Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-12-21
PUBLIC DOCUMENTS
accompanying tic Presidents .7nnuai Message.
REPORT or THE POSTMASTER GENERAL
To tie President Of he United States:


REPORT OF THE PosTMAsTERGENERM,
Posi- OrrIcr DErAn1MEar, Dec. :, l51l
To me President Of he United States
In the discharge Of the duty of reporting 10 YOU The
condition ui the General Post Office, have to trsrei
that my recent induction INTO Office VIII prevent me
from giving you that inil development at this tae 81
necessary TO clear understanding Of the various and
extended operations Of Department SO important ana
Interesting 10 every class Of our fellow citizens
Unlike the other Departments OF Government
which derive their support from the National treasury
the General Post Office looks for the means TO contInnc
and extend lis operations To the ncoue derived alone
from successful administration Of the laws prescribing
its duties and privileges.
The General Post Office ut first almost The creature
Of administrative discretion, necessarily so remains, 10
great degree at the present time In Its infancy, IL
required the constant and v;gant superintendent OF
lis head 10 direct lis affairs ac manrer 5 IL extend
the sphere Of is usefulness, Commensurate van the
increase and extent Of population and business.
Equal II moi greater, vigilance is demanded at Tie pre-
sent day.
II is 10 be desired that, in the general administration
Of the Government, little Of discretion az possible
should be LETT with those charged with public trusts
and regret M acquaintance with the details 0i HE
Department. at this iimc limited NIL TO quality
me TO suggest specifically those Improvements III
the laws pertaining 10 il, whereby much OF that dis
creon, heretofore exercised might be restrained and
probably regulated by legislative enactmenls. The
by 10 he history OF the Post Office opera
tons, from their commencement tn the present time.
In 1850, the whole number Of post Offices III The tnl-
ted States did not exceed ~ the number 81 miles ul
post read SO: tie revenue, 81 ,93G the expenditure,
Sio,l! In lsio il Will be that the whole NUN
bcr vi post Offices the United States was Ii, l3c the
number of miles OF post road, l55 7: the gross reve
nc for the year 81, 39, 265 and the expen.
dIture :i,759,llU. The necessity Of guarding, az
far as practicable. ty specific sgislatlon such an amount
of income and expenditure, and the duties and iab'i.
ties OF so many agents, must be apparent.
As has already been remarked, The original design
in The establishment IL the Post Office Department was
tina, its income should be made 10 sustain lis operations
That principle ought never 10 he abandoned whist
the Department should not be regarded as source 81
revenue to the nation, it should never become III an
nual charge 10 lis Treasury.
Upon assuming he discharge Of The duties pertain
ing To the Office Of Postmaster. General my first object
TO investigate its financial conditions and Il be-
comes nv duty 10 inform you that did not ina u III
that prosperous state which the demands upon require
The income OF this Department is always liable 10 be
affected by The fluctuations Of The business IL the
try II is increased depressed III proportion 10 the
increase depression Of that business.
Besides this of flucudtlon IN liz income, othfi
causes Of reduction, less III every yeaf, ma J
be found in The increased facilities which The travel mp
railroads and steamboats, furnishes Tor tie trasss-
sion Of letters and newspapers By private conveyance:
secondly III lie great extension, 10 say nothing Of The
abuse OF the faDkng privilege; thirdly, III Inc recent
establishment OF what called private expresses, upon
tic great NAL routes Of the United States ionrhy, IN
the frauds pactised upon the Department. IN evadns,
rs various devices, the payment III the pos,cgs imposed
hv Law. Whe ali Of these causes operate 70 lessen
the revenue o the Department. the expenses u trans
porting tic mill not affected or lessened ~ them
and respectfully suggest whether the evils TO wich
have referred DO not descrvc the serious attention Of
Congress- so far as call for more specific legs
lation whereby they may be removed or suppressed.
The tata, gross for the Post o.ice for Inc
fiscal year commencing the first Of july l9sJ, and
terminating The aUlh June, ISL vas 1,:"32l1 =;
the total expenditure tor tie lime was : G' -"
- In this The cSl cadi!urcs exceeded thr revenue
~ the sam Of Sl-7 .'2o 81. statement OF The ex.
peni,ures more detail, will in due time, as required
hy law, be reported 10 Congress
The precise income and expenditure Of the General
Post OEicc cannot be known il any one year, until
the close ct The fiscal year. and the settlements o all
accounts have been completed. Consequently, any
statement Of expenditure and income for the peScn,
year is liable L. the fluctuations and changes always
incident to the peculiar character OF the service
The expenditures aud income Of the Department ioi
The current year may upon estimate be stated IN round
numbers follows:
Total amount Of revenue derived from post
ares fines, and all ether sources Si,3ou,UUo
:, r. -, Recommendation, 3lI5 0GU