nitary did a certain official act? And has it come to this so soon? Sir, if decorum is to be properly graduated, let this clerk of the President, this new fledged head of a department, always solicit, and with all humility, that this Senate will charitably examine his case, and hear his reasons or his excuses. Calculated to convey false impressions! How? Impressions are made every where that these removals are persecutions. Are these impressions correct or false? If false, how can an inquiry into the true cause make them more false than they are?" [SENATE. rendered as available funds. Now, were it true that Mr. Add to this the sum expended by him from April to And you will find that in the first five quarters of 32,000 60,640 174,640 These removals may have been made purposely to increase Executive power and patronage. If so, a bill like that of 1826 may be reported to correct this abuse. If, then, when no proscription in that department had been felt or even suspected, it was deemed necessary to prevent even the possibility of post office patronage, how much more is it now necessary to interpose, when every This is not all. Under the act of May, 1828, there one opposed or even suspected is swept off as with a were established two hundred and thirty additional post whirlwind? Then no post office patronage had been felt; routes, at an expense, probably, of $40,000. More than even jealousy had scarcely imagined it. Then the Post- half of this expense was, probably, incurred by Mr. master General had not subscribed to the proscription sys- McLean. These routes went into operation in January, tem. The late Postmaster General had never deemed it 1829, and the profits of the first quarter did not fall due consistent with his official duty to require a political creed until April, and were, consequently, not paid in to Mr. as a qualification for office. His inquiries were, "is he McLean, but to Mr. Barry. He admits, also, that the inhonest, capable, and faithful to the constitution?" Adams come from the office has increased in the last year about or Jackson were no questions with him; and had it not $150,000. Now, the appropriation bill of the first year been for this his Roman virtue, he would still have been of Mr. Barry paid him about $10,000 more than it did in retained-the managers had need of his character and in- the last year of Mr. McLean; and with all these facilities, fluence, but they were afraid of his integrity. To keep how does it happen that Mr. Barry has consumed, in five him, they made his department a constituent part of the quarters, $114,000 of the Post Office funds over and above cabinet, that his acts may be under its control. If they the income, received upwards of $10,000 from the genecould get him in their team, they might use him to their ral appropriation bill above the former year, the avails of purpose. But Mr. McLean had too much integrity and the whole first quarter of the new routes established in independence of character to become a machine to execute May, 1828, $150,000 of additional revenue, and yet that a system which he abhorred; he was not proscribed, but the available funds, which, in 1828, were $332,000, should, laid on the political shelf. Removals from office are to be in 1830, be down to $148,000? Should we this year apmade for the benefit of the people, for whose protection propriate no more than the $60,640, (the appropriation and safety these officers are established. If officers who of the last,) and the draft upon the surplus fund should were unworthy should have been retained, the error be no greater than for the year 1830, $82,000, the expenshould be corrected; if officers worthy should have been diture for 1831 would consume the whole amount of this displaced for the purpose of providing for others less surplus fund, and the department will be literally bankqualified or wicious, why should not this mischief require rupt. That is, for the first time since its establishment, a remedy? In the case before us, it may be that the re- it will fail to support itself. movals in the Post Office Department have created the embarrassment-that there are embarrassments, we have no reason to doubt. Would it not be well, then, to inquire into the causes, and, if these unprecedented removals should have been the causes, to prescribe a remedy? It is most certain that since the present Postmaster General took charge of the department, its movements have been retrograde. The late Postmaster General, Mr. McLean, Leaving of available funds at the disposal of In November, 1829, Mr. Barry has reduced 332,105 541,680 - $284,289 Now, this aspect of affairs may be erroneous, but I can see no error. It presents at least a subject of inquiry. We would examine if these things are so! and, if they are, whether the changes of the officers may not have produced this effect. If Mr. McLean had retained six hundred bad officers, so bad that they deserved to be removed even without notice, and his successor had substituted as many faithful men in their stead, it would seem a little strange that while the officers were becoming better, the office was growing worse. In the first aspect of this affair, it would seem that in these exchanges we had made a bad bargain. The