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- Organization of the Post Office Department Printed Act
Organization of the Post Office Department Printed Act
Object Details
- Description
- Organization of the Post Office Department, under the late Act of Congress:
- "The duties of the Department are divided, and distributed as follows, viz:
- Contract Office.
- To this office are assigned the duties of arranging the connexions of the mails on all the mail routes in the United States, adjusting the speed of the mails, fixing on the frequency of their trips, and the mode of conveyance, making out advertisements for mail service, receiving the bids, preparing them for the action of the Postmaster General, preparing forms of contracts, sending them out and seeing to their execution, examining and preparing for decision all propositions for changes in the mail service, fixing on the location of distribution, providing and sending out mail bags and mail locks and keys, and performing all acts appertaining to post roads which are necessary to put the mails in motion, and regulate their conveyance, speed, and connection.
- This office is under the superintendence of S. R. Hobbie, Esq. First Assistant Postmaster General, to whom all proposals for mail service, and all letters relating to the making or changing of contracts and schedules to mail bags, locks and keys, and every thing else having reference to the duties of the office, should be directed.
- Appointment Office.
- To this office are assigned all questions which relate to the establishment and discontinuance of post offices, changes of site and names, appointment and removal of postmasters, as also the giving of instructions to postmasters, furnishing them with blanks, and the performance of all other acts necessary to prepare post offices for the reception and proper management and distribution of the mails.
- This office is under the superintendence of Robert Johnston, Esq. Second Assistant Postmaster General, to whom all letters relative to the subjects mentioned above, and all complaints against postmasters, should be directed.
- Inspection Office.
- To this office is assigned the duty of seeing that all postmasters at the beginning and ends of routes, such others as may be directed by the Postmaster General, keep and return registers of the arrival and departure of the mails, according to law; of examining said registers, noting all delinquencies of contractors, and preparing them for the action of the Postmaster General; receiving and preparing for decision all special complaints against contractors; of seeing that all postmasters render their quarterly accounts according to law and the instructions of the Department, promptly reporting all delinquents to the Appointment Office, and doing all other things which may be necessary to secure a faithful and exact performance of their contract service on the part of contractors, and the prompt rendition of postmasters' quarterly accounts.
- This office is under the superintendence of Daniel Coleman, Esq. Third Assistant Postmaster General, to whom all mail registers, all letters complaining of or reporting contractors, and all quarterly accounts of postmasters, should be directed.
- Postmaster General.
- In addition to the general superintencence of these offices, the Postmaster General reserves to himself the special superintendence of the business connected with mail depredations; the payment by postmasters of the balances due from them; the bank accounts of the Department; the opening of dead letters and the disposition of the valuables found in them, and every other matter having relation to the administration of the Department not committed to his three Assistants.
- All letters relative to losses in the mail, or mail depredations, all letters from postmasters enclosing certificates of deposite; all letters of banks having reference to their accounts, and all other letters in relation to any matter or thing appertaining to the Department, which is not assigned by law to the Auditor, or by regulation to one of the Assistants, should be addressed to the Postmaster General.
- Auditor's Office.
- The late law established the office of "Auditor of the Treasury, for the Post Office Department." To this office, the law assigns the duty of settling all acccounts of the Post Office Department, whether of postmasters, contractors, or others.
- Charles K. Gardner, Esq. is the Auditor, and all accounts against or with the Post Office Department, (other than postmasters' quarterly accounts,) all letters in relation to accounts, all letters inclosing the receipts of contractors, all letters returning drafts on postmasters, and all other letters making claims or explanatory of accounts, should be addressed to him.
- Printers of newspapers throughout the United States would render an acceptable service to the community, as well as the Post Office Department, by inserting this article in their respective papers."
- Data Source
- National Postal Museum
- Date
- 1836-1841
- Object number
- 1990.0603.2
- Type
- Archival Material
- Medium
- paper; ink / printed
- Dimensions
- 23.8 x 16.2cm (9 3/8 x 6 3/8in.)
- Place
- United States of America
- See more items in
- National Postal Museum Collection
- Topic
- American Expansion (1800-1860)
- Record ID
- npm_1990.0603.2
- Usage
- Not determined