arrived at.
the law forbid the inert and allowance. But, ia truth,
no law apulies to thia spacia of contract. It seams lo
be of hybrid race neither sa origiual contract, which
Uie law will recognise, nor a legal extra allowance for
increased service. II i about efjui-durfaal between
Uiein, and suHsined by neither.
In a few words the reprt shows how this whole
practice, and the allowance growing out of it, have
been omcially screeiHtd friHii the view i Congress
and the People, until I lie senate forced a roveUtion
of the whole eyatein:
M Your Committee have shown that the Pustnuutsir
(iimeral did not report the incmand allowances mule
in eiaianqumce of thnae improved beta, a any part of
the original coulract in which Uiey were am bodied
oitlr did be ntport timin as extra allowance when
eallsd upon by rewtlutmn of the Henate to report the
Mnount uf those allowance mail Sir extra aervicea
aince the Oth uf April, lm Thev paas whollv with
out bia notice in any of his report to Congroa. and
srem, in hi judgment, to be referable lo no claasof ca
sts whatever. Indeed, no one could but feel that they
were wliully wiUvnit Ural warrant, and that they could,
itwri-fore, nil uotbtf nu known WT head. -
" Neve rthi.deaa, iinin;na uina rwaiey have, throngfa
their maana, been transferred frnm the Department to
the pucki't of individual; and tlie American Congroaa
and the American I'ooiile have, until tin investigation
commenced, been wholly ignorant of the existence of
any uch mode of appropriating or diapoaing of the pub
lic funds"
Tlie report next proceed tn a further examine.
lion of the manner of making thee contract and
extra allowances, with especial reference to the
Report of the PostmsMter General of the 1 Hth April,
1H32, which the Committee argne, from the fucti
disckMl by this inveMtigntem, to have been wholly
ouiuieve and cnlculattMl lo deceive, they go ao
far a lo aay that it is eviilent, from the facts, that
that report muet have boon drawn up and presented
to Cong reas, deceptive a it is, purposely ao, and
not by accioenC Upon which they make the fol
lowing severe aoi mac I versions t
"In whatever manner this matter may have been
considered by the Ponastiw-Oenera, and whatever
may have bnen his reasons for the presentation uf a re
. port ia its tendency an carta ia to mislead ; whatever
oiinasM or views onknowo lo yuur committse sctuatsd
nun, mi lea lure ui hia repurt, acconling to tfteir den
berate opiainn, cannot be luatifted. la, indeed, tttme-
eeaaary to enter tnto i dieulaitioo upon tins subject ; it
is a ejeeatioo refiwaUe to the forum of common sense
and couuuoo hoooty.-U is simply whstheetaoehlifa-
Uons of trnth extend or do not extend to the omen pa
per of high public fiinctioosriaa. . If they do aotthit
paper may jfied ; if they do, it is a breach of offi
cial doty, r
"There ia another circumstance touching the above
named report, which ought not tn be entirely overlook
ed. It was made oot and presented to Congress just
before- the commencement of the Presidential eacivaaa
in 1I2; and it was a paper, the tendency of which
I was to bear upon Uiatelaction. It beW ewttoliW Ame
rican reople a delusive view of the prosperity of an
important Department of the Government, and natural-
ly induced a belief that it was wisely ami economical
ly administered ; ' while,' in truth, the public money
were arjimndered without atint, and the Department
was rapiiliy,sinking to insolvency,
After ensstrasting the fs-artrce'of theyresent with
j rormeTnaininistratioiis ot ttie I'uet uiiice, the Uorn-
1 .-i... rmir
mittee revert to the Postmaster Generals Address
to the People of the United States at the close of
the but session of Congress, and rebuke some of
its statements, die.
The Committee then proceed lo re-examine in
detail, Snd at very great length, some of the case
of extra allowanow which were mom briefly niiticed
in their last report to Congress at the last Session;
and especially the case of J. F. Robinson, J. and B.