late Postmaster General had never proscribed-and never inquired of the party feelings of an officer or a candidate. Yet, it is believed that, when the present Chief Magistrate came into office, a decided majority of the postmasters were in his favor. I do not ascribe this majority to any sinister conduct of the late Postmaster General; it was probably because it was the settled plan of the supporters of General Jackson's election, that they took care, and were on the alert, to recommend one of his partisans to fill every vacant office. Take an example in Maine: in the county of York, my own county, there were thirty-one postmasters--Jackson twentythree, Adams eight. One would have supposed that the proportion of twenty-three to eight, in a district that chose an Adams elector, would have satisfied the most insatiable and vindictive persecutor; especially as the remaining eight were offices so insignificant, that they were scarcely worth holding, and most of them, probably, more trouble SENATE.] Post Office Investigation. [FEB. 7, 1831. than profit. But no! the knife was applied even here: made to sanctify the means. When Constantinople was three of these have been removed, two resigned "to save taken by the Turks, Irene, a beautiful Grecian lady, of the trouble," and one remains; and of the remaining two an illustrious family, fell into the hands of Mahomet the I am not certain. Thus we see in a single congressional Second, then in the prime of youth and glory. His sadistrict, the whole post office influence, with custom-vage heart was subdued by her charms; he made her his house officers and all others, brought to bear on the wife, and secluded himself with her, denying access even freedom of election, and then the administration will boast to his ministers. The soldiers, accustomed to activity and of success! An army of officers let loose to dragoon the plunder, began to murmur, and the infection soon spread people, the election is carried, and then you stand upon even among the commanders. The Pacha Mustapha was public opinion. Now, this is the very evil that the inquiry the first to acquaint his master of stories told publicly to is intended to remedy. It is the abuse of public opinion; it is the morbid state of the body politic, produced by this deleterious influence by a subsidized press and a corrupt post office, which we deprecate. the prejudice of his glory. The tyrant, after an awful pause, formed his resolution: he ordered Mustapha to assemble the army, and then retired to Irene's apartment. "Never before," says the historian, "did that princess In New Hampshire there are two hundred and thirty- appear so charming; never before was the prince so apsix postmasters, and between the 4th of March, 1829, parently kind and affectionate." He ordered her maidens and the 22d March, 1830, forty-five had been removed; to dress her in the most splendid and costly attire--led her and without any notice, as I am told, of the least com- into the midst of the army, and, taking off her veil, deplaint against them, except they would not obey your manded of his officers if they had ever beheld such a god, nor worship the image which ye have set up. It is beauty? Then drawing his cimeter, and seizing her by reported to me, and from a source entitled to full credit, her locks, he severed her head from her body at one that a certain distinguished officer of the palace, upon stroke! Then, turning to his grandees, with eyes wild whom this Senate has since stamped its veto, presented on and furious, with the gasping head in one hand, and the one morning a proscription list containing twenty-five, bloody sword in the other-This sword," he exclaimed, with an order that they should be removed, and, without "when it is my will, knows how to cut the bands of love!" examination or scruple, they were all struck from the Thus does a mad ambition extinguish all the tender symrolls at a single dash. Sir, it is said that the chief of the pathies and endearing charities of social and domestic life. Cyclops, Polyphemus, would be satisfied with two full Your sword of proscription, regardless of them all, is now grown Greeks for his supper, including flesh, blood, and brandished, recking with blood. The charms of virtue, bones; but your Postmaster General must, to satisfy his the ties of friendship, the sufferings of revolutionary pamaw, devour twenty-five Yankees at a breakfast! Only triotism, are no protection, no security against this rethink! Insatiable! unconscionable! Twenty-five full lentless monster, proscription. blooded New Hampshire Yankees at a single meal! Such a monster can scarcely be found even in the regions of fiction; but this is a horrid reality. 