Alexandria gazette. [volume], June 19, 1834, Image 2

About Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974

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THE G AZETTE.
By EDGAR SNOWDEN.
POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT.
VIEWS OF THE MINORITY.
[concluded. J
josiah Horton swears, that in 4332, he, with
William Lewis and Thomas Lindsay, run a line
of stages on the road from Frederick to Hagers
town. in Maryland, at the time when the arti
cles of agreement referred to in Mr. Brown’s
statement were entered into between the Penn
sylvania and National Road Companies—that
that agreement contained an article tending to
injure him by driving him off the road; and
that he learned from Mr. Carter and Mr. Tom
linson, that Mr. Brown received fifty dollars of
Mr. Carter for the part he had taken in bring
ing about that agreement. For the part which
Mr. Brown took, we refer to his statement on
oath, by which it appears that he was not the
author of the articles of agreement, nor were
they dictated by him—that he was only the ■
means of bringing the parties together, and |
urging the necessity of an adjustment of their |
differences, and that he wrote articles for them i
after the parties had agreed upon the terms;
and that what he received from one of the com- j
panies was on account of the expense which
he had incurred in performing a journey to
Ptttsbugh and Wheeling, for the purpose of ef
fecting an agreement between his friends. Mr.
Horton was not a mail contractor, nor did he
carry the mail in the stages which he was run
ning. It was rather an opposition line to Mr.
Stockton, the contractor. If an agreement be
tween the companies, who were contractors,
operated to the detriment of an opposition line
upon either of their roads, we do not conceive
it to be a proper subject of* interference, either
by the department or any other branch of the
Government. Every citizen has a lawful right
to run aline of stages upon any highway, at his
pleasure; and the proprietors of other lines, in
making their arrangements for passengers, are
under no obligation in law to guard his interest.
But as this is a matter which has no reference
to the transportation of the mail, but passen
gers only, and that in stages which do not car
ry the mail, nor bear any relation to the depart
ment, it is not a proper subject of inquiry or
interference on our part. There was nothing j
official in the transaction, nor any thing over
which either the Hennrtment or Ooncnress could
exercise any control.
Mr. Horton also swears that he has been en
jeavoring for four year past to get contracts
from the department, but he has not been able
io succeed; that he has been the lowest bidder,
lie believes, a dozen times yet the contracts
are always given to others. He instances two
cases—One is, that he proposed to carry the
mail between Washington and Winchester, via
Leesburg, for 1300 dollars, but the contract was
given to Mr. Stockton at 2300 dollars.
We have examined this case, and find the
facts to be as follows: The route from AVashing
.on City, by Leesburg, to Winchester, 70 miles,
and from Fairfax C. H. to Winchester, 56
miles, both three times a week, in four horse
post coaches, were proposed to be taken bv
Messrs. Stockton & Stokes, in 1830, at 4000
dollars for the two routes, with the improve
ment on the former to run six times a week, for
half of each year, between Washington and
Leesburg, and to run three times a week be
tween Alexandria and Leesburg, and to extend
an afternoon mail six times a week from Wash
ngton to Baltimore, so as to deliver the Lees*
burg mail in Baltimore the same day it leaves
Leesburg, instead of suffering it to be detained
in Washington until the next day.
Mr. Horton’s bid on the route from Washing
ton by Leesburg to Winchester, was for $1370
a year, and the lowest bid on the route from
Fairfax C. H. to Winchester, was 1800 dollars,
if Mr. Horton’s bid had been accepted on the
one route, and the lowest bid on the other route,
then the two routes would have cost the depart
ment 3175 dollars a year. Mr. Stockton was
already the contractor on the route; and his
bid at 4000 dollars for the two routes, with the
improvements, was accepted. The difference
was 825 dollars a year; and for that sum the
department received, by this acceptance, the
additional service of three mails a week, in four
horse post coaches, between Washington and
Leesburg, and six afternoon mails a week be
tween Washington and Baltimore, by which
the mails from Winchester and Leesburg, and
other places in the northern part of Virginia,
,vere delivered in Baltimore the evening of
their arrival in Washington, instead of being
detained till the next day, and the facilities of
an afternoon mail to Baltimore given to the ci
tizens of Washington, .Georgetown, and Alex
andria. The Postmaster General considered
this the best bid, and therefore accepted it.
