_To the Senate_:
I herewith return without approval Senate bill No. 127, entitled "An act
for the relief of H.K. Belding."
This bill directs the sum of $1,566 to be paid to the said H.K. Belding
"for carrying the mails of the United States between the years 1858 and
1862."
In April, 1858, a contract was awarded to the said Belding for carrying
the mails from Brownsville, Minn., to Carimona, in the same State, a
distance of 63 miles, and return, three times a week, for the sum of
$1,800 per annum, said service to begin on the 1st day of July, 1858,
and to terminate on the 30th day of June, 1862. This contract contained
a provision that the Post-Office Department might discontinue the
service in whole or in part, allowing to the contractor one month's
extra pay therefor.
On May 9, 1859, in consequence of a failure on the part of the Congress
to make the necessary appropriation, a general reduction of mail service
was ordered, and the service under the contract with the claimant was
reduced to two trips per week from May 10, 1859, instead of three, as
stipulated in the contract, and a deduction of one-third of the annual
sum to be paid by the contract was made for such reduced service; and
thereupon one month's extra pay was allowed and paid the contractor on
account of said reduction.
It is conceded that payment was made in full according to the terms of
the contract up to the 10th day of May, 1859, but it is claimed that
notwithstanding the reduction of the service to two trips per week and
the receipt by the contractor of one month's extra pay by reason
thereof, he continued to perform the full service of three trips per
week from the 10th day of May, 1859, to the 30th day of September, 1860,
being seventeen months.
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