66 And rivals, sir, when they can agree in a distribution of power, will each claim to be allowed his proscription list. The triumvirate agreed to divide the Roman Empire, and But every thing is done now upon high responsi- each to take his share--I do not allude to the first triumbility." This panoply of oppression and fraud is to shield virate, composed of Julius Cæsar, Pompey, and Crassus: the subordinate officers as well as the President. Every I mean the last-Lepidus, Mark Antony, and Octavius. It petty tyrant is to cover his crimes by this ægis. No, sir, was concluded to meet on an island in the Rhine to settle the truth must be that neither the President nor his mi- the compact. Each was to be protected by a selected nions can give any good reason for these corrupt and cor- guard, and such is the jealousy of rival politicians, that, rupting measures, and they, therefore, have to resort to in this case, the island must first be searched, to ascertain silence as their only defence against an indignant and in- if assassins were lurking there; next, each of their persulted people. They know, and every one here knows, sons must be examined, to see if there were daggers that the removals have been chiefly made to provide for concealed inftheir clothes. Finding all safe in these particupartisans, and they are ashamed to acknowledge it. Sir, lars, they proceeded to divide the empire. Both Antony it must be so; for what rational man would not even volun- and Octavius considered Lepidus a sort of dead weight, a teer his reasons, where his motives were just and honora- millstone about their neck; and, to get rid of him, they ble? A gentleman was waked in the night by some one assigned him the West, including Spain, where the Roin his cellar stealing his meat; he jumped out of bed, and man authority was very precarious. Mark Antony's went and opened his cellar door. It was all dark: he share was the North, including Gaul; and Octavius took listened; all was still as death. "Who is there?" he in- the South, including Africa, the islands, and the south part quired. No answer. "What are you doing in my cel- of Italy, embracing Rome. lar?" Not a word. "Why don't you speak?" " Why, This being settled, each presented his proscription list faith, sir," replied the other, "it is because I don't know of those who were to become the victims of this very diswhat to say." Now, these men have got into the people's interested, patriotic distribution of the republic. When cellar, and are making dreadful havoc with the meat, and Octavius saw Cicero, his old friend and preceptor, stand they won't speak, because they don't know what to say. at the head of Antony's list, his youthful heart was horLast session we predicted that irresponsibility, which is ror struck, and he vehemently and peremptorily protested the legitimate meaning of "high responsibility," would against the barbarous deed. But all would not do; it was descend to the subordinate officers of the Executive de-a sine qua non, and ambition at last yielded to the demand; partments; that espionage and proscription would be the lists were all confirmed, and, in consequence, there pursued with a corrupt and cruel hand; and, not being a were assassinated in one night three hundred Senators, subject of inquiry, it would be beyond the people's reach, and two thousand Roman Knights! Proscription here is because it was beyond their means of knowledge. You not yet quite so bloody, nor do I know that each of any see, then, the principle which this resolution involves triumvirate here has presented his list. In looking round a principle fit only for tyrants--a rod fit only for slaves. us, however, it would not, I think, require a very fertile Pass this resolution, and you make proscription a legiti- fancy to find an analogy to this triumvirate to which I have mate work. Pass this resolution, and it is fair to infer referred. You recollect the catastrophe there; I express that each petty officer of the President will become a no wish in regard to the result here. I should prefer that partisan tyrant, beyond the reach of the representatives some Brutus should be found to succeed against the whole of the people, and answerable to no human tribunal. coalition. But if not, if the result is to be the same, and young Octavius is to subdue his rivals, and to become the When ambition is set upon its purpose, the end is always FEB. 7, 1831.] Post Office Investigation. [SENATE. Augustus, I should rejoice, at least, that the temple of that his senior partner has acquired an entire ascendency Janus was to be shut. a over him; and by this means I account for many things which I now see and hear, so entirely inconsistent with that gentleman's former political course. Our separation must be perpetual; and I can only now look back with pride and pleasure at what he once was, while I contemplate with pain and grief what he now is. Sir, when this resolution was offered, I was reading the important news which I had just received of the revolution in Poland, and was exulting in the glorious event. In a half reverie, my mind was ruminating on the vicissitudes which that gallant people had experienced; the barbarous and despotic partition, when the unfortunate Stanislaus Before I proceed to answer the arguments of gentlewas compelled by the Cazarina, Maria Theresa, and Fre- men, the Senate will indulge me in presenting to them a derick, to surrender the best part of his dominions. true account of the fiscal operations of the Post Office then glanced on more modern times, when another parti- Department, so far as may be necessary to a right undertion had completed the catastrophe. I thought, too, of a standing of the conduct of its present presiding officer. Kosciusko, a Pulaski, and a