The other case which he instances is that of
ihe route between Washington city and Lynch
burg, VaM 200 miles. He alleges that his bid
was lower than that of Mr. Smith by $1500, as
ne believes; yet Mr. Smith obtained the con
tract. The facts appear to be as follows: Wil
liam Smith, of Virginia, had, about a year be
fore the advertising of this route, in 1830, the
period to which Horton’s affidavit refers, esta
blished a line of four horse post coaches, to run
ihree times a week on the whole route between
Washington and Lynchburg. When, in 1830,
the advertisement was issued for proposals for
the whole of the southern section, Mr. Smith
proposed to renew’ his contract on this route at
$6000 a year, for four years, from the first of
January, 1831. Mr. Horton proposed to take
the contract at $5450 a year, as appears by the
proposal books, making a difference of 550 dol
lars a year, and not 1500. as Mr. Horton sup
posed. Mr. Smith also proposed, without any
further compensation, to furnish the mail with
guards, if, at any time, it should become neces
sary on the jroute, as it had on several other
routes. He also bound himself to make such
provision for passengers on the route from Win
chester, connecting with this at Fairfax C. H.,
as would supersede the necessity of extending
that route from Fairfax C. H. to Alexandria,
14 miles. The Postmaster General considered
Mr. Smith’s bid the most eligible of the two, if
he had only regarded the improvements. But
there were other considerations before him. It
is usual to give a preference to old contractors,
when they are known to be faithful. Mr. Smith
was the former contractor on this route, and,
as such, was very favorably known to the De
partment. Mr. Horton does not appear to have
been favorably known to the Department.
The present Postmaster General had been
but a little more than a year in office, and for a '
know ledge of the character of contractors, he, j
of course, referred to the testimonials left in the j
Department by his predecessor. From them i
he does not appear to have found any thing fa
vorable respecting Mr. Horton. It appears that i
in the fall of 1828, when the last lettings were ;
made under Mr. McLean, Josiah Horton & Co. ]
proposed to carry the mail daily, in stages, be- l
tween Boston and Providence, 42 miles, for
690 dollars a year. Under the record of this
proposal is written, in the hand-writing of the
late Postmaster General, the following note:
u The persons associated with Mr. Horton not
being made known to the Department, and as
there is a considerable amount of property on
this route, which, by the rules of this Depart
ment, must be purchased by the under bidder,
it is believed that he does not possess the means
to purchase the same. The bid of the contrac
tors is, therefore, accepted as above.” Against
the names of Gay & Homer, above, is also
written, in the hand-writing of Mr. McLean,
“ accepted at 2000 dollars.” Thus, it appears,
he was not accredited by the late Postmaster
General for a daily mail, 42 miles, but another
proposal was accepted at nearly three times the
amount of Mr. Horton’s. We should, under
all these circumstances, conclude that the ac
ceptance of Mr. Smith’s proposal, in preference
to that of Mr. Horton, for a route of 200 miles
in length, was judicious and proper.
The contracts with Gen. George House, of
Ohio, have also been the subjects of investiga
tion. He was under contract with the late
Postmaster General, for transporting the mail,
once a week, between Gallipolis, Ohio, and
Chillicothe, 62 miles, in two horse stages, from
January 1, 1828, to December 31, 1831, at $600
a year. From the 1st November, 1S29, he was
allowed, by the present Postmaster General, an
additional sum of $600 a year, for running
twice a week in four horse post coaches. John
Black was contractor for carrying the mail be
tween Gallipolis and Coalsmouth, Va., twice a
week, on horseback, from January 1, 1831, for
$394 a year. In the spring of 1831, George
House appears to have contemplated the es
tablishment of a steamboat line from Gallipolis
across the Ohio river, and up the Kanawha to
Coalsmouth, Va., 50 miles, where it would con
nect with the stage route from Fredericksburg,
by Charlottesville, Staunton, and Guyandotte,
to Calettsburgh, in Kentucky; and for the pur
pose of having the mail carried by steamboats,
House was directed to extend his mail route from
if _!• £*.__A ..t 1 1 OO 1 .vld/th mmn eon il Of 1
iiuiu xxjjiu, iujij «iu\yii
the contract of Black. He did not succeed
with his steamboat, but carried the mail on
horseback, for which he received no more com
pensation than Black was entitled to under his
contract. The contract of House expired on
the 31st of December, 1831, and in the summer
of 1831, when the routes in that quarter were
advertised to run three times a week, in four
horse post coaches. The proposal of Gen.
