Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1841-12-21
From ii, NATIONAL hirRlsenee,

TIE POST OFFICE AND THE RAILROADS
As the report Of the Postmaster General being
the last IN the series, nby not find n place in our re-
iumns Tor some days. and the public is very de.
SIRIUS 10 what the head u( the Post Office eSlb
lishmen has 10 LAY concerning railroad transp,ua
ton of THE mails. (ol which something has bee, ru
nored) We have turned TO That part of the pract-
cal, business like report Of that officer for Ihe pur
puse oip!acing at once before our readers go muLh
Of he report which relates to that subject
EXTRACT FROM THE POSTMASTER GENERALS REPORT
AN anx!I desifeRq eject sosnc permanent a.
Engagement with hst.shroad com ianies flr the
transportation ui the mail, upon a basis which shall
be both just and uniform, considering the nnturr
OF the service Perlomed by each induced the 10
invite meeting OF the Presidents Of the dilI;renl
companies, IN the rit y of Warrington on the LIT of
January neNt aud am gnlfr,l al the prompt man:
"er VA which Hii Nho have been heard fium have
consented 10 attend. and hope l. cherished inaI
s'nc arrangement satisfactory 10 all parties mud De-
neiicIal . the PL5ir may yet he effected
The Improved mods @. InitrcomnunicntuDn by
railTuad ani steam operating under chartered rights
granted by the Safes aud over which II il not pre-
tended That the General Government much less the
Post Oiii,o Department. can ise my control.
imposes upon Congress. IN my opinion, new dulles
aud obligations, which can only bs cancelled by
TIE adoption oi snine measure whereby the Post o.
ice Department may, uPOn adequate consideration
secure 10y compact, the right 10 transport the mail
IA the Of railroad companies. md at the same
lime give To the Department the powSr to control
ihe arrival and departure Of the s1me.
There 10 NOW paid % tho different railroad comm.
MES, annually, over 100000 for the service with.
ont power in the Departmental regulate The travel
arrival ana departure Of the mail; aud tho constant
a"d frequent difficulties. both in entering tn,o and
executing contracts are presented
1, has occurred TO me thai the present wa o most
favorable period fr the adoption 81 some measure
by Congress, whereby Insecure ID the United States
the right TO transport The mail upon these roads in al
lime "a coue. free Of any annual charge upon the
Post Office Department. by the advancement Of a
sum in gross. which nay be agreed upon. to each
OF these COMPANIES, or sueh Of Them may be viii
ling 10 contract
Many Of the railroad companies snd some Of
them constituting most important links IN the great
cham Of niercOmmunIcaiun between Boston aud
Charleston. owing 10 the great arrangement Of the
m1neIary concerns of the world. and the depression
Of al Stale and company Stocks fud themselves Ia.
boring under embarrassmonts aud difficulties which
the aid Of The General Government, applied in the
way proposed, would effeciually remove and al The
sauis time secure 70 the United States tho adyan
lage and the ample equivalent Of transporting the
mail upon the roads.
The credit of the Uniiol Siates 10 an amount
not greater IN IN the sum necessary 10 produce ms
five per cent interest. the amount pad by the Pos,
Office Department 10 these companies annually
would. I have no doubt, be sufficient 10 accomplish
this desirable eud. The prompt aud favorable &C.
lion OF Congress upon this subJectat the present lime
would eiiectually secure The government against The
danger Of he;ng called upon for occasional aud large
appropriations 10 meet the balances due by the De.
parimCnt.
do ask the United States 10 DO more for the
Post Office Department Than justice would seem L.
demand especially when u u rcnsmb sred that tho
whole expense Of the oi5Ial correspondence Of the
government aud the public. and private correspon
denco Of those ennlled by law 10 the ranking priv
ilege, Is sustained and paid by upon the cor.
rcspOndeuce Ofthe community II by this arrange
meHt the Department Is relieved from tic heavy
annual charge rs now rated, land it has neither
The pOwerto lessen u not 10 prevent is incrcasel
81 may be hoped that the object much demanded
by considerations of public justice Chat ofreduc
ing the tax upon the friendly aud business CORES
pDndence NJ individuas) will be attained, and at
The same lime. the usefulness Of The public mails
greatly enlarged aud extended 10 those portions of
the Union hitherto denied the necessary mail iacii.
ties
ut the Government was required 90 pay postage /
upon official correspondence, and u the Thinking
privilege was abolished or refused % proper lmits.
ihe revenue. Of the Department would be increased
10 on amount sulclrnt Of itself % pnj the Interest
upon the debt 10 be incurred BY iho proposed ar.
rungcmeui, ond lquidato tie principal "a leas than
thirty years.
q respectfully sobnit 90 the President the pro.
preiy OF communicating 90 Congress the views
uH.cI I entertain aud have here oppressed npOh
toe subject