Poniatowski. In this state of The charge against him is, that in the last fiscal year, endmind, I heard read a resolution from a republican Senator, ing the 1st July, 1830, he has expended one hundred and going to establish a principle that a subordinate executive fifty thousand dollars more than has been expended in the officer was not to answer an inquiry into his official con- same time at any former period. This is a fact; and its duct. The contrast was so impressive, that, I confess, a existence is eagerly seized, and presented as evidence of chill struck me to the heart. When all Europe is alive to a profligate waste of the public money. If the fact stood popular rights, and the people are every where demand-alone, and unaccompanied by any explanation, it might be ing a surrender or restriction of Executive power, that entitled to some consideration; but when it shall be seen not only we the people, and we the representatives of the that this expenditure has been produced by contracts not people, but we the Senate of the United States, "most made by the present incumbent, but by his predecessor-potent, grave, and reverend seignors," are to go in a body contracts not improvidently made, but made advantageand surrender our liberties, and those of our constituents, ously and beneficially for the country-when it shall apnot merely at the foot of the throne, but at the feet of pear that portions of this money have been expended in petty subdelegate! increasing mail facilities, in changing horse to stage routes, Mr. President, it is in vain to expect a full exposition in accelerating the mails from twice and three times a of the affairs of this department--and I now forewarn my week to daily mails, through the great arteries of the friend, the chairman, that his honest zeal will be disap-country, and extending it to every newly created seat of pointed. I have seen enough already to convince me that justice in the Union; and when it shall also appear that a full and fair report is not to be had. If the Postmaster this increased expenditure has been accompanied by a General asks for limits to the investigation, his friends on corresponding revenue to the department, it would seem the committee will indulge him, and eventually he will to me that a sense of justice should induce the gentlemen succeed where he wishes in shutting out inquiry. In this, on the other side to suspend, at least, a portion of their I cast no imputation upon any of the committee or the censure. Senate the effect which I predict may perhaps arise from The report which the committee expect from the dean honest, though, I fear, a premature confidence in the partment will show the original contracts, and the inintelligence and fidelity of that officer. I repeat, a full creased labor imposed on the contractors, and the addiand fair report of the entire management of this depart- tional sums agreed to be given by the department for the ment is not to be expected this session, if ever. With-additional duties required: and it is a fact highly creditout the inquiry into the causes of removal, it is impossi- able to the Postmaster General, that a far less sum, in the aggregate, is now allowed, than the law warranted him Sir, I have done. In times when some New England in giving. States indicated a wish to nullify the acts of the General I will now proceed to show to the Senate a history of the Government, the Senator from Tennessee [Mr. GRUNDY] expenditure complained of. For the year ending 1st July, and myself took sweet counsel together, and reprobated such infatuation. Now, when Georgia and South Carolina from Maine, which makes it to consist of James Madison, are still more infatuated, he abandons the old ground. Felix Grundy, his Satanic Majesty, and John Holmes. Would that this were all. But it seems to me he has come to this absurdity--Independent States beyond federal control, and a federal Executive above responsibility! "Oh world, thy slippery turns!" ble. "I was honored too much when my name was inserted in the title of the firm. I never had, nor have I now, capital or capacity for business sufficient to entitle me to such distinction; and, therefore, in the new arrangement Mr. GRUNDY again rose. The Senator from Maine, about to be made, my name will not be inserted, either in said Mr. G., has thought proper, in his concluding re- the title of the firm, or upon the sign-board. Mr. Madimarks, to remind me of our ancient association, and of son has become old and rich; for an honest and well-earned that period when we struggled together in behalf of our fame is a politician's wealth. He has retired from Lusicountry. It is true, s'r, there was a time when that Sena-ness, and Andrew Jackson has taken his place; the busitor and myself held full political communion together, ness will, hereafter, be conducted under the name and and stood side by side against those whom we considered style of Andrew Jackson and Company. Of this firm I hostile to the interests of our country. But these times will be an humble and unnamed partner. The gentleman have passed by. Men and things have changed; and, from Maine will not assist in conducting the business of perhaps, no two men now stand more apart and farther this firm, and