Cheraw gazette and Pee Dee farmer. [volume] (Cheraw S.C.) 1838-1839, 1838-12-26
$4l7.Ms
$3l4,O6s IS
Total

II Will Oe seen tnat the surplus iun0S OF
the department, which at one time exceeded
S9OO,0BO, have been greatly diminished.
The determination Of Congress not 10 re.
duce letter postages, as suggested in my an.
nual report of 1886, was considered 10 the
ligh, ofan instruction to apply the cash on
hand and the increasing current revenue,
to Improvement Of the mail service. II was.
estimated that the 700 new routes establish
ed in 1886, and tie improvements Of SER
vice on many old ones, in conjunction with
The usual annual increase of business 10 the
country, would add ut least fifteen per cent.
10 the revenue for Inc last year. which
would be maintained with a still further
increase during the present year. The ex-
tension Of mail service was accordingly
carried lar enough to consume this aptci
pated increase, and also, 10 the progresspf-
few years, reduce the surplus on hand 70
the lowest amount consistent with the con-
venience ofthe department.. The general
financial disasters oflast year have not re.
duced the revenue, as might have been ex-
pected, but have prevented most OF tho aa.
tcipated increase, and threw the department
upon its surplus Ito sustain large por.
ton of its extensions. The indications
now are, that there will be a slight improves.
ment in the revenue OF the curcst fiscal
year over he preceding, but not enoaghtC
produce any material effect. An advance
somewhat greater may be reasonably ex-'
pected next year, but moi great enough To-
meet the increasing cost Of mail service, and
pu: in:o operation the new routes established
at the last session ofCongress. 1t will kesce:
be seen, that, for more than year to COME.
the curtallmeni, rather than the extension Of
service, on routes now in operation, is to be
expected.
In general, the accounts Of postmasers
arc rendered, and the Iuics of contractors
performed with the utmost fdelHy and pre-.
cision. Indeed the world may be challenged
for any similar establishment, embracing so
much intelligence, activity, and energy,
and Welding to millions of mankind 80 niach
unqualified good. The Chief distractions
which it has recently encountssed IN lis ca.
reer of usefulness, have arisen from the De.
6ciencies and unreasonable demonds ofcor.
porate bodies, which it had employed, or
deemed it useful TO employ, in the public
service.
IN managing its funds through the public
agents, who are under bonds for their secu-
rity and removal at will, and iu dealing with
, the ipdivid lai frcemen Of the State and cl
the United Sla'es in competition with each
other, it finds all its operations easy. safe,
;, and prosperous
, AT their last session, Congress enacted
. athat each and every railroad within the
=, limits of the United Sta,es which now IS. o.
> hereafter may te made and completed sha'
D he 4 post route, onI The Pos master Generu
shall cause the nail to be transported there
s on, provided he Gao have II done on rea
u soaabo terms, and not paying moro THAI
8 twenty-five per cenum over and abov'
,c what similar transportation would cost i
- post coachrs.'
Ii TO avoid further trouble with the ra
II road companies on the main nail lines,
was determined to pay theu, upon rensw'
&c Of existing contracts, the highest Pr'c
pr which lh,s law would admit. But there WI
IS, difficulty in fixing on that price. In IN
% first place, i. was to be ascer'ained WIN
Congress meant BY the phrase "simih
m Transformation" an in the next place. 'eht
'e. that transportation ,c0ula cost {" post eoGe'
ms es, It was obvious that they could n
Of mean transportation equal in speed t
,as that would be impossible. They could a
,h mean tho san,s transportation o. The tran
rorta,ion oil tho same mail upon the soa
,s,. .oa.c ; t,y IL !ha: case the word same wou