Stephen Johnson Field

“ And, as to the alleged duration of four years, it is sufficient to say that the regulation of the department referred to was designed only to further the administration of the postal service, not to impose any obligation on the postmaster general; and it would be against all analogies to hold that a continuance of service, after the termination of a written contract for years, creates an obligation of a renewed contract, not merely upon a like compensation, but for the same duration of time. There is no principle that could justify the implication. ”

“ Without specific stipulations by sureties, there could be no obligation on their part for the company, nor, without specific stipulations by the company, could there be any requirement on its part to perform many of the duties specially designated in the written contract. The postmaster general may have deemed it expedient for the public interest to change, enlarge, or omit entirely the requirements previously prescribed, and to call for others of a different character. No implication can arise, one way or the other, from his inaction. ”

“ But where no such collateral stipulations are made, and no duration of time is prescribed, but the service is exacted simply from the obligation growing out of the acceptance of the condition of the land grant, it rests in the discretion of the postmaster general to change the price, from time to time, as in his judgment the public interest may require. It is not to be presumed that in such matters he will act in an arbitrary or unreasonable manner. ”