House was, to extend to Kanawha Court House,
62 miles, which would double the distance, and
to carry the mail in steamboats, between Galli
polis and Kanawha Court House, for $3000 a
year. His proposal was rejected, and that of
A. L. Ross & Co. accepted at $1100 a year, to
run from Chillicothe to Gallipoiis. 60 miles, and
to run through in 30 hours. Though Gen.
House has not succeeded with his steamboat,
he appears to have had one in a state of for
wardness, preparing for the route up the Kana
wha; and the Department appears to have been
anxious to have the steamboat line established,
as a connecting link between the Guyandotte
stage route in Virginia, and the stage lines from
Gallipoiis, by Chillicothe, to Columbus, and to
Cincinnati, in Ohio. In conformity with the
wishes of the Department, A. L. Ross, there
fore, voluntarily relinquished the route between
Gallipoiis and Chillicothe, that it might be given
to House, and extended, by steamboat, to
Coalsmouth or Kanawha Court House.
A contract was then made with Geo. House,
to carry the mail three times a week, in four
horse post coaches, 62 miles, through in one
day; also, to extend, three times a week, on
horse back, from Gallipoiis to Coalsmouth, 50
miles; and if it should be found practicable to
run steamboats, then to extend to Kenawha C.
H., 62 miles, and to carry the mail in steam
boats between Gallipoiis and Kenawha C. H.,
and to perform the whole service for 2.600 dol
lars a year. It appears from the reports from
Postmasters, that Gen. House has often failed
to deliver the mail, on his route, according to
the directions of the Department, and the pen
alties have not been generally enforced. These
failures were frequently occasioned by the high
and impassable state ot the waters on this route,
and in some instances, the penalties have been
imposed; still we cannot think from the evi
dence now in the possession of the Department,
that sufficient rigor has been exercised.
»v imam ouiiiu lscuiniucior 101 carrying me
mail in coaches on many routes, among which
are the most of those constituting the line from
Washington City—by Fairfax C. H., Warren
ton, Va., Culpepper C. H., Orange C. H., Char
lottesville, Lynchburg, Danville, >8ulem, N. C.,
Yorkvfille, S. C., and Washington, Ga., to Mil
ledgeville. The route from Washington to
Lynchburg, 200 miles, he contracted to run three
times a week, in four horse post coaches, from
January 1, 1831, to December 31, 1834. at $6,
000 per annum. In April, 1831. such alteration
was made in times of arrival and departure, on
this route, and on the route between Lynchburg
and Danville, and such increased expedition
given, as to require considerable additional ex
pense. The object was to perfect the connex
ion south of Danville, with the route from Sa
lem, N C. to South Carolina and Georgia, so as
to save two day’s of time, which would other
wise be lost; and it is stated that it would re- |
quire two additional teams of horses. For this.,
alteration, he w*as allowed 800 dollars a year ex
tra pay. In the August following, he was di
rected to make such further alteration, on that
part of the route between Warrenton and Wash
ington city, as wTould bring the mail, once in
each week, into the latter place, one day earlier
than it would otherwise do. This alteration evi
dently subjected him to increased expense,and it
is stated that it required an additional team; and
he was allowed for it 300 dollars a year extra
compensation. He was afterwards allowed 1,
200 for improving it from a tri-weekly to a daily
route between Washington city and Warren
ton, 50 miles. In April, 1832, he wras allowed
the further sum of 1,600 dollars per annum, for
extending the daily route to Orange C. H.; and
from the 1st of May, 1832, he w as allowed the
further sum of 3000 dollars a year, for extend
ing the daily line of coaches the w hole distance
from Washington to Lynchburg.*
The extension of the line daily, from Wash
ington to Lynchburg, appears to have been
made in conformity with the general and earn
est calls of the citizens of the section of the coun
try through which this mail runs. Letters and
petitions were presented with more than one
thousand signatures, calling for the improve
ment, and sustained by the members of Congress
representing the country through which it pass- i
es. I his makes, together with the former al- \
lowances, 6,900 dollars a year, extra allowance i
for improving the route from three times to se- i