the third person named has a violent antipaseparated from each other. This was announced at the thy to it. Therefore, the best thing that can be done, is last session, when, in the presence of this Senate, a solemn to dissolve the partnership, and let the two characters last dissolution and severance of our political connexion took named establish a new firm, under the name and style of place. I then apprehended, and I now see with sorrow, [meaning the Devil and John Holmes.] In making this division, great reliance is placed on the many excellent qualities and superlative virtues of the gentleman from Maine, which will enable him to keep the senior member of the firm in order, should he prove refractory. To this dissolution of the old firm, and the establishment of the two new ones, I call all these Senators to bear tesmony.' SENATE.] Post Office Investigation. [FEB. 7, 1831. The existing contracts for transporting the mail in the Southern division, embracing the States of Virgina, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and the Territory of Florida, will expire with the current year. In the renewal of these contracts, provision has been made for extending stage accommodations over 1502 miles of post roads, on which the mail has hitherto been carried on horses only, or in sulkies, and on which the annual transportation in stages will, from the 1st of January next, amount to 278,656 miles. The frequency of trips will also be increased on 894 miles of existing stage routes, to the annual increase of 138,358 miles; making, together, an increase of stage transportation of the mail, from the 1st of January next, of 417,014 miles a year. 1828, the expenditures exceeded the receipts $25,015 85. transportation, equal to 812,871 miles a year, beyond the For the year ending 1st July, 1829, the expenditures ex- amount of any former period." ceeded the receipts $74,714 15. And this is alleged as The annual transportation of the mail on the 1st of July cause of accusation against the Postmaster General. Let last, was about 9,531,577 miles in stages; and the whole it be recollected, that the present Postmaster General yearly transportation in coaches, steamboats, sulkies, and came into office on the 6th day of April, 1829, and had on horseback, amounted at that period to about 14,500,000 made no contracts, payments for which could have fallen miles. due on the 1st July, 1829, every contract having been made by his predecessor. He was merely fulfilling prior engagements, and is entitled neither to censure nor praise for the effects of contracts made before he came into office. The excess of expenditure for the year ending on 1st July, 1830, was $82,124 85. For the first half of this year, the whole transportation of the mail was under contracts made by Judge McLean; and for the last half of the year, threefourths of the preceding contracts continued, the western contracts only having terminated. It should be noticed that the expenditures for the second half year of 1829 were $948,366 74; and the receipts in the same period $892,827 60; producing an excess of expenditures for that half year of $55,539 14. The expenditures for the first half year of 1830 were $984,341 21; the receipts for Provision is also made for the more frequent transportathe same period $957,755 50; leaving an excess for the tion of the mail on different routes, as follows: last half year of $26,585 71; and it appears from the re- Increase of trips on horse routes, 31,824 miles a year; port at the commencement of the present session, that the increase of trips on existing routes, changed from horse to excess of this last half year was actually but $17,019 16; stage routes, 118,456 miles a year; increase of trips on a portion of the current expenditures that were made in stage routes, 138,358 miles a year; making, together, a the preceding year having been entered in the accounts total increase of 288,628 miles of transportation of mails of the first half of the year 1830-apparently increasing in a year, beyond the amount of present transportation the excess of this half year to $26,585 71. Thus it ap- in that division, besides the improvement of substituting pears, that in the first half year, after the contracts of the stages for horse transportation. present Postmaster General began to operate, there was a great saving to the Government. I do not urge this as cause of censure against the predecessor of the present incumbent. He was an able and upright officer; he made valuable improvements in the department; and it is no reflection upon him to say, that his improvements have been improved upon, and that others have originated with the present head of that department, calculated to produce much public benefit. As an evidence that the condition of the department has improved since he came into office, I will merely state the fact, that the whole amount of postages from the 1st July, 1828, to the 1st July, 1829, was $1,707,418 42; and the amount of postages from the 1st July, 1829, to the 1st July, 1830, is $1,850,583 10, giving an increase in the first year of $143,164 68. This is an unprecedented increase of revenue in the history of this department. Among these improvements are included a line of