THE SOUTHERN TELEGRAPH U KDITED AND ttJIUMIKD tTKV WMT IT THIIXAI B. FJtLMEH, At FIVE DOLLARS per year, in adctnct, or M. t the expiration ol the jeer. .Vo Suktenptiont rttriced for a ikorterpe rW Man oyc year. ml tdvertialaa-. Per squu i ol' tea line or lea, for the flht in nertion, One Dollar; for each additional inser tion, r il'ty Cants. Longer ones, ten cents per line for the first, , ami five cents per line lor each additional inser tion. (ty-To those who advertise by the year, a liberal tiisceuni pin do intuit. FOETBV. ar is tot , e II. rSIKTICI. Thy liTa is in ils day-spring lines, And joy nnd dope are round thee; And hVnntv'a dowry coronal With light mid love hits crowned thee: There is no cloud upon (lie slc , That bends uhovc thy path the nir With kindest touch Iv-eathes gently hy Thy cheek, and Bhvcs its incense there. Aud lady bright bo ever bright Thy promise oftlie tuorrow ; Thine be the daf'tpting of the heart, Without its night ol' sorrow: And, it the storms of lite shall shroud Thy skies, so beautiful and fair, May love's bright sun but touch the cloud, And leave the rainbow glittering there. ui; vth. Y may twine young flowsrs round the sunny AjAuh'ck for the festal day brow liirHk is the shadow that w ave-o'er tliciu now, AmTtlit'i: bcaiuv nai vviinereii away. ic may gainer uriiim gems iui giuij a mmm-, Afar from their cavern hpme-jf , Ye may gather the gfms bat the pride is iuuic, They will li thodark cold tomb. Thy warrior's heart beats high and proud, 1 have laid my cold hand on him; And the stately form hath before aie bowed, And the flushing eye is dim. I have trod ihe banquet room alone And the crowded halls of mirth, . And the low deep wail of the stricken one Went u) from the festal hearth. 1 have stood by the pillared domes of old, And breathed on each classic shrine And desolation gray and cold ft ow marks the ruins mine. I have met young Genius, and breathed en the That bore his mystic trace brow Aud the cheek where passion was wont to glow tl wfapt Jn py dark embrace. They tell of a land where no blight can fall, Wheie my ruthless reign is o'er Where the ghostly shroud, ami the shadowy pall Shall wither the soul uo more. They sny there's a home in yon blue sphere, A region of life divine; But I reck not since nil that is lovely here, The beauty of .earth is mine. , STEAM-BOAT RACING. How much is Raid of steam-boat racing! How ninny Bard Words are spoken and long faces put on against the Captain who may lie no unfortunate as to have a 4 blow-up' jn consequence of a trial of speed. He is considered by some a murdorer, by others as Worse than mortal for say these, he who Can risk the lives of so many fellow beings to gratify a feeling of revenge or to sustain nti uaworthy pride, is almost a demon. Does nn accident happen from racing! the press conies down musse upQjjjsthe roor wretch who may chance to be wiptuin, and were he to bericd bye jury of his eoun incn, Fie would he condemned, to be hung without benefit, ol clergy. , And yet lh most instances ucaptuin 1 "the most innocent man on boBjiw-tne one who wields the weapon f his judgment to I very st, nnd givesnot the mastery to his feelings until sympathy ahd excitement have hjunted the sword of the before-mentioned counsellor. Wo will relate an an ecdote in which wo were concerned, to slww the ignorant how a race is got up and 4b whom flic blame belongs. I YVowere to go from New York to Albany, i in the summer of 183H, and in the morning Wii mof beautiful day we stepped on board he North America. Competition had ra ced the price of a passage, and of course increased the number of passengers, nnd our boat was crowded. Soontfre noble ves sel, that skims tho waters like a flouting unlace, departed majestically it'om the wharf. At almost the same moment, the ns. f i l i i. : l img ui uuuai bum uiiu uuuui iuu a iiviuu- jVe went rapidly up tho river, ir ua&sen gcrs were engaged in watching the pro gressro our majestic competitor, as a little IHJI III" Pli I lA'UHU lll k3UtllU lUU10 k I :. . I 1 .1 w. 4 astern or us, she , proudly cut through the 41UI.P, IIOI "initio iiiti nii iit;niliu muni II . . . . A. . 1. . I 1 ! 