The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1843-12-01

| BY the arrival Of the mail boat yesterday, the
mails due for that and the day preceding arrived the
latter having failed beyond New York and the other
beyond Charleston BY our last accounts, the British
steamer had not arrived at Boston, although she was
| hourly expected.
la noticing The frequent failures Of the mail on the
iine OF communication between the great marts Of
trade ia HE South and North we have deplored them
as evils oil great magnitude but which required The
action OF something more potent than the powers pos
| sessed by an executive officer 10 cure Few siiua-
lions we believe, present SO many difficulties 10
tend with, and the satisfactory performance Of the
duties OF which less appreciated than those of the
I. ~ Department And when the many obstacles
which thrown in the path of the r. M General are
correctly estimated and considered with reference
to the limited scope within which his efforts are con.
fined by the Obligations of public laws and private
contracts, much Of the blame which is unrehectngv
imputed to him will be withdrawn, Even a supeTf-
cal knowledge Of the duties and powers of the Post
master General, and of the difficulties which so fire.
quentiy spring from uncomfortable causes 10 prevent
the regular transmission Of the mails will bring every
WenJuogng cHlzen 10 more just conclusion than
mat which TO limited degree prevails, TO how
lar 'hat ohcer is responsible for these irregularities
In further Illustration OF this will avail ourselves
OF The following letter, addressed to the Postmaster
IN this city, by l.. g. Alexander Esq., special agent of
the Post Ohie Department, which we ha We keen kind
ly permitted to publish. Herein is set forth in a
striking and convincing manner, series of facts and
circumstances, that must acqut the Post Office De
Parment Of much of that censure which is sought TO
be heaped upon it,
IL IS, nevertheless most desirable that the earliest
steps should be taken TO put an end to an rreou
larity so great IN one of the important functions
OF the Government. IL is in vain TO attempt The OH
servance OF that rigid punctuay which is insepara.
Die from The operations OF healthy state of business
"nhou' reformation IN this respect The credit,
and, as necessary consequence the fortune of n
man OF business depends upon the pronptness and
The regularity of our intercourse with other points
we trust that m the report Of the Postmaster Gene
raj which VIII be made on the opening of Congress
this subject VIII bo duly eonsidered and such su,
gestions offered will, if acted upon produce tie
desired effect.
AUGUSTA, (GA.) Nov. ls43
TO The Postmaster at .Nic Orleans, La:
SIR My attention has Just been directed to an edi
oral in the New Orleans Tropic of the 3Ist Oct.
IN which the Postmaster General is most ubiustly as
sailed for the many failures of the Northern mail IN
reach New Orleans in due time. The writer Of tho
article alluded to, certainly displays great ignorance
of the difficulties in the Transportation of he mail
from N York TO New Oreans-the laws nv which
the mail sevIce is regulated and the efforts of the
fost olice Department, TO produce regularity in
le transportation Of SAID mails wilful msrepre-
seniaton IN afibung such failures TO the neglect or
immediate acts Of the Postmaster General For the
Information oil the author Of said article and the
community generally, well as for the justification
y, "'e pss Ohce department and the Postmaster
Seherai; lee myself bound 10 make d statement of
facts and circumstances with the transpor-
tation oil The mails from New York to New Orleans,
IN order that The public may rightly iulge where ali
cehsu,e shouu properly rest In this matter In the
hrs place, II may be well to remind the public that
the Congress Of the United S. aes has enacted scb
laws Tor ihe regulation and government of the Post
once Department, that the Postmaster General if
ne were SO disposed, could not add subtract one
whit from them but is bound by his official oath to
see that said laws are tahfuHg and propu erec,asd
Inc various routes which emplo, ed by the ost
once Department for the trs Importation of the mails
from New YORK TO New Orleans are composed OF
- "a FaJtr aaI L.
mes IN strict conformity TO the law of Congress on
the SUBJECT oil mail contracts. The postmaster at
we terminus OF each OF said routes, which form
'he great and important mail line, are furnish
ell 10y n, Post Office Department with a
schedule, for the eraet time of the arrival
and departure OF this mail, at each of their re-
specuve Offices; and at the close of every week said
nosthasters are required punctuay to transmit to the
postmaster General reports of the exact time of the
drriudS and departures of this mail and should il
appear from $ I'd reports that any one of the mail
routes IN question have not performed their service
III e1dc, compliance 10 contract time with the Post
Ohce Department the Postmaster General in all such
cases imposes heauy fines upon the contractor which
y Tue ohy means IN ms power Of ensurIng faithful
anu enact performance OF the stipulatons of their
contracts with the Post Office Departments,
NOW, ask the author Of the communico,ion ro
Ierrcd To- III the Tropc,n what more con Inc post
master General do 10 ensure the regular transmission
OF 'he mails from New York to New Orleans Than
10, uaS oeen uohe' lie has faithfully performed all
eeu'ea an Tue laws relative TO the TRANSPORTATION T
,he mails, which Cong ess has DELEGATED to him az
postmaster General. The mails from New Wort +,
ne" orleans are obliged necessarily 20 mass over
some thlrty-six miles Of sea transportaton ,ncI,d
The mail route from Mobile 10 New Orleans ard
portion oil The Sea transportation is well know IN
mariners as the most difficult and uncertain ma yigat,
VA any quarter OF the globe viz from WiImi9gtor
~ u 10 Charleston, 5. G. Yet FOR want OF inC,Tma
t'on on Tins subject, or some other cause IN. ,r,cr
OF inns communication in the Tropic makes No mon
Won oit nis ana oher unavoidable circumstances in the
transportation OF this important Mail-but calmly
Au'ou'es all The failures of the Mail 10 the neglect
OF improper management Of the Post Master General
again ask what motive could the Post Master
General have for neglecting the most important mali
route OF the Union which unites The two ,re,t en-,
fnerciaI interests of oui common country Bnt On
me contrary, not his reputation and the Interested
the Post Ohlce Department at stake when the ire
gularites OF the great Northern and Southern mail
" cause so much confusion" ia tie daily transactons
oil the Post Oibce Department well as great detr
meni 10 the interest Of contractors from one end of
The great mail route TO the other
L he foregoing remarks made through n sense
OF justice, and that the public may have a better
knowledge OF the true causes of the failures of tho
mai oil New Orleans than was imputed in the THO.
pic Of the Dist October.
Respectfully, your obediont servant
l.. G. ALEXANDER
Special agent o. Depa frafEL
fbT \, Y. u 10 l..