stages from Edenton to Washington, North Carolina; from Newbern to Wilmington, North Carolina; a steamboat line from Wilmington to Smithville; and a line of stages from Smithville, North Carolina, to Georgetown, South Carolina; all of which are to run twice a week each way. These arrangements will complete the regular communication, by steamboats and stages, between Baltimore, Maryland, and Charleston, South Carolina; along the seaboard, by way of Norfolk, Virginia, Elizabeth City, Edenton, Washington, Newbern, Wilmington, and Smithville, North Carolina, and Georgetown, South Carolina; an accommodation desired alike by the public and the department. Provision is also made for expediting the mail on many important routes; among which is the whole route between this place and Fort Mitchell, via Richmond, Virginia, Raleigh, North Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, and Milledgeville, Georgia; which line will be traversed in two days less time than at present; so that the mail will run from this city to New Orleans in thirteen days after the 1st of January next. Notwithstanding these facts are known and exhibited to public view, and to the inspection of gentlemen on the other side, still they say this Executive Department is going to ruin. Facts appear to have no effect on their minds; arithmetical demonstration produces no conviction, so de- Allowing the average expense of transportation, by termined do they seem on effecting the destruction of this horse or sulky, to be five cents per mile, and by stages to officer. This investigation has produced a very different be thirteen cents per mile, which is about the mean rate impression on my mind. I viewed the present Postmaster paid in the Southern division, the value of these improveGeneral chiefly as a man of general talents, an able and ments, exclusive of the value of increased expedition, will eloquent advocate; but I now perceive him to be the be as follows: practical man--the able man of business--capable of grasping, with ease, the vast system, and comprehending the intricate machinery of this department, and of directing its energies to the greatest benefit of the country. There is now of available funds at the disposal of the department, the sum of $148,724 22. As a further evidence of the increasing prosperity of this department, I will read from the report accompanying the President's message, so much as will show some of the improvements which have been made by the present Postmaster Gene ral: "Between the 1st of July, 1829, and the 1st of July, 1830, the transportation of the mail was increased, in stages, equal to 755,767 miles a year; on horseback and in sulkies, 67,104 miles a year; making an annual increase of Annual amount of transportation changed Making the total annual value of the im- 22,292 48 5,922 80 17,985 54 1,591 20 $47,793 02 The contracts have been made for the ensuing four years from the first of January next, including all these improvements, at a sum less than the amount now paid for transporting the mails in that division, by 25,047 87 To this sum add the estimated value of the improvements, as before stated, 47,793 02 And the actual saving to the department in [SENATE. to give new bonds when required--being engaged in pursuits of a disqualifying character; such as will cause long periods of absence from the office-having too considerable a correspondence for the postage to be withdrawn from the revenue--being concerned in a mail contract--the inconvenient location of the office--all these render removals proper; and yet the present Postmaster General cannot act upon such cases as these without hearing the political clamor of "proscription!" And men should, in some instances, be removed to obtain the services of those better qualified to discharge the duties of the appointment. It has happened under every administration; it has happened under this, and will occur under every succeeding one, that from misrepresentation some improper removals and appointments will take place. Taking into view all these causes which I have enumerated, is it not rather matter of wonder, that, in the course of nearly two years, but a few more than five hundred out of eight thousand five hundred have been removed. My apprehension is, that even yet there remain among the subordinate agents of this department some men unworthy of their places. I I have thus shown to the Senate the condition of the fis- confidently hope that the present Postmaster General will cal concerns of this department, and the improvements go on, until none shall be continued in the employment of which have been made in the transportation of the mail. the department, but men of worth and integrity, and that I now approach a subject more intimately connected he will not be deterred from his duty by the cry of "prowith the inquiry before the Senate. The removals of post-scription." In this saving in the expense of the contracts, and the additional revenue which may be anticipated from the improvements they secure, together with the general increase of postages, which is still progressive, will be seen a foundation for the belief which has been expressed, that the current revenue of the department for the succeeding year will be