1 . I r hue ol loam and troubled waters, her pipe oeicning out hitch diiick smoke, and her decks covered with a dense multitude. Soon she perceptibly gained on us, and she was only half her length in our rear. Now the curiosity of the thronging crow d around US began to he somewhat excitedftmd qucs- able comparative speed ol the boats and what would bo the result should there be a trial of speed. When almost abreast of us thi interest grew stronger we began to ii""" - - 7 j- rl njiMnlirAfl rnnr.prnnd in the hnimr ufthn boat in which we were, a vague sensation that weshould be disgraced if she Were bea ten made our eyes more intent on our com petitor, and a glow of excitement to crimson ourcneens. AJI this while, our Captain was quietly . upied in bis duties. Occasionally he Fjuwveda glance from the corner of his eye at the Ohio, but halted not an instant from his occupations. A battery was soon open ed upon bitn from the now excited passeu- "Captain," cried one, she's going ahead ' "Can't help it sir I've nothing to do with her." ' "Captain," says another, "don't for hea ven's sake let her beat. Put on the steam. "Cau't sir, and won't sir. I've responsi bility enough now on my shoulders without ruuiung anv risk. "Captain," scieams one from the upper deck, the Ohio'il beat adii ahead ! rut on the steam!" "Captain," comes a voice from the bows "on v ith her! on with her! Hurrah for the North America! Put on the steam! Creation-how they go a-head !" A' .UdfaJMNMWi-u i'jiid echoing "Hurrah !" came toottrenrsTrom the other boat utid a hundred hats were waving in the air. The Captain could'nt quite sufiid that, and he winked to the engineer. Our speed sud denly increased, and us we gained on our adversa. v,a loud, long shout burst Irom our anxious crowd! "That's il ! that's it ! go a-head ! On with her! Mjow we're even with her we're a heod! give her another pealer?" And thereupon our deck resounded with another shout. 11'his was not lost on the Ohio. She cvi- dePly put on more steam, and pulling and blow ing, began to regain her advantage. Mho battery INo. '2 was opened on the Cap tain, lie withstood it mauliillv for a time. We fell fast in the rear vexation and dis appointment were visihlffou the countenan- ccimh all and a sedbnd shout runs like a eal of victory from the other boat. Even this, however, m jved not our commander though it was a hard shot to withstand; but soon after, a stentorian voice through u-spea- ing trumpet, crossed the waters--"Captain , when shall .we say you'il be in at Albany?" and we could hear the rascals lauirh. Our veteran's calmness was altogether annihilated by this tniyit he disappeared for a moment, and the cause was soon ex plained by a more violent dashing of (he wheels then he raised his own trumpet, and inoun'ing the wheel-house, roaredjout, prefacing his speech by an oath that would have sunk a moderate sized steamer "Don't cry before you're hurt. When 1 ;et in I'll tell 'em 'spoke the Ohio about ten miles below !', then turuining round, he doubled his fist aud exclaimed "Bt we'll beat 'em !" "Now came the tug of war." Oar ex citement amounted almost to aironv. To beat was all we thought of. The boilers' bursting we should have laughed at we actually counted tne revolutions ot the Ohio's wheels. Away way wo went, both the boats coining nearer and nearer oach other. Soon we were within speaking distance, and taunts and sarcasms were han- 114 ll.il -&. (icu irom ocuk to deck. iow it seemed as if we might navo jumped from one boat to the other. The foaming eddies froitTie wheels met and mingled in mad tumult, as if they participated in tho struggle now one boat applauded a w itty speech from one of ill own party now a roar issued from its rival at the" answer. But Ihe vessels kept side by side. We were both to slop at ,and our Captain swore he'd gei in first, for that he considered ethe point of victory. He was on the outside, and therefore had disadvan sxes to contend vvlth but still he was resol ved When within a few miles, he stood off front the Ohio to obtain wider space for if-ciiou. His aim was observed, and the Ohio steered closer to the shore We came jicar the tpwn intensity of interest now ufaile the parties still as death almost the breathing was suspended nothing could be heard, but the creakimrof the heavy machi- aUHU'y ami the dashing of the wheels. A ewRnvd of curious citizens soon lined the wharv ves, and this added fuel to the flame. Jhio began tiLilaekcu, sure of victory. "Now Engineer, cried our Captain, "put on all she'll bear." ' . We went liko lightning towards the same point with our rival. Nearer nearer we came toher closer closer! "You,ll strike us," shouthedour rival Cap tain "bear off!" It was too late crack wo oame together our prow struck her wheel bouse before we turned at all. . jflbm there was a crash of wood, nnd screamTand outcries and mad shouts. All the wheel house of the Ohio won torn away, n we went up triumph antly to the wharf. The noxt day the papers were unanim ous that Captain ought to be tried for endangering the lives of his passengers. From the Natchez (Miss.) Courier, of Jan. 8. TEXAS. Seventeen emigrants from Nashville, Tenn. left here yesterday, on their way to Texas. The Texas committee of this city, presented them with the balance offunds in their hands, $100. The