Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1844-01-02
PosT OFFICE DEPARTMENT,
rOaO


PosT OFFICE DEPARTMENT,
December 8, lS43.
SIR: 1t IS cause of satisfaction to the I'm
designed, in submitting 10 you a statcmen
of the condition of the Post office Depart
ment and It's operations for the past ycar,tha
he is enabled to say that, for the two year:
he has had the honor of experimenting it,
affairs, the annual current expenses hav,
been met by its annual revenue; that an ex
tension off the service has been nude, com
meusurate 10 tae growth and spread of gu
population.
The idea of making the Post Office Dc
partmcnt source of revenue TO the Gov
eminent, has not been entertained bv an,
one charged with its management since the
terminal on of the last war; during shor
period of which, an increase of fifty per cent
upon the then rates of postage was imposed
for revenue purposes. cycrtheless, he prin.
ciple upon which it was originally establish,
ed-that its expenditures should be limited
by its inco nc--has been distinctly engrafeC
upon all the legislative enactments concern
ing its organization, and prescribing the du.
ties of those charged with their admnistra.
ton.
have thought tie principle, upon which
the department has been established,a sound
and safe one for the Government, and am
opposed to its abandonment. If, however.
the expenditures of the department '. ere fix
ed by law, and appropriations from the gen
eral treasury annually made to meet them.
| IS al, ,h,r roSnopu,bilit,, IN tl,o
,peryis on of the service, which now rest up
On t; ch;ef,would be removed.
1t is no small task,to say nothing of the
responsibilities to a1us the ma service OF
the United Safes as to accommodate the
wants of The community, and at the same
time to produce, by It's own operations, the
revenue 10 meet its own expenditures. This
reflection suggests to me the propriety here
of doing an act of justice to those who have
been associated with me in this department,
by frank acknowledgement of the able as
sistance which they have given by their con
slant and jealous labors; thus enlbling me
to give to the country the best service which
the means of tie department would all,w.
The amount of annual transportation OF
null, as ascertained on the 18th June, 1912,
was 81 s 1891 miles the cost ofwhich was
S},110,7S3.
The amount of annual transportation Oh
the Both June, 1913, was - ,252 ,S05 miles:
the cost of which was S2,976,2S4.
Ii will be observed, that the cost oftranspor-
tation for the last year was less by 1874, 499
than it was for the previous year; whilst the
.rlnspostaton throughout the year was grea-
ter by 4l6,Sl4 niles.
The number of post Offices supplied in
1912 was 1878; and the number supplied
| lS43 was 1854.
TO accommodate the service to the OK
tension of population, reductions in the SER
vice in some sections, and an extension OF
increase in other portions of the Union
were rendered necessary.
The aggregate of these reductions was
! 1914. 2J3, and the amount Cf additional and
new service was sos, 800. For more de
tailed statement of service | refer your Elk.
celency to the report of the First Assistant
Postmaster general.
For similar reasons, it became necessary
10 discontinued in the year proceeding LIST Ju-
! ", lS43, post offices; and TO establish
during the same period, 4Sl.
The total expenditures of the department
for the fiscal year ending the 30th June,
! lS42, as stated in the report of this depart
mcnt to the House of Representatives I'M
der date of the 2Sth of February, i ) i3 were
Sl,975.370 IL. In this amount was inclu
ded S392, 664 81 for debts paid out of the
special appropriation at the extra session.
The total expenditures of the service fol
the year ending Both June, 1913, were
S1,371,7l3 rs, including payment on &C
count of debts due by the department, fol
which the appropriation above was made.
The ammount of gross revenue for the
year ending the 30th June, lS4l, as stated
| in my annual report of December, 1872, was
S4,37O,3l7 rs. That of 1912 was $i,5i6,
PAS ID.
The revenue oe lS43.so far. the returns
exhibit the amount for the year ending goth
June, is S4,295.925 43.
Extracts from the Report Of the Secretary
Of War.
Sumo further provision is believed to be
necessary etfectually to prevent dueillns
between officers of the army and citizens
MANY of the officers who constitute The
military courts holding that the provisions
of the 18th, Goth; and 9th sections OF the
Rules and Articles Of War have relation
only to officers Of the army in disputes
among themselves. The propriety OF this
construction is at least doubtful, but ex
picit legislation on the subject would put
the matter beyond all doubt. The prac1ice
is barbarous one, and should be-supPress-
ed in civilized and Christian county
| To the credit of the army, i, mus, be said