Columbus Democrat. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-18??, 1837-01-21
GENERAL POST OFFICE.

The Report ct the Post Master General Is =
very lucid document, aud exhibits most Salts
tory state of thai department.
He saws that on tie first day of July last, The
post roads we're lis, 204 miles IA extent, and The
annu transportation oil the mail was n y57S,6zO
miles.
The number of post offices on the Isl July.
1885, was lU,sSu; on the L.: of July, 1896, the
number was II ,09l, aud on tie Isl Of December
last, II was ll,lOO.
In the wear ending 3 tn of June last, the num-
her ct poet uilices established was Coo the NUM-
Der oi those discontinued was 345, and there
we've ls44 changes of postmasters.
The revenue of the department for the year
ending the 3, III June, was S3,39S, ass; the en-
gageu ent> aud liabilities were 81, ,623; leav
me u aauct over engagements and liabilities of
SGI2 ,S3l.
The bank debt was paid off in April last. The
cash IN bank had accumulated TO the amount oi
$685. on the LIST November last, and it is es-
tlmated that the cash Ill bank before the LIST Of
MAY will exceed 90, 200.
III. above is a gratifying account Of the fnan-
ces of the department.
Ia regard 10 the express mail, the postmaster
general declares that the success Of the expert
ment cannot be doubted, and that "the size of the
mail already affords an assurance that It will at
ford an income more than sufficient to support
it," On the subject of the express mail, the
Report adds:
II will give unprecedented activity to CONNER
ca transactions between the North and the
South. New York communicates with New
Orleans in half the usual time: all enterprises
expedited; the woe intervening country and the
valley OF the Mississippi will feel the impulse.
The editors and people OF New Orleans will
receive the news from New York IN less than
half the time it has heretofore occupied in the
transit. The edl,o.s will have advantage OF be-
Ing the original dispensers OF the news TO the snb-
scriber and the people will obtain II through their
own papers, without postage, i've or SIX days
sooner than i, can reach them IN the New York
papers, with postage. The editors and people
along the whole route, and 10 the right aud left,
will participant, in the same advantages M a great
or or less degree. On the other hand, the clrcu-
lation in the south OF newspapers from the princi-
pal cities of the north will undoubtedly be dlmln-
lshed. This injury is more than counierbalanced
by the benefits secured to the local establishments;
aud If 1t were not, il is not TO be brought into CONF
petition with the advantages of an earlier trans
mission and dissemination Of commercial and
other intelligence. No measure should be taken
with view to injure the great city establishments;
but il would be unreasonable and unjust in tho
Department to withhold information from the peo-
pie of the south, because il cannot carry, with
equal expedition, the cumbrous sheets from the
northern newspaper presses. 1t is, and doubtless
will continue to c, the policy of the department
not to send the news with LESS expedition, but 10
bring The WHOLE MAIL to the speed OF the EN-
PRESS as fast as il can Sc ure continuous run road
or steamboat transportation.