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(Transcribed by Karen Meisenheimer from Allegany County Democrat, 2/23/1877)

Canaseraga Post Office.

            Ed. Democrat: -- This, friend Nichols, is with us, the one thing needful to be at once attended to by the Postmaster General.  It looks to-day as though the Republican party is the victorious party; and if this proves to be the case, the Republicans expect, of course, to have this office continued in the hands of some one of the same views.  But it is very certain that you cannot find more than a dozen voters in the town of Burns who will advocate the continuance in office of our present postmaster.  We not only need but must have another one in his place and our citizens have generally come to the same conclusion.  We may as well look this matter square in the face, and go in for rotation in office.  Of course the next thing is to find the gentlemen who will take it, and give entire satisfaction to our people.  Now there is one man whose name has been most frequently mentioned, who stands high in the public estimation, whose means are so ample that he does not need the fees of the office, who is thoroughly posted in public business, who ought to be appointed to the position at once.  Mr. Fay Miller is that man – an acknowledged gentleman, a square man.  There are a few qualification for the office that ought not to be ignored, and first when we recollect that not only men and boys are sent to a post office, but ladies, wives, young girls are often compelled to call for letters, and there should not be appointed a man who has two wives at one and the same time.  This, with us, would be a very serious disqualification.

            2d.  There is needed a man who can and will give his whole time to the office, and will not feel the need of jockeying, and doing various other matters to the inconvenience of the public.

            3d. We need one whose disposition is affable, and never uses oaths or foul language to those who apply for their mail.

            4.  There should be a person in that office who disdains reading both sides of postal cards, and one who takes good care that letters and papers do not drop behind sundry old boxes and rubbish, so that if found at all again it is days after their arrival.

            5.  There should be a postmaster who needs only one assistant and not three or four, and yet leave the office often to take care of itself, and compel any persons waiting to help themselves.  Sometimes you know there are those to be found who would just as leave take one man’s mail as another’s.  We consider all such things as positive disqualifications, and we hope our Congressman for this district should look sharp as to the successor to our present efficient postmaster.

            There is one thing more, not to be overlooked.  The office should not be in a store, but in a place by itself, and should be entirely disconnected from any caucus room whatsoever.

                                                                                    MANY CITIZENS