names of the emi grants follow: Hugh M. Swift, II M. Den ham, John Smith, Daniel Smith, Jacob Ru der, John W. Robinson, Wm. C. Sypert, Wm. A. Ravcy, Geo. M. Dendrick, Jnme B. Buttersworth, Stillford C.Edwards, Heth uel B. Bradley, Andrew J. Bosworth, John Rood, George Lang, Simon Ford, Fielding Deadrick from Nashville to Texas. Hints to Parents. A modern writer has remarked, that a child that is much danced about und talked to by a lively nnrse, has many more ideas than one that is kept by a silent and indolent person. A nurse should be abla to talk nonsense in abundanco. For a fit of passion walk out into the open air : you may speak your mind to the winds, with out hurting any one, or proclaiming yourself a simpleton. DOCUMENTS lOOHfJMIv, TIIK n.: ,!. i ' (WjVOK AT TSt or en iv. or thk rmt ikhiom or i ii i. TWrsiTV-FOCTlTH COX..RE. COKCLCOKO. The multiplication of Riilroadi will form a new era i n the mail establishment. They must soon become the moans by which the mails will be transported on m st of the great lines ot mtercoiiimiinicationjuiid the under signed has devoted some attention to the devising of u system w hich shall render the change most useful to the country. The cities and large towns on the 'great lines constitute centres from which the mails diverge to pervade and supply the sut rounding country. All these points, generally, are thcdis.ributtng qtiiccs. The great w hole w iU evidently be most speedily and effcctuall ycrvcd, by causing tho mails to pass w ith all possible expedition, by night and by day, along the main lines, through these nitmerous centres, stepping for no lo cal objects, and pausing at the distributing othcCs only long enough to exchange mails. The distributions through the country arouud must be made after the great mail has pass ed on by means of coaches, stages, or o her vehicles, and horses, as the interests of the Department and the country may mutually require. Or, if any iutermediHtoofhce be supplied by the railroads, it should be only where the cars stop, unless a rnwh: of ex changing mail-b igs, without stopping can he introduued for the accommodation of others. a "J The means of transportation between Washington nnd Boston, are now so com plete, that the system might beadvantage ously introduced, at least during the season of steamboat navigation. Th; titro occupi ed in passing-from Washington to Baltimore, by the railroad, is biit two and a half hours. To pass from Baltimore' to Philadelphia by steamboats and the Newcastle and French- town railroad, requires about nine hours.--Pfom Philadelphia to New York, bjjhe Camden nnd Ambov Railroad and TsBm- limits occupies about eight hours, from Now York nnd Providence about jifiecn hours; andlrom Providenre to B wton, IwoandlJ holT hours. The travelling hours Irom Washington toB iston, nre abuutthirty-sev- i i r i. . -L' .!' en. Al owmur Halt an liwr at uiiumore, Philadelphia, New York imd Providence, each, fot exchange of mails, the time occu pied in transmitting a mail from Washington to B ton would be 33 hours This isthe speed of present conveyance. In the counts of next year it is expected that Baltimore and Philadelphia will be connec ted by railroad, when the time 'occupied in passing from city to city will not exceed six hours-. New York will soon be conuccvcd with Bjston by- similar roads, whe th? time occupied between them w iH not exceed fifteen hours. So that when a railroad line rom Washington to B joii shall be comple ted a mail m.iv pass from the one to tho oth er in : thirty four hours at most, and probably in a feW years, from tho progressive im provements of locomotives in less than 30 m.M- hours. - . . . te, Within the quarter of the UnioiPcmbrnc ed in the recent letting of connncts, there are several railroads. Someoflhein made no offers and the rest demanded prices far be yond the usual cwstof transporting the mails on the same routes heretofore, and beyond what was usked by individual citizens. Anxious, to give the mails the greatest pos sible expedition between Washington and New York, tho undersigned made an effort to bring the companies, in whose hands are means of conveyance on tlhvgreat hne, to set ui dDneedbitb each other, and with the 7eparlinegt,"Ty which means two daily mails might be run through that line, per forming tho trip each way, and conveying passengers from city Jo city, in about twenty-three hours. The effort failed in conse quence of the very hoav compensation as ked by them. L Not despairing of befng abfb to induce the companies to take a mgre enlarged view of their own nnd the pabltc interests, and to abate materially in the amount of their de tnaqdSi the undersinged sent his chief clerk to confer with the managcuof all the railroads on