veil times a week. His original contract was <
5,000 dollars a year for three weekly trips or 2 - <
300 dollars a year for each weekly trip. 5 Four j
additional weekly trips were added, which, at <
he same rate, would amount to 8,000 dollars a 5
^ear. The allowance was less than that sum. i
t was therefore within the limitation fixed by t
aw. Its expediency is the only point on which ]
a question can be raised. It lias been suggested
that its proximity to another route, that from
Fredericksburg, Virginia, to Milton, North Ca
rolina, is such as to render it inexpedient or im
proper to incur the expense of a daily coach
mail on this route. On this point, we are of opi
nion, that the Postmaster General, and that the
citizens interested, including their representa
tives in Congress, are the most competent judg
es. It runs through an important section of the
country, connecting the seats of justice of not
less than seven counties, including the towns of
Charlottesville and Lynchburg, with each other,
and with the seat of the General Government.
There is another stage route running between
this and the principal mail route to the Southern
cities. But it has no connexion with this route,
that commencing at Fredericksburg and termi
nating at Milton, North Carolina, and this com
mencing at Washington, and terminating at
Lynchburg. There are other routes extending
from the southern termination of these, wnich
continue till they terminate in one point at Sa
lem, North Carolina, and the principal mail
route between Washington and Fredericksburg,
connects the northern points; but they com
mence fifty-seven miles distant from each other,
and their terminating points. Milton and Lynch-,
burg, are still more distant. We are of opinion, j
therefore, that there is nothing obviously inex- J
pedient in the improvements which have been
made in this route; and from the uncommon so
licitude of the citizens and their representatives,
upon the subject, it would seem that they were
an object of more than ordinary desire. The
Postmaster General, who had the best means of
determining the question, decided in favor of
its expediency; and we find no evidence which
would justify us in taking exception to his deci
sion. There has been a reduction made in the
line, from Washington to Lynchburg; the mail
is now only transported six times a week to
Warrenton, and three times a week to Lynch
burg; and a corresponding reduction of com
pensation has also been made: this diminution
of service and compensation, has been produc
ed by the want of means in the department, and
we are now prepared to say, that the former
service and compensation should be restor
ed, whenever the finances of the department
will warrant it. It should be remarked in this
case, that no imputation of partiality towards
the contractors should be indulged in, because,
the compensation of the extra services falls short
of the legal standard, or what might have been
allowed by law, and the reduction of service, to
so great an amount was made at such a season
of the year as greatly to sacrifice the value of
much of the stock thrown out of employment by
The mail routes between Staunton, Virginia,
and Catlettsburgh, Kentucky, 252 miles, were
advertised to run three times a week in four
horse post coaches. Porter, Belden, & Co.,
proposed to perform that service from January
1st, 1831, to December 31st, 1834, three times a
week for 7,565 dollars a year, or six times a
week for 14,120 dollars a year, or daily for 15,
500 dollars a year. The contract was made for
three times a week, at 7,566 dollars a year, and
signed by Edwin Porter, & Co., and Jourdon
Wood folk, dated October 20, 1830, commence
January 1, 1831, and to continue four years.—
About a year after this contract commenced
they were allowed the additional sum of 156
dollars a year for sending a mail on horseback
three time a week to the post office at Tease’s
valley. From 1st April, 1831, three months af
| ter this contract commenced, it was improved
to six times a week. Ther proposals would
have entitled them to 15,120 dollars for the
whole service six times a week,which would have
been an additional allowance to the original
contract of 7,554 dollars a year; but the Post
master General refused them this amount, and
allowed them only 5000 dollars a year, which
was 2,554 dollars less than their proposals. In
August, 1832, that part of this route which lies
between Guyandotte and Catlettsburgh, 12.