Benoet, W. TllowT KeeaioV eootnwOa from He-
geralown to MnOsineWwrg, from Bedford to
Washington, from Cumberland to Blair's Gap, from
Baltimore to Chamlierstmrg, from Philadelphia lo
Pittsburg, Reesides and Slay maker'a extra $10,(H)0
per year, Resine'a enrttract from New York to
Philadelphia, due. - The allowance to Mr. Reeside
ire most dwelt on by the Committee, apparently
because they are the largest and he is the most ex
tensive cwitractorr To t his genlTeman, in one form
or other, of contract or allowance, the Committee
sav there haa iieen Wd, within two year and a
ha If (frorn 1st of Janua ry;i 93?,"trjr 1 of July I
htr carry wg tho 'Mails between Philadelphia and
Now York, t4,37a 17; or 83,748 86 per year.
The Committee ottoehMle thiokborious examioa-1
lion of contracts with the following summary, show
ing the aggregate of payments which they aver to
ave ooen uniawlully and unjustihablv made to a
aingle contractor:
" Passing over those cases in which a contract or aa
allowance was made contrary to law, but 6 which an
equivalent service, has been rendered, and taking only
those in which the law did not warrant the allowance,
and in which also no service whstever were rendered,
or in which thevallswanc was much above Uie real
value of the service, and then taking the excest only,
of the allowance aver and above that value, your com
mittee find the following sums paiik ,:ta lames Jbssdav
since the 1st April, without any warrant of law er jus
tice, to wit; i
On the contract to carry Uie mail from Hagerstown to
.TConnellitbiirg ... $2,932 00
From Bedford to Washington . . 7,733 66
From Cumberland to Blair's Gsp, fl2,-
659 62, less $1,500 a year for two
. .jesrs. 1,IQ. . . Sifi&m
From PhiUdelphia to Pittsboro, excess
of allowance over service, $8,000 for
two years and aix months . . 20,000 00
Same mute carrying newspapers in Uie
most rapid line, half . 8,750 00
From Baltimore to Cbsmhersburg . 3,987 60
From New York to Philadelphia. Allow.
a nee for expediting from January 1st,
- lja, to DecembetJSlst 1831rfllJft
services paid for Bot performed . 13,000 00
aam divipwaj 0j t)i Blue Duuk.)
Detention, waiting 6s distribution or a
reign mails aa unprecedented aikiw
am e. sod witlioul anlfM lent evslunce
UV)00
Carryijig maiLbc frvrt piuladeljifua te
Nw wk euarg wiamy unprs
ea.ieiiled . ' .
Pur uanaporting the mail from PbilsdeU
phis to risw Yurk rrma Ui I Janua
ry, 4 to Uie 1st of July. 1W. two
years and aix moiiUis, Reraids has t
csived srt;tTi 17. Jlis original cow
tract was .'l,tsJ0 a year t carrying a
daily ssad but, in kw imprwsd b4,
which was afterwards made ths eon
tract, ha frewl. C.T a)ig,tltM, to ma
4wu Jaily maiia, and a Uurd aiail C .
fljjOO, miking frjtlUU, ad lurnisn
guard and tarry all expresses. This
allowance, Ussigh srssinous, falls short
of ths sum actually paid in two ysar
and aix month on Uiat route, by
8.1.1W 17
Ho Uiat Uie whole sum paid to Reeside,
which is foumfed on ao la wand aoap-
parent justice, M . liu,llriru
Jf the name of Mr. Roeside makes a thus pro
minent fiiruro in this summary, it i because il doe
eo in the Report, and not from any preference d"
our. The private pecpniary tranaaxtimi oi ttie
same citizen with the Postmaster General and with
(lie Chief Clerk of the General Post Oluce are
alao bnajght into view in cotinectiim with the large
ness of his extra allowances. Ho also are his loan
to Ihe Chief Clerk, (0. B. Brown) ami aaid Brown's
alleged partnership in the contracts of K. Portea,
upon which large extra allowances have been maile,
fee In relatHMi to these paewgee sf the Report,
as it ia impracticable for ua to give the whole, we
forbear making extracts, which might only give a
partial and imperfect view of them.
Adverting again lo Ihe generally confused man
ner in which tlie Isrgest and imsd important ac
count of the Post Office am kept, the Report pre
sent ihe following curious iiistsnrc :
"In examining Uie account of Jas. Reeside, your
committee fisind to hi credit Uie following :
KM. April, .'. Cash depoei.ed in Uie Western
Bank of iliiladelphia, 20,000 dollar.'
