“These were actions of debt, brought officially by the postmaster general upon bonds given for the faithful performance of his duties, by one Benjamin Whittier, late postmaster at Belfast, Maine, who is since deceased. The bonds were in the usual form, with condition, that, if Whittier ‘shall well and truly execute the duties of his said office, and faithfully, once in three months, and oftener, if thereto required, render accounts of his receipts and expenditures, as postmaster, to the general postoffice, in the manner and form prescribed by the postmaster general in his several instructions to postmasters, and shall pay all monies that shall come to his hands for the postages of whatever is by law chargeable with postage, to the postmaster general of the United States for the time being, deducting only the commission and allowances made by law for his care, trouble, and charges, in managing the said office, and shall also faithfully do and perform, as agent for the general post-office, all such acts and things as may be required of him by the postmaster general, and moreover shall faithfully account with said postmaster general for all monies, bills, bonds, notes, receipts, and other vouchers, which he, as agent as aforesaid, shall receive for the use and benefit of said general post-office, then the above obligation shall be void and of no effect.’”