miles, was discontinued, and a reduction of 340
dollars a year made from the contract. From
the 1st of November last, the whole line was
reduced to a tri-weekly route; and the allowT
ance of 5,000 dollars a year withdrawn which
had been made for its improvement; also the
allowance of 156 dollars a }fear for sending a
mail to Tease’s valley, was at the same time
withdrawn, which reduced the annual compen
sation for the stage line to 7,220 dollars a year,
being 346 dollars less than the original contract.
In this, we discover nothing incompatible with
law and equity.
i ne law oi lvjarcn zn, (^ec. j.j wmcn
establishes as post roads all waters on which
steamboats regularly pass, from port to port,
makes the Ohio river a post road; and the 4th
and 6th sections of the law, of March 3, 1825,
has been construed by the Postmaster General,
as authorizing him to make contracts for the
conveyance of mails on extended routes, and
on steamboat routs, without advertising, as is re
quired in ordinary cases. Instead of being go
verned by advertisement, as in cases where
there is no other restriction, he is restricted in
contracts, under the 4th section, by the pro
ceeds of the post office, on the extended part
of the route—in contracts under the 5th section,
he is restricted by the number of letters and
papers conveyed. Under the sectiion which
authorizes him to make contracts for carry
ing the mail by steam boats, it is the practice,
when the number of letters and papers con
veyed by such steam boat will not probably be
so great as to amount to a very considerable
sum, to require to be counted at the post office,
when they are delivered, and payment made
by the Postmaster, according to law; but in
cases where the mail is large, and will probably
amount to more by counting, than a fair con
tract price; and especially when it contains nu
merous packets, mailed for other offices, than
those to which are delivered by the steamboat,
the counting of them would be impracticable;
and it is the practice of the Postmaster Gene
ral to enter into contract upon such terms as
in his judgment are most eligible for its trans
portation in steamboats. In pursuance of this
practice, the Postmaster General extended the
original route which was then in operation from
Staunton to Guyandotte, so as to run by steam
boats from Guyandotte, Virginia, down the
Ohio river, by Cincinnati, Ohio, to Louisville,
Kentucky, to run six times a week each way,
for which he allowed the contractor SI3.000 a
year. It is stated by the Postmaster General,
that on experiment it was found that the part
of the route between Cincinnati and Louisville <
was much more important than the part he- <
tween Guyandotte and Cincinnati; and as the i
^reat northern and eastern mail, which arriv- i
?d at Cincinnatti for Louisville, and all places ;
south and west of that place, was daily instead 1
of six times a week, it was desirable to have 1
fiat part of the steam boat route daily, instead <
of six times a week; but the contractor alleo-- t
id, that a daily mail would require an addition- I
il steamboat, which would greatly increase the i
‘xpense. It was therefore stipulated, that he 1
fiould run but four trips a week each way. be- t
ween Guyandotte and Cincinnati, and seven c
rips a week each way, between Cincinnati and c
Louisville, without any change in his cojnpen- i
sation. From the 1st November last, the part j
of the route between Guyandotte and Cincin- j
nati was reduced to two trips each way, a week,
and a deduction made from his compensation j
of5,000 dollars per annum. The present steam- 1
boat contract, therefore, is to run twice a week !
each way, between Guayandotte and Cincin
nati and Louisville, and the annual compensa
tion is 8,000 dollars.