sufficient for its disbursements. masters, called by the gentleman from Maine "proscrip- The power of appointing his deputies, is given by law tion," a word which, from long habit and frequent use, to the Postmaster General solely. What right of superhe pronounces better than any man in this nation. There vision has the Senate over his discretion in these matters? are about eight thousand five hundred postmasters in the If they have any, it must result from the claim that the United States; and, since this administration came into functions of the Executive are to be performed in subor power, which has been near two years, about five hundred dination to this body. This is neither in accordance with have been removed. Let us now see whether there be the theory, the practice, nor the principles of the consti not unquestionable causes of removal, which may properly tution of this Government. have produced as great a result as this. If a postmaster I will now show to the Senate some of the effects of this should commit any depredation on the mail, he surely "proscription," which, in the poetical language of the ought to be removed, although the gentleman from Maine gentleman from Maine, "makes the land turn pale.' It should exclaim "proscription." Should a postmaster will be recollected that, on the 1st May, 1829, the postviolate the secrecy of correspondence, which some men master in this city was removed, and Dr. Jones--who is have done, the Postmaster General ought not to be deter-no Midas, at whose touch every thing turns to gold--was red from removing him by the cry of "proscription." appointed his successor. According to the report on my The same fate should await all delinquents in paying their table, the nett proceeds of the office, immediately preceddues; likewise those who fail to render their accounts, or ing this change, for one year, was $2,803 25, and in the who abuse the franking privilege; and if, for any of these first year under Dr. Jones's management, the nett proceeds causes, removals take place, the gentleman from Maine amounted to $7,943 11 producing a clear gain in one year entertains the Senate with his "proscription." Fraudu- of $5,139 86. Yes, sir; this single post office, under the lent exactions of postage--concealing or detaining letters, present administration, without the aid of additional comnewspapers, or pamphlets--constitute just causes of re-merce, or any unusual assemblage of citizens, has producmoval; and if they are made, we hear the gentleman from ed a profit in one year to the Government, of the sum Maine cry out "proscription!" Habits of intemperance which I have quoted, and this is "proscription." I call disqualify a man for the office of postmaster; and, although it reform-call it by what name you may, it has produced temperance societies have done much in removing this results beneficial to the country; and the profits, since the destroyer of the human race from our land, I would still year which I have mentioned, have shown that the increase ask, if there be no drunkards in Maine? And should I be is not of a temporary character. answered, that these worthy societies have entirely suc- Another effect produced by what the gentleman calls ceeded in the East, we are not quite so fortunate in the "proscription," may be exhibited. There are not half West, although they have made promising and successful so many new cases of delinquent postmasters as at former progress. Still this vice in some degree prevails; and periods; there is a reduction of the number of delinquenshould a postmaster be seen staggering and reeling to his cies since the first of January, 1825, of more than one-half; office, so blind that he could not see a letter, and he should and this reduction has been sensibly experienced within be removed, the gentleman from Maine, unconsciously and the last year. This must be owing to some adequate cause. from habit, would cry out "proscription." Insulting or I know of no other to which it can be ascribed, but the unaccommodating deportment to persons having business terror of "proscription," which teaches, that for failures at the office-habitual carelessness and inattention to the in the discharge of their duty, they will be removed from duties of the station, constitute just cause of removal; in- office. When I see such effects produced, I shall not be competency--refusing to comply with the standing regula- dismayed by the term "proscription;" for my country protions of the department--employing assistants of bad charac- fits, though the incumbent lose his place. We shall hear ter--the coremission of crimes-a dissolute course of life-no more of such losses as $10,000 in a single post office, such conduct as is calculated to destroy public confidence as in the case of Fowler. in the office, these are just causes of removal; and if a A charge has been exhibited in the committee against postmaster be removed for any of these, another victim is the Postmaster General of indebtedness to the Governadded to the gentleman's "proscription." The remote ment; and Abraham Bradley, the dismissed assistant Postresidence of the postmaster from the office--the refusal master General, has been examined to support this charge. VOL. VII.-8 |