the lino whether finished or not, with a view to ascertain whether any reasonable arrangements could be made with them, present or prospective, for tho conveyance of this important mail. Although the agent performed the service with distinguished zeal und ability, his efforts were almost wholly fruitless. The company owning the rail road be tween Washington and Baltimore, demand ed $10,000, dt about $250 per mile, merely to haul ono daily male from depot, to depot, without other responsibility, and $14,000 for two daily mails. The companies owning tho several rail roads now constructing from Baltimore to Philadelphia, demanded $30,000 or up wards of $320 per mile, to haul one daily from city to city. The company owning the Camden and Amboy road, demanded $20,000, or near $300 per mile, for one daily mail, and $3,000 for a second. The companies composing the upper line through New Jersey, demanded $23,000 for about $250 per mile, fur the conveyance ol one daily mail, and $8,000 for a second. Aware that the Committee on Post Offices and Post Roads of the House of Representa tives, had the subject of the transportation of the mails on railroads under consideration at the last session, and hndjunnimouslv proposed to restrict the DoparTment to sev enty five dollars per mile for the service; nnd moreover, considering the sfP de manded disproportionate to the service, and wholly unreasonable, the undersigned de termined not to accept any of the proposi tions. To leave no means unessayed, how ever, to form a satisfactory arrangement, he offrred t conrrac't for hauling a box contain" f Nor have the people of one state anyjeBu, rf the !,,,.,, jUti mow ex mg the mall, fwm.depot todftwl, daily, to , ,"re right to interfere with this subject in ,.-t- et iwi mm n i. i. ., ...v. hjiiiiwii nmy " HMinijfWJti nniinmi w,iimnr, ui a mu per naic, wuicii inev promptly declined. The undersigned does not intend lo pay the price deiaanded by these coniphnies, unless directed to do so by those w ho have a right to control him. Ue will sooner put post coaches, or mail wagons on the old roads, and run them there until public opia in, or the voire of superior authority, induc es the associations, which have been per mitted to monopolize the means of speedy conveyance on these routes, to abate in their items. To enable ynu to present the whole subject totbe legislative body, a copy ot the instructions to the agent, and Ins cor respondence with the companies, and the subsequent correspondonco of the Depart ment with them, is herewith aubiiiilted. The undersigned is happy to state, that indications of a spirit moro in accordance with the great object of public accommda tion, which has induced the Legislature of he States ti sanction the construction of the miprovemeits, by private companies, have tnail'ested themselves in other quarters. ThBoston and Providence Railroad Com pany have intimatea willingness to carry iui daily mails between those cities, em bracing tne ixew jork staemtoat man, tor $2000 a year, being at the rate of about Si2" per mile fra single mail aud a con tract has been authorized. Tho NW Jersey Railroad Company, w hose rottdV when completed will extend from TersejncSly to New Brunswick have olfved fo carry the great mair from New York along their road, one year at $100 per mile,oi' four years at $150, and to carry two mails for $200. The coi-ppany owning the. Portsmouth und Roanoke road have contracted to carry the maif three rimes a week, from Norfolk to Halifax, N. C., distance of ninety miles, fir the compeof ation paid the former con Ura ractor, which 4s about $28- per mile, the fcail to.be conveyed on their road as far as Hmnpleled- f Tl... 1j0i,nmkiii ftnii.tl.iilsl nnd TlAtaffi,. I I it. I ii,.'. llltl' .1") VI.Ul IIUII,., .111,1 iaviiiui Rail Road Company, have ottered to carry the mail, three times a week, on their rotg, at the low est rate of post coach tranportation in the Southern States, which amounts to about $20 per mile. It is conceded that the mail carried on all these roids, except the New Jersey road, aro much less than the great mail be tween Washington and Neiv York; but they probably bear a greater proportion to that mail lhan the compensation asked fir the former service, does to that offered by the Uepart6ien tor tbo lattoj. llererrrmr to tne instructions omen to In Agent, for His furtherviews in relation to the railroad companies, the unucrsigued' submits the question to your disposition, and will a- wait the instructions of Congress as to the course herj!ore to be pursued with these compunicS auu uuioi monopolies oi iihc character, in: contracting with which tho DepartnunHs unyble to avail itself of the spirit ot AMfrniion superinduced oy nn nc Wve