" Your osnmiltee, while in Phildadelphia, examined
the books of Uie North Western Bank, and obtained a
statement of its transactions with the Post Office De
partment, by which it appears that this sum was raised
by Reside on a draft drawn by himself in favor of K C
Stockton, and accepted by O. B. Brown, Chief Clerk,
dated Uie 'Hh day of ApruV 1J-U and payable three
months after date, which draft was paid by the Depart
ment at maturity ; so that, aa Uie transaction stood sl
Uie time Uie account of Reeside waa rna-Uj out and pre
sented to the committee, he wss entitled to no credit
arising from thia transactiiMi. If a credit were entered
on the books at Uie tun Uie draft was nugutiated, Uteo,
whew Uie draft waa paid by the Department, there
should have been a charge ot an equal sum strainst Ree
ssle, lo balance it Tins waa mil done; and it helped
lo reduce a balance of aVVUVJO 07, which, nutwiUisUnd
ing his Isrs e Ira-allowances, stood against him on
tlie buok of Uie Di:iarunent on tlie 1st of April, 111.
Your committee called upon (Niadiah B. Brown lo ex
plain this transaction, and be stated Uiat Uie draft on
which Reeeide raised this money had not become due
until sane time in the ubsiUi of November, and that
since Uiat time there bad been no settlement with the
Bank, so Uiat the credit could in Uie ordinary Course of
tilings, be entered. A member ot yonr lomimttee then,
m the hearing of the witness, asked for the statement
nf the Cashier of the Western Bank of Philadelphia,
and the paper not being in Uie Committee room, it waa
sent for, and Uie witness was dismissed until A aboold
be brought in. After a abort Ume the witness rstwi
ed; stated Uiat he had been mistaken ; that Uie charre
against Mr. Reeside -was omitted by mists ke, and was
sb bf mistake entered against SL C Stockton, btU
that e M promptly corrected the entry on Uie books,
and that it was now all right Your Committee direct
ed Die Witness to bring ia the books in which he had
made Uie correction ; be did ao, and showed no less Uwo
Seven erasures sad caa,ge of entry which he bsd
caused to be made in the bonk in the abort time Uiat
your Committee bad respited him from examination.
Tlie credit which i due to book tiiu kept and thus al-
tared to suit-the emergencies ef the occasion, can be
readily appreciated by the Senate.
After reciting ihe testimony of C. K. Gardner,
one of theAasistanl I uetuiaslers ttenerar, m re
gard lo this particular transiiction, the Committee
sum up the case as follows :
M Thus, when Uiese acceptance are made, Uiey are
credited .to the contractor as so much money paid by
him tn the use of the Department, though he, in fact,
psjrs nothing, but merely lend bis name as a drawer
oreridoriier ilthe. aame.sunv is sliarged -le-the-Bank arf
so much deposited to the credit of Uie Department, and
the draft is st last taken up by a check, which, is cer
tified to be for trontportolimt by Uie Mree officers who,
according to the imnmverl ivstsm nf checks, nr itiKtiM-.
roent, adopted by Mr. Barry, are required to certify eve
ry cnecx wnicn uwues trom Uie Department But, by
examining these debits and eredits, and crrtiftratet for
transportation, no aecountaot,. however skiiful, could
ascertain thst such expedients had. been resorted to, or
money raised in that manner. These certificates, Upon
whstever grounds they may be supprted, are contrary
to the plain fact of the ease." - -
After adverting farther to the erasures in the
booka of tlie office, the conflicting testimony of
witnesses, etc., an oi wnicn we are obliged by wanl
of time lo pass by for the present, the Report comes
to the' following conclusion, to which wo give inser-
Hon
at large, as no lew due to the importance nf
the subject, than to the indofstifiable labor of the
intelligent Committee by whom it 'haa been pre-
" So numerous and great are the abuse which have
grown up in this Department, that reform has become
absolutely necessary v but tie. meaiures by which it is
w oe enecteo are oy no means free rroin embarrass
ment They are the more difficult, as many of Uie evils
which require a remedy do not arise from defects in the
existing la w. hut from an habitual disregard of plain le
gal provisions, tney may, nowever, be principally
traced to Uie. absolute and unchecked power which a
stngteindrrrdaatnolds over IheTesources and disburse
bents, and all the vast machinery of Uii Department,"
The checks of various inferior officers upon each
other are of no value, when aU are guided and coo
trolled in their acts by one dominant will.