The mail route between Mobile, Alabama,
and New Orleans, Louisiana, has been a sub- i
jectof investigation. It appears that the con- j
tract foil this route had been annulled on ac- ,
count of the failure of the contractors; and the 1
Postmaster General advertised it on the 15th
of April, 1829, for proposals to be received till
the 12th July, 1S29, to run three times a week
from Mobile, via Pascagoula, in stages and
sfeamboats, the terms indefinite. It was ac
cepted to James Reeside & Co. at 25.000 dollars
a year; and the contract made with them, at
that rate, to transport the mail in stages and
steamboats, or in steamboats, as might be found
most eligible, for four years, from the 16th of
November, 1829. The contract is dated July
24, 1829, signed by James Reeside, Richard C.
Stockton, Wm. B. Stokes, John H. Avery, Ed
win Porter and the Potomac Steamboat Com
pany, by Frederick May.
The Postmaster General determined, in the
fall of 1831, to improve the mail route between
the Atlantic cities and New Orleans,.to a daily
line; but as the enterprise of this company had in
many respects proved disasterous, he determin
ed to confine the contract on the route for this
part of the line to the responsibility of an indivi
dual who might select his associates, but stand
personally pledged for the performance of the
service. He therefore, superseded this contract
by a new one, with Edwin Porter, to run daily,
instead of three times a week, and to receive for
his annual compensation 40,000 dollars. This
contract bears date October 15, 1831, to com
mence on the 1st of January 1832, and to
continue for four years. It is signed by Edwin
Porter, as principal, and by Sidney Porter and
Wilson Allen, as sureties. Under this contract
the mail appears to be carried at this time.
It has been suggested, that this contract was
liable to exception. It should be remembered
that the Postmaster General is expressly au
thorized, by the act of 1825, to cause the mail
to be transported by water, from Mobile to
the city New Orleans. It was put into ope
ration before the present Postmaster Gene
ral came into office—was advertised, and
regularly let to contract, in July, 1829—the
transportation between the above named pla
ces to be tri-weekly at the price of 25,000 dollars
per annum. The additional 15,000 dollars for
the additional four trips a week, so as to make
the service daily, at 40,000 dollars per annum,
was clearly less than the pro rata allowance
which the Postmaster General is authorized by
lilt* law iu giant.
It is alleged, however, that this route costs the
large sum of40,000 dollars, while the nett amount
received for postage in the year ending on the
31st March, 1833, in the whole State of Louisia
na, was only $46,718 43, and at this time cannot
greatly exceed that sum; and in the State of
Alabama, the nett amount of postages in the
same period was only $37,6S2 58. Were these
two States alone interested in this route, it would
be readily admitted that the expense produced
by it would be unreasonable; but when it is re
collected that New Orleans is the point to which
the whole surplus agricultural products of the
nine Western States, and the western parts of
Pennsylvania and Virginia, are transported to
market, and the purchasers in a great measure
are the merchants and traders of the eastern ci
ties, it will be seen that the whole western States
and a great portion of the eastern trading com
munity, have an interest in securing a certain,
frequent and speedy transmission of intelligence
by this route. A principal object of expedition
in mail transportation is, that intelligence
through that channel may become general
among those why have articles to sell, before
purchasers, or their agents, acting by means of
private information, procured through express
es, and otherwise, can obtain that advantage
which those acting with a knowledge of the
market in other parts of the world always have
over those who do not possess similar informa
tion. In this view of the subject, the whole
western country is deeply interested in keeping
up this route, cost what it may. Without it they
might be exposed to the danger of sacrificing
the products of their labor without obtaining a
fair equivalent; and citizens of the eastern por
tion of the United States are interested in pro
curing certain and early intelligence of the kind
and quantity of western productions that are or
probably may be in market at New Orleans. It
is true that numerous failures have occurred on
this route, owing chiefly to the incapacity of Mr.
Porter’s agent, for which fines to the amount of
about 6,000 dollars have been imposed; but
since the contractor has fixed his residence at
Mobile and New Orleans alternately, and given
to the route his immediate personal attention,
the transportation of the mail has become regu
lar, and well connected with the great mail line
from Mobile to the Atlantic cities. By this ar
rangement, the time of transporting the mails
from New Orleans to Washington, and the ci
ties east of it, is several days loss than it was pre
vious to its adoption.