competition. Indeed, the Post Office law, so fiffas it relates to the advertisingand making of contrac's, is predicatcd.ipon the oxpectati .n that there veould be a general competition for thorn, and does not provide lor cases where the Departmen' has to deal with mon opolies, no such state of things hav ing then been anticipated. A new question has arisen in the admin istration of this' Department. A number of individuals have established an association in the Northern and Eastern States, nndrai sctl a large sum of mooey, Jbr tho purpose of effecting the immediate abolition of slaves in the S iuthern4Jtates. One of the means rcribrted to has been the printing of a large mass of newspapers, pamphlets, tracts, and almanacs, containing "exaggerated, aud in some instances, false account of the treat ment of slaves, illustrated with cuts calcu lated to opatnte on the passions of the color ed men, and produce discontent, assassina tion, and servile war. These they attemp ted to disseminate throughout the siavchold- ing States, by the agency of the public mails. Ae soon rs it was ascertain mails contained these producti ii cfl ol trrRPfl cilcment arose, particularly in S. . and to ensure the saletv ol in its progress Southward, the postmastor at the place agreed to retain them in his office until he could obtain instructions from the Postmaster General. In reply to his appeal he was iufoi ined, that it was a subject upon which the Postmaster General hod no legal authority to instruct him. The questmen a gain came up from the PostinasuiBiOicw York, who had refused to send tne papers by the steamboat mail to Charleston S. C. He was also answered, that tho Postmaster General possessed no logal authority to give instructions on Oie subject; but as the under, signed hud no doubt that ihe circumstances justified the detention of the papers, he did not hesitate to say so Important principles are involved in this question, and it merits the grave consideration of all departments oftho Government. It is universally considered that our stales are united only for certain purposes There arc interests in relation to which they are believed to be as iudopbndt.'iit of each other as they were beluiqlhe constitution was formed. The interest which the people of the States have insAay.es, isone ot thorn. No state obtained by the union any right whatsoever, ov er slavery in any other state, nor did any state lose any of its power over it. within Its own borders. On this subject, therefore, if this view be correct, the states are still independent, and may fence round and protect their interest in slaves by sjch laws.and regulations as in their soveriegn wiDtllcy may deem expedient. j awaio inwy n unci mi tu with the internal regulations, right of prop erty, or domestic police, ol a foreign natiou If they were to combine and send papers a nong the laboring populatioa of another nation, calculated to produce discontent and rebellion, their conduct would be good ground for complaint on the part of that nation; and in case it were nol reoressed bv the United fl-ates, might be, if persevenngly insisted r . ui, just cause ut war. J he mutual oblia ti uis of hi r several states to suppress attacks by citizens on each others' reserved rights and interests, would seem to be greater, be cause, by entering into the Union, they have lost the rrd-.r of redress which belongs to natMMwhnMy independent. Whatever claim may he set up, or main tained, to a right of free discussion .within their own borders, of the institutions and laws of other communities, over which they have no rightful contiol, few will maintain ihat they have a right, unless it be obtained by compact or treaty, to carry on such dis cussion within those communities, either orally, or by the distribution of printed pa pers, particularly if it be in violation of their peculiar laws, and at the hazard of their peace and existence, The constitution of the United States provides, that "the citizens of each state shall lie entitled k all the priv ileges and immunities of citizens in the several Slates;" but this clause cannot confer on the citizens of one state, higher priviliges and immunities in another, lhan the citizens of the latter themselves possess. It is not easy, therefore, to per ceive how the' citizens of the Northern States can possess, or t laim the privilege of carrying on discussions within the South ern states, by the distribution of printed pa pers, which the citizens of the latter are forbidden to circulate by their own laws. Neither does it appear that the United btatos acquired, by the constitution, any power whatsoever over this subject, except a right to prohibit the importation of slaves after a certain date . On the contrary, that