Within the comparatively short period of fifty-five
yeara, this Department has arisen from a feeble begin
ning, until it has acquired a revenue equal to that ot the
Union itself at the time of its organization ; and its ex
tensive snd diversified operations, its ostromure. its re
sources, aod it power.-roust, by the were force of cir
cumsunces, go on increasing indefinitely, with Uie in
crease of our country in population, business, and wealth.
"The annual Report of Uie Postmaster General are
of little value as a restraint upon Uie Head of Uie De
partment, or as a means of calling public attention to
his official conduct These Reports jaiay be true, yet
the state of affairs which Uiey indicate cannot be under
stood without that careful eiamimitioa -which few or
none will feel willing to give them, amidst Uie other
arduous duties of legislation : or those statement may
be false, and yet few will be disposed to bestow on them
the IsW, bodily and mental, which would be necessary
for their correction and to encounter Uie bitterness of
party rancor, and the reckless violence of party calum
ny, which thnae must encounter who venture to explore
Uie Secret mysteries of grest patronage and high pow
er, and exrie tiieir ernrinities Ui Uie piiblic gaie. j
"From reflections en these aud other causes, leading I
to th aam ymir C,-n,i.te w., fa
Blofl Uiet Will bs few UlsUutoa lu U.- r..i.. i '
our oounuy of a full and searching inv-,-.,7 rf
tlia cswliirt and maiUffe!W.iitliL. !, n.. .
oh-iiL They deem it, li.oref.s,, Umir dul. u
to pmpiis auch meaaurea of le laUtasi a. ..II u
opinion, the most stfeeuially ofv,Wi ths recuiranrs!
iuuhs, w whim annua lo tuuse wbu:h Una u..
tmn h disrkssid. This, they e.ceiv, ca, ClZ
Seeled by a chsng io the uegamxatjon of tb IVflTT
mens so aa io piac tue CoUeclkai and '-tmrannu'u j -f
, .uw, luv convui af J.
tcers entirely Mdenendeot of each etha.
That department, aa at present arrant L.j '
gerous anomaly io aur fyMeui j and by whomaw JT
concern aa IwreaiUr tsbsauadseW, ka or,MiMlJ"
ought lo be changed eo aa to conform more aeaH. u
IKalnf llliSHr imI IL.iIu.J l ...
The accountability of iu orucer ouirht a lan u. lTT.
dered effective; and their discretion limited, a lu- Jt
coruMStcni witn Uis enicient perluruiaoce of th fu
service. - , r"
TUB ATTEMPT TO AJS3AB3LNATX.
Extroci of m Letter to las Editor of ti, tMtT.
sVk1 tMOSVOSJOsa JHaVCB
WasHiavTON, Jaavaar 30th. 18M.
A circumstance occurred at tlie (spit., M
terday, which will be tlie source of uiany riisrt.
senlalion. Hie Pressilent, as i hia custom, aU
tended the funeral aervice of ihe Hon. Warrea .
Davis of South Carolina and, aa the proteaiiu)
uioved out of I lie Capitol, some assassin sospptd
two pistol at him, both the caps of which expludej
without igniting Ihe powder in the pistids. Ilsirai
iinimMlialely apfireheisJed and Committed. Tbt
man's name is liawreiice, for two or three yeui
past a resident of this city, and recently betrayiw
stnsig symptoma of denuigeiiHml, having nwd,a
I understaiMl, an atteinit Uhsi the life ufhis Mar,
A friend, who waa near al the tune, aay thai v
never saw any man who exhibited a more tied m4
hatkr
tedaal I
lorisy 1
ilila- j
i asd
(h'teriiuiM-d purjxsie than did the assassin, nor
man who emild meet Ihe attack with mora
rate and uiirullled courage. Upon tlie crack
by the first Htd, the President sprung, like i lua
from hi bur, at Jhe assailant, but before he eaukl
reach him, he had aim! hi second, which ah
snapped. The circumstance produced, at yoa any
well si((sise, very grent excitement at lb Law,
and lis boon the (heme of conversation erersmc.