At nrst view it may seem exceptionable that
the Postmaster General has granted such impor
tant mail facilities in the southern and western
States, and has not, to a greater extent, discon
tinued unproductive routes in those sections, in
asmuch as the postages received in those States
in no instance equals the expense of the trans
portation through them. It is true, that by the
act of 1S25, he is directed that whenever, within
the term of three successive years, a route shall
fail to yield one-fourth of the expense incident
to its establishment, to discontinue the same,
unless in cases where it may be necessary as a
connexion or continuance of a route or routes,
and provided he shall not deprive a seat of jus
tice in any county of one mail going to and from
it. We are not aware that this injunction of the
law has been disregarded, nor have we had
time minutely to investigate this subject, our at
tention having been directed to objects deemed
more important. One general fact, however, is
apparent: that the southern and western States 1
io not, through the offices in them, contribute
to the department an amount equal to the ex- .
Dense of transportation. This arises from seve- l
ral causes. A commercial and manufacturing
community have more correspondence, and, of
course, contribute a greater proportion of the ]
revenues of the department than an agricultu- ,
'al people. A dense will contribute more than |
i sparse population. Besides, the expense of 11
ransportation through an old and thickly set-! J
led country, where the roads are well improv-1 <
id, and where many passengers travel in mail 1
itages, will be much cheaper than in a quarter i
)f the country thinly inhabited, and where the
•oads are not in so high a state of improvement.
But it should be observed, that the postages re
urned to the General Post Office from the offi
:es in the southern nnd western States, do not -
contribute the whole amount that mail facilities t
i those sections contribute to its revenue.—
Much oi the postages received in the lurcee^
ern cities arise from correspondence receive;.'
from the citizens of the southern and
States. But suppose the fact in this parties
to be that the southern and western States h
some advantage, it may be safely affirmed thVe
this is the only department of the Governm *
in which they are on a footing of equality
other sections of the United States, in the bo 1
fits accruing from the disbursement of r.nhi^
moneys. To say nothing of the unequal (mJ1
tionsof the revenue laws upon the different n ’
of the country, it is apparent that the public m
neys are principally expended on the east U
seaboard; as instances, light-houses, breaku
ters, harbors, fortifications, and many other ->!
jects of expenditure that might be name.] h
ing no corresponding disbursements in ti p li
ter n States. We therefore think that the C
cumstance of less money being collected b m
department in the southern and western s?.
than the cost of transportation of the mails 11 ’
in, constitutes no solid objection either to tL V
gislation of Congress on this subject (fur m
objection would equally apply to it) 0i* the !*,w
ministration of the department.
Our attention has been particularly drav^
some of the incidental accounts of the De !
ment. Among others, the account of n re
paid for the Department by Mr. Gouverne'
Postmaster at New York, seemed to require
cial attention. Upon a full investigation ufp
account, every item constituting it was fou-./V
be accompanied by its appropriate vouc.
and the items themselves appeared chiefly t
such as have been ordinarily, under fori V
ministrations, paid for by the PostmaV. ,*
New York, and accredited to him at t! >'
partment, as in this instance.
The accounts for printing executeo l0r
Department by Francis P. Blair, editorV*
Globe; by Mr. Penn, of Louisville. ; u . l;i,
Messrs. Hill and Barton of Concord, iVj \
by Messrs. True & Greene, of Boston ^<1
from the 1st of October, 1831, to the 1st oF.rar;
1 ary, 1834, were supposed to require miaute •
amination. We compared the account v f
the vouchers which accompanied them ,•*!,
were satisfied that all the items in die elpc u
accounts were correct, and that the k.V~'frj(v;
work charged were furnished and execu. *(iV
cording to the accounts. The only pc?«t of }\\
culty with us was, the price of o-inting. of wl i
we were not judges, but from all the in/orn -
tion we were able to collect, \V2 believe iht
prices which have been paid are reasoncbl'
But to prevent any misapprehension oe u,is
subject, and that others may have die same n
portunity of judging, we present die fc!luwmfc
| statement of the prices paid b” the
To S. Penn, Jr. Louisville, jK v.