instrument contains evidences, that one ob ject of the Southern States, in adopting it, was to secure to themselves a more perlect control over this interest, and cause it to be respected by the sister States. In the exer cise, of their reserv ed rights, and for the purpose of protecting this interest, and en suring the safety of their people, some of the States have passed laws, prohibiting, under heavy penalties, the printing or cir culation of papers, like these in question, within their respestive territories. It hfu never been alleged that these laws aro in compatible with the constitution and laws ol the l iutea tales. :or does it seem possible that they can so, because tbey re late to a subied over which the United Stales cannot rightfully assume any control under tha constitution, either Dy law or otherwise. If these principles be sound, it will lollow that Ihe State laws on this subject are within the scope of their jurisdiction, the supreme laws ot the land, obligatory alike on all persons, whether prelate citizens, orlicers ot the S ate, dnuuctuiiarics of the (jencr.il Government. The constitution makes it the duty of the Uuitcd States "to protect each of the States against.each of tne invasions; and, on np- ilieation ol the Legislature, or ol the Lxecu- tive, (when the Legislature cannot be con- cned,) against domestic violence." I here is no quarter whence domestic violence is i ' t . i so much to he appreneuueu, in some ot tne States, as Irom the servile population, ope rated, upon by the mistaken or designing men. Jt is to obviate danger Irom tins quar ter, that many of the State laws, in relation to the circulation of incendiary papers, have been enacted. Without claiming for the General Goverment, the power to pass laws prohibiting discussions ot any sort, as a means of protecting States 'from domestic violence, it may safely be assumed, that the United States have no right, through their odiccrs or departments, knowingly to be in strumental in producing, within' the several States, the very mischief which the consti tution commands them to repress. It would be an extraordinary construction of tho power of the general Government, to maintain that they are bound to an ird the agency of their mails and post offices, to counteract the laws of tho States in the circulation of papers calculated to produce domestic violence; when it would at- the sain time be one of their most important cotistiutional d.itics to protect the States a gainst tbo natural, if not necessary conse quences produced uHiat very agency, i The position assumed by this Department, is believed to have produced the effect oi withholding its agency, generally, in giving circulation to obnoxious papers in the South et nutates. Whether it be necessary more effectually to revent, by the legislative enactments, the use of the mails, as a moans of evading or violating the constitutional laws of the States in reference to this por tion of their reserved rights, is, a question which, it appears to the undersigned, may be submitted to Congrces, upon a statement of the facts, and their own knewledje of the public necessities. The experience of the undersigned has conlvmed his prior impressions, that the Post Office Department reqiwes re-organi-zation. The arrangement of the adminis trative branch of the Department is not particularly objectionable; but the organiza tion of the fiiiau -ial branch is neither conven ient nor safe; and it may be doubted wheth er it be constitutional. It is not convenient, because it imposes on the Postmaster General, whose adminis trative duties are sufficient for any one man tiio responsibility of settling near fifty thou sand accounts annually, and disbursing up wards of two million of dollars. It is u Jt safe, because the entire nett rev a tne dissiKVMtlon of tlie Pontmi-tor a I, subject to be paid over to his check, draft, or order, without other i ho choose to impose on In rose If. It is of diHib I'ul constitutionality, i the constitution requires that "no money sfueJrbc drawn from the Treasury, bat in consequence ol 'appropriations made by law, thereby pre-siippoting that the revenue of the Government are first paid into the Trea sury; whereas no part or the tax collected from the People in pnetre, amounting now to more than $.1,000,000. ever appears upon ihe Treasury So An; aud it is all expended without appropriation. If so (arte a re ven- ue may be properly raised and expended, without guimg into the Treaswy, nW partment of the Government, it is not per ceived why the other departments may not oc aumonzoo to sustain themselves in a similar wav ; thus evading entirahjlfca i stitutional provision. The morMK struction would seem to be, that all moneys collected by the Government, whatever may lie the mode, shall, in the legal acceptance of the phrase, be paid into the Treasury, to be expended in conformity with the appro priations made by Congress. 