-^ Recent History 



All expenses, except the salaries of some of the officials, have 

 been met out of this. Contributions to the expenses of the Inter- 

 national Bureau at Berne, sea transit of letters, stationery, printing 

 of stamps, postal supplies, salaries of General Post Office officials, 

 boat hire, salaries of the Monrovia Post Office, are paid out of the 

 postal revenues. The Postmaster-General is exceedingly anxious to 

 place the service on the same footing in all parts of the country, 

 but he is hampered by want of funds. The state of the public 

 finances will not admit of any large sum being spent on the service 

 out of revenue from other sources. I hope that the Legislature will 

 after ten years' solicitation pass the Stamp Act constantly suggested 

 since 1894 If not satisfactory in the way put before you, pass the 

 measure modifying the scale of fees. There is no tangible reason 

 why it should be longer ignored. It is a proposal entirely in the 

 interest of the people. I think, too, the Legislature should pass some 

 measure for the encouragement of thrift among our people. I would 

 recommend that the Postal Department be authorised to establish 

 Postal SavinGfs Banks. 



Judiciary 



I fear the unguarded expressions of some of our judges are 

 affecting the reputation for impartiality which our Courts have 

 hitherto sustained. The judges of subordinate Courts seem at present 

 to have the opinion that they are subject to no sort of control either 

 on the part of the Supreme Court or of the Executive Government. 

 With their judgments, where there does not exist a well-grounded 

 suspicion of corruption, or provided they do not violate Constitution 

 or law, the Executive power has nothing to do. I am of the opinion 

 that if a judge proves unfit from want of legal knowledge, the 

 Executive ought to suspend him and report the facts to the Legis- 

 lature for action. The judges are civil officers, they are therefore 

 to be supervised by the Executive Government as regards their 

 conduct and deportment, since these must materially affect the 

 respect in which the judicial office ought to be held. These remarks 

 are to .some extent called out by a discussion which the Government 

 of the Republic has been carrying on during the year with the 

 Imperial German Foreign Office, with regard to the case of 



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