Tlie most wiMiderful port of this whole transacting
iS th.nt both llie piidids sliould have siaipped, esps.
cially aa it i well known that the rs-misswo Irrk.
hardly ever (ail of fire. Some, therefore, brliev
that the touch-hole muss have been stopped p ox
purpsw to prevent the pistols from going off; whils
other aro ao uncharitable a to believe that ths
wretch waa instignled to (lie deed by others, f
which there ia certainly no just fiMndatioo. h
aaid, however, that the Pistdcnt intimated such
charge against Mr. Puimlexler, and that the taller
gentleman, haa a kl rested a mrte to the Presideut
asking an explanation. Il U true tho President ass
many bitter political eowmif, but none, I believe,
so base as to wish to do him a personal injury. I,
deed the whole of tho opposition would greatly pro.
fer that Gonl. Jackson should serve bis tern '.
than that Hi place should be taken by Mr. j
Ruren, aa wouU be the ease non the death of ths
President. No party, therefore, rejoiced mnraal
this fortunate eacnpe of the President tluut did kss
ild 1 political opponents. No party enuld gms s esv
" by tlHTocalh: ofTTie Prcsioeiil a tTie friend of Iks
Vice President, who .would bo Presuhmt U trat
event. " But it ennnot bo . bvlievod that any kdj"
has had any -agency in tfrw mailer, except the aa
niac himseifr who is certainly deranged. .
OCT Since the receipt nf the abose Letter th 0.
S, Telegraph oribeTthTrwtam'lias'rrw
furnishes Uie following additional informatma ia irkv
tion to t,he charge made against Mr. Poindexter ky tb
President Our indignation st Gen! Jackson's esarfsct
io this aflVir.i so inteosc, that we can LanUjt aWt
from Uie expression of opinions, which, while nsy
might be considered excusable toward the rrssnsr,
would cast obliquy upon the honorable office lie ouajrt.
cea. But Mr. lomdcxter is fully capable of drfrnisw
himself against the malicious attack of even Andrr
Jackson ; and we have no doubt be will do himwlf an
ple justice. Editor.
raoai ths tisrrKD sTiTss TKiJwsAra.
A;difingnihdMtidu
son owes a deep debt of gratitude for his disinter
ested support on one of the most trying occaaksn,
and whose generous friendship has been repaid by
the cteepest irrjirries, hearing that Geii. Jackson hW
imputed the assassination to him, addressed lain
respectful letter, desiring to kaow, from himselC
whether it was possible that what no had beard eat
true! Imdoad of magnommoosly atoiiing fcrda
deep injustice,' the Presidenf has added UiatrtXtoi
jury. Thus much we feel called upon to my""
The distinguished individual to whbiii w refof 1 I
citizen who knows what ia due to himself and t
his own reputation, and, knowing, will maiota
them.
Frost the Globe of January 31.
ATTEMPT to ASSASSINATE th PRESIDENT.
While the Jkksideivt was at the Capitol ve
terday, in attemsnee on the funeral of the U
iTorTf R. Davit, frorrr South Carolina, Rwhsri
tawrchc
ed to shoot him.- Col. Lane, of Indiana, informel
us that he saw this individual enter the hall f
the- House rduring theHJeirvery oTt nf fufiflrtl rt
mon. Before its close, however, ho bad taken ha
stand on the eastern portico, near -one of tb
lumn.Tli0
Treasury on his left arm. on retiring from the Bs
tundo to reach his carriage at the steps of the pot
t'ico, advanced towarda the spot where Lswrenc
stood, who had bis pistol concealed under bis coat,
and when he approached within two yards and
ha'lf of bim, the assassin extended bia arm and le
velled tho pistol at hia breast; The percusswi
cap exploded with t noise ao great that erf
witnesses supposed the pistol had tired. Oo th
instant, the assassin dropped the pistol from "
riirht hand, and latin arwithar readv cocked fro
Hia kft presented and mK-teftojj:-who
at the'moment had raised" his atick, and war
rushing upon him. Mr. Woodbury and
ant fieiWv at Ihe him Siiataht laid hold of tW
man, who gave way through the crowd and wsl
last knocked down. . The President presseu a.
him until he aaw he was secured. -Vft
attended the examining court imrrrediat?lj,r
ter the evenL Th Secretary of tho Treasury,
the Secretary of the Nary, Col. Burd of tha Ho
Mr." Kingman, and Lieutenant Gedney B
whom ariliiMaA ihe axl mm esamined. and t
a more minute detail of the circumstance
tated. : ' -v.'
Mr. Randolph; the Sergeant of the HiC
aftendej thFMarshaT to conduct the pnsonw
the City ILtll for euiuiualioD, gave in testing