441
PAPERS OF MIRABEAU BuoNAPARTE LAMAR
lily draft 100 as Post Master General was yesterday made on the acting Treasurer in favor of one of the mail contractors and has been protested for non-payment 1 - which act of the gentleman in that Bureau is presumed to have been in compliance with the instructions of the Chief Magistrate of the Republic. "'When not only the bond but good faith of Government required payment it has been thus refused & while I am consoled by a consciousness of having no agency in this violation of a government pledge still I deprecate it as unfortunate for the pub- lic. I cannot be mistaken as to the nature and extent of the privileges belonging to the head of the Post Office Department There has been I am convinced but one construction of the constitution & Post Office laws & your Excellency seems to have adopted it- In your Excel- lencys message 2 to the last Congress are the following words "That it" the Post Office Department ''has failed almost entirely to answer any "useful purpose of the Government the Executive has had frequent oc- "casion to regret, without the power of remedying the evil as the law "seems to have been so construed as to place the acts of its officers be- "yond the reach of executive supervision or control. The policy may "well be doubted of rendering an important branch of Government "irresponsible and independent" If by maintaining the rights pertain- ing to this Department by discharging my official duties in the best manner of which I am capable if by respecting the expressed wishes of as I believe of a large majority of my fellow citizens- If I say by doing all this I must incur the displeasure of your Excellency, then indeed it is unavoidable and I trust that a consciousness of having in my whole official course labored to do the best for my country will enable me to meet all that may follow from my refusing to leave the head of this Department as you require- I am therefore with the most sincere regard constrained to refuse your Excellencys request
I have the honor to be Most Respectfully Your obdt. Servt. J no Rice Jones
[Endorsed]
Jno Rice Jones P. l\I. G.
Post Master Genl
Aug 29. 1840.-
No. 1878 1840 Aug. 31, J. H. STARR, NACOGDOCHES, [TEXAS] TO M. B. LAMAR, AUSTIN, [TEXAS] 3
Nacogdoches Augt- 31-1840
Dear General
Enclosed herewith you will receive my resignation•- To this act I have been driven by the force of circumstances quite beyond my control. I shall visit Austin in October when I may be able to render
100 No. 1872. 1 No. 1876. 'No. 1529. 1 A. L. S. 'No. 1879.
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