The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-12-05

ec, and TO permit all official communications to and
from the departments and bureaus 70 DC received
and sent free, or marked as PAID.
IL il indispensable that all communications address
ed 10 that class of officers who formerly had the
privilege of ranking should be received free oil post
age The privilege might, with great ProPrlety, De
restricted 10 official communications from them; or
Congress should provide for their payment. This
should include deputy postmasters especially, as a
very large number of them regarded the privilege as
part of their compensation for the duties performed
BY them, and there is believed TO have been as little
abuse Of the privilege by them any other class OF
officers 10 which il was extended.
Prepayment Of hostages upon all matter passing
through the mails, has been often recommended by
my predecessors, and IL Of SO much importance,
that in my judgment, il cannot be TOO strongly re-
commended to the favorable consideration of Con-
gress; and, if adopted will supersede many OF the
suggestions made in this report The transpor.a-
ton Of letters and other malable matter IL always
at the instance of the person who deposies In the
post Office and the risk of their delivery to the per-
sons to whom they are addressed should not be
thrown upon the department.
The service is performed in the transmission, and
should be paid for at the time, and by the person
seeking the aid Of The department. The immense
number Of letters transmitted to the Offices to which
they directed and returned dead letters to the
department, shows the importance and necessity of
this change. Il is estimated by those having charge
ofthe dead-e,tsr Office that they average about three
hundred thousand quarterly, and the first quarter
under the new law about four hundred thousand.
The department receives no compensation for their
transmission and is at the additional expense Of for
warding them through the mails to the deadletter
Office. In addition to this loss, immense mass OF
printed matter il sent through the mails which is
never called for by those 10 whom directed, and
which 10 not required TO be returned TO the deadet-
ter Office.
The prepayment Of postage would put an end to
the practice, too common, Of sending anonymous
communications through the mails, intended to an
noy and harrass the persons TO whom addressed; as
well the still more common practice of scattering
newspapers, pamphlets, &C., throughout the whole
land, when any particular object is to be effected,
by addressing them TO persons not ordering them
often refusing to take them out-and for which,
even when taken out and paid, the department re.
ceves no compensation adequate TO the expense OF
carrying them in the mails. Il might diminish the
number of letters even under the present low rates
Of postage sent through the mails, but would GER
tainly add to the revenues Of the department. The
pay on the dead letters would surely exceed the
probable loss which might arise from diminution
of correspondence.
The interests of the department, as we'll as Of the
citizens require revision Of the law regulating the
fees of district attorneys and other officers and wit
ncsses attending the courts in cases where thus de-
partment 10 concerned. The suits are generally for
small sums Of money, and the costs often exceed
the amount claimed 10 the citizen as well as to the
department. The district attorneys should be COM
PEELED to attend all the suits, in whatever courts
brought without any additional fee to their regular
compensation, and should be compelled to give
security, and make regular returns, like all other
officers collecting public moneys.
The statute OF limitation, for the benefit Of sure
ties, often compels two suits for the same money;
and the death of the principal sureties requires
additional suits in some Of the States; 80 that three
or four suits are not unusual for the same claim.
This multiplication of quits is often oppressive to
the citizen, as well the department, by the great
increase Of costs.
It has been decided in some of the States, that
upon suits against postmasters for their quarterly
dues, demand must be proven before recovery can
be had-notwithsandin il is made their duty to de-
posile the money in the places selected otherwise
pay over at the end Of each quarter This produces
great additional delay and expense, as the contract:
ors who usually make the demand, often reside NJ
sections of the country remote from the place Of
trial
Congress, at its last session, authorized the POST
master General 10 provide, by contract, for the
transportation of the mails between any port of this
country and any foreign port, in sailing packets or
steamships In entering into contracts, 1t author
lied preference to be given to those proposals for
the service that offered 10 convey in such vessels as
we're capable of being converted into ships Of war.
This and other provisions indicated the policy of
Bringing private enterprise and capital aided by ap-
Preparations from this department to be expended
for the transportation of the mails into the construc-
ton to some extent, of military marine
After seeking and obtaining information upon a
subject presenting much that was novel for the con-
sdcraiion and action of this department. an adver-
tisement for proposals was Issued, exhibiting the
scheme Of mail service between this and other coun-
tries in all the parts and alternatives that had been
contemplated. A copy is hereto annexed, marked
No 10.
The success Of the Cunard line Of steamers, es-
tnblished under the authority of the British govern
ment exercised no little influence in stimulating the
enterprises contemplated to be put in operation UNI
der the law referred to. An appropriation of about
cighty-6ve thousand pounds sterling year is made
by that government to sustain that line. Some Of
those who wish to take a contract under this gov
eminent, expect to receive stated sum per annum
for their investment and service. II is, however,
represented that the expenditure made by the Brit
ish government is fully reimbursed by the amount
Of hostages collected from the mails which the line
conveys. Other capitalists have manifested will
lingness TO engage in the service on the principal
lines for the nett proceeds of postage arising from
them In the present condition Of the finances OF
the department, have deemed the making Of these
contracts Of much importance, that fixed the
period for making them when Congress will be in
recions it may think proper TO give, when Il will
have full view Of the case after the proposals are
made.
The electromagnetic telegraph, Invented by Pro-
fessor Morse, and put in operation between the
cities Of Washington and Baltimore, under appro-
priations made by Congress, was placed under the
superintendence Of the Postmaster General, by q
clause in one Of the appropriation acts Of the Sd
March last. II had been in use the previous year
under the direction Of the Secretary ofthe Treasury
but had been conducted more with reference TO the
testing Of it, capabilities, and such experiments a.
tended TO perfect and improve its operations Hav-
ing been transferred to the Post Office Department
! a. once adopted regulations 10 bring il into con-
slant service, as means of transmitting intelligence
accessible to ALL and prescribed the rates Of postage
The copv of the order which accompanies this re-
port, marked No. III, will show the regulations ant
the rates Of postage adopted. One-half Of the rates
Of postage suggested by Professor Morse was
adopted BY me, under the hope that it would great
" increase its revenues. II went into operation or
the Is, of April, having expended $3.50 Is tefor'
the charge of postage commenced. From the ls
Of April to the LIST of October, the expenditures
amounted to 1924 99-making the whole expen
dture 1926 IA; whilst the revenues for the si'
months amounted to the sum ofS4l3 A.