For printing post bills, per resin, 5.
“ accounts of mails -e'j.i»vd
and sent, . ^
“ newspaper returns, c uq
£‘ accounts current, 0 r<,
££ accounts current '"or dist.ibr
ing offices, * 31.
P'or faint ruling, ip
To Thus & Greene, Bos'cn, mass.
Same prices as above.
To I Jill & Barton, Concord. i.T. \
Sames prices as above.
The same prices have been allowed \ »
Blair, and to Wm. Davis, Vvrashington clr
for printing; but they executed die rulin' toi
Si 50 per ream.
The above items, together with the a' "r
tisements for proposals, vvhich U13 ’c *' *
quires shall be published twelve we?l:c jn zu:
cession, constitute the principal part of the grin*
ing done for the Department. ,phe edve-’tisin..
I so far as we can learn has b?er donetht i'sir!
rates.
The undersigned, without any referenc* 1
the manner in which the Post Office ^ -o;
ment has been administered in former years. •»
at the present time, or to the individuals v he
may have had, or now have, the manage n?n.
of it, are of opinion that the legislation of Con
gress would be proper to the following effect:
1. That the Department be reorganised :
such way as to secure ?. proper degree of
sponsibility, not only in the head, but in the s*i
bordinate branches of the Department; • ndfo
that purpose the auditing of the accounts,: nd
the final adjudication of them,and the disburse
ments of its moneys, should be confided tc 0F1
cers appointed by the President and Sena^.
2. That reports be made to Congress ann ’id
ly, of all the expenditures of the Depart n:-*.,
stated in detail, including incidental expense?,
also, of all new contracts, and modi ••.cation: ct
contracts, and their respective prices; al 0. -
statement of the amount paid for the transpor
tation of the mail on each route, in the se1 *.cl j
States^and Territories, as near as may he.
3. That any person employed in the Cent mi
Post Office, shall be prohibited from beco^iin^
a contractor, or interested in a mail ccn. -ach
or an agent, with or without ccmpens.uic.i, ioi [
a mail contractor.
4. That advertisements for proposals to carry
the mail, issued previous to the periodical let
tings, be made, as near as may be, according
to the manner in which, in the judgment of iN*
Postmaster General, the mail should be fa •>
ported during the period of the contract.
5. That the sealed proposals "eccived iiti‘*
bidders for mail contracts, shall out be opened
until after the time for receiving bide ahaf b<v
expired.
6. That reports be made to Congress arntL!
ly of all failures by contractors 10 deliver m 1
and the action of the Postmaster Ccncm1 in "
gard thereto, in each case. j
FELIX CilUFD r,
JOHN M. ROBlFCOi'
----- -
FOR NORFOLK.
The Steam2/ CC w>
BIA, Capt. Jabiec cure*
ell, will leave Cambell;*
' wharf, Washington, ?•[
and Thompson’s wharf, Alexandria, at1 o
P. M. on Friday,the 20th instant, tor Nonol.V*
riving at Norfolk on Saturday, in time m»
Stages going South, and the Steamboat.
Henry for Richmond. Returning tc >ne v*
:rict, she will leave Norfolk on Sunday. J “ ;
it 3 o’clock, P. M.; and will continue, duin g * -
jeason, to make a trip between the • *;
and Norfolk every two weeks, Jcav
alace on the days and hours above IUU1 ; ...
For the accommodation of persons i;r,.
rom Norfolk to Fredericksburg, oi n J* *
dericksburg to Norfolk, an arrange* ^ n,
aeen made with the proprietors oi tnc ‘ ,
aoat Sydney, (plying between W ashing ‘ ai
Fredericksburg,) by which they "*H 1 j0j
‘ither place, at an early hour, on the .a*1) * ,
owing the departure of the Columbia, " 1
my additional charge for passage. .
Passage and fare $8. junej. j--ciuj_L
MATCH HORSES WANTED. ,
f WILL give cash for a first rate pan o •
l HORSES, of large size, young, ana
roke to harness. JOlt* MIMFIEM
june 3—lm