1 here would be nothing impracticable. or seriously inconvenient in the application of this principle, to the revenue of the Post Office Department. To effect this object, it is not necessary that the moneys be col lected and deposited in banks, or anv othor designated place, or that the existing system of collection should be deranged. Almost third of the gross revenue is absorbed in commissions to Postmasters, and the expen ses of their offices. Upon settlement of the postmaster's accounts, the sums thus expen ded, may be earned to the debit and credit of the post office appropriation at the same time. The amounts received b? contrac tors from postmasters, may be disposed of is a similar way. The result would be, that although the treasurer would have open ac counts only, with the deposite bank of the Post Olhce, his books would exhibit the whole amount received from the People, and expended by the Government on ac count of the mail establishment . Herewith is submitted a printed pamph let, exhibiting the interior organization o the Post Office Department, as it now exists, The most important improvement required is to separate the settlement of accounts en tirely from the PorI Office Department, and rest it in an Auditor, appointed by the Pres ident, with the advice and consent of the Senate, whose duties shall, in general cor respond with those assigned to the Accoun tant under the present ura;fMut!ion. The Postmaster General would then be placed on ft similar footing with the other heads of Departments. His power over the funds of the Department should extend only to a superintendence ovar the rendition of accounts, to prescribing the manner in wlych postmasters shall pay over their bal ances, to making drafts for the collection and transfer of post office funds, to issu'ag warrants on the treasury for the purpose of paying balances reported to be due by the Auditor, and making advances in special cases. I he remaining purtion ot his duties would be those of a ministerial character. now peformed upon Ins responsibility, modi fied by salutary restrictions upon his direc tion. There is another feature in which the present org i nizatbn of the Post Office De partment is defective and unsafe. It is be lieved to be a sound principle, that public officers who have an agency in originating accounts, should have none in their settle- hen. The War and Navv Departments, are in genera I organized upon this principle. In the orders, contracts, and regulations, of tho heads nf those Departments, or their ministerial SrTord-n Ues, issued and made in conformity with law, accounts-originate. The moneys are generally paid by ano'hef set of agents, but partially dependnet on the heads of the Departments: nnd tin accounts nre finally sett I led by a third set, who are wholly independent of them. If from any cause, an illegal expenditure be directed by the head of a Department, it is the duty of the disbursing agent not to pay the money ; arid if he does pay it, it is the duty of the Auditors and Comptrollers to re- jeet the item in tho settlement of his account. Bit the 1'ostmaster General practically unites these three functions, in his own per son. He issues orders end makes contracts and regulations, producing the expenditure of money, settle the accounts, and pays the money. Although he is required to render a quarterly account to the Treasury, to be settled as other public accounts are, thk requisition has long censed to constitute any practical check ujion him, nor can it ever be otherwise under the existing system. To enable him to exercise an effectual supervision over postmasters and contrac tors, a third Assistant should be given to the Department. I hese services have almost bled since a second Assistant was add- edptndhave been recently extended, ma king them too onerous to be performed by two Assistants, however distinguished for their industry and devotion to the service. Moreover, these duties are constantly in creasing and will be greatly enlarged by the extension of mail service which is anticip ated within the coming year. If the United States were, for this purpose, divided into three divisions, and nn Assistant assigned to each, the stations would still be among the most laborious and responsible in th e Government. Three assistants, on the footing of Audit ors as to salaries, with eight clerks each; a chief clerk on the footiug of chief clerks in the other Departmenjs ; twevle clerks for other miscellaneous dutie , including the dead letter service; an ogeut to superintend