The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1845-05-19

Washington.
Correspondence Of the Herald

Conduf OF as President, or of the Company
Queries as 10 the Charters Of these Corporation
Monopo'ies, and The Reserved Rights Of the Public
The Post Office Scaies-Mr. Smith and the S.
cretay ofhe Nary.
Every additional enquiry and research and every
addition TO my stock of knowledge on the subject of
the conduct and action of the railroad companies in
relation TO the transmission of the mails, convinces
me more and more that the time has arrived when
determined stand must be taken against their en-
croachments, exorbant charges, and dictatorial
attempts to rule the Post Office Department. by pro-
ducng disorder and inconvenience 10 the public SO
| as to cast odum on the Department, and enable
| them to coerce II and ensure their condi-
tons. II is time, say, that this was stopped;
whence are to come the means! They must be fur
nlshed by the public, which must sustain the Depart
ment and its officers, and these rapacious
souless corporations How shall public opinion,
the potent regulator OF all disorders, be brought to
bear upon their creatures-the Railroad corpora
tons! Il must be dore by the independent presses
placing facts before their readersand arousng the
public indignation as to compel the companies to
succumb to the public convenience, and to deal with
the governmentfor the public convenience onthe same
terms they deal with private individuals This is
the only course-but ii is most eifectua one-to be
pursued; and therefore SHALL from time to time, give
all the facts which can obtain to stay the iniqu-
tous mode of proceeding adopted by the Railroad
companies in order to put their hands more deeply
into the public purse and to enable them to rule the
/ Department.
Ihave in my previous letters given the particulars
of the conduct Of the Philadelphia, Wilmington and
Baltimore Railroad Company, by which they throw
back the whole western mail for twenty-four hours,
| as it up to Monday last arrived at Baltimore at six
O'Clock in the morning, the cars leaving for Cum
berland at o'clock, besides delaying the mail for
| Baltimore, Washington and the south, and their no
ce of intention to change the time OF leaving Bat
more for the north, so as oprevent the western and
southern mails from connecting, and thus throwing
back those mails for the north from twelve to eigh
teen hours: have since learned of the conduct
of the Petersburg and Weldon Company
in relation to the mails, which fully. equals, or
perhaps surpasses the outrageous conduct of the
Philadelphia Company. The President Of this
company is DR.. Bird, and / learn that during
the last twelve months there were about fifty
failures to connect in time with the other mails,
north and south Of this line. In the commence
ment OF this year these failures in connection with
those on other lines, became so frequent, (amount-
ing on another line, am told to about one hundred
in twelve nlonths,) that Mr.. Wickliffe. was driven
to commencement in the way of fining, and in
ficted fine of some $50 believe, on DIR. Birds
Company, for one of these failures. Hereupon DIR.
Bird thinking he could control the Department and
do Just as he pleased, adopted a course which he
thought would compel the Department to do his bid
ding. The contracts provide that the mails shall be
delivered in what is called Schedule time that is
that the mail is to arrive In certain town at certain
time. This the lines sometimes fail to perform, arriv-
ing at the end of their journey few minutes more
past their time, and yet in plenty time to put their
mails on board the trains with which they connect.
DR.. Bird finding himself, or rather the company Of
which he is President, fined tor failing to connect
revenged himself upon the Department and the pub
lie, of which he and the department servants, by
the daringly outrageous proceeding OF refusing to
Petersburg few minutes after schedule" time, al
| though the train for Weldon had not left, and did
not leave until il had transferred all the passengers
and al the baggage brought BY the same conveyance
peated on the 9th and 9th March, and on the 9th
April, and each occasion causing failure Of the
mail to the South of "a hours, and this outrage, be
ii borne in mind perpetrated by this line under
the direction of its President, because it had been
fined for breaking the connection, doubt thinking
that this course, on Its part would force the depart
ment to allow 1t to do just as Mr. Bird pleased.
On each of these OCCASIONS the usual fine, and only
the usual fine, inflicted, until, on the 24th OF
| April, the train from Weldon to Petersburg having
arrived at the latter place within the time, allowed It
| to connect with the Northward train yet delayed
the delivery of the mail which it brought from the
South for upwards of hour after its arrival, by
which means the Northern train, having waited
quarter of an hour after Its proper time OF departure
was compelled to depart without the mail, thus
causing failure of the mail to the North for twenty
four hours For this outrageous conduct the part
of this Company, the Postmaster General resolved
upon withholding pay altogether from them, until
they learned their duty better, and conducted them
selves little more in accordance with the position
which they occupy, Of the creatures" and "ser-
wants" OF the public. What renders TINS conduct on
the part OF these corporation monopoles more out
| rageous and unbearable, Is the fact OF which am
informed that the great cause of this revengeful ac-
ton is the fact that there is at Petersburg place Of
refreshment, owned, believe, either by DIR. Bird
| or by the Company OF which he is President at
which, when the Northern trains arrive in time the
passengers procure refreshments, thus adding the
profits of the line the profits OF tavern
plng monopoly upon monopoly-and when
the trains arrive little after schedule time, why
there is not time for the passengers to delay and pay
their money for refreshments Such facts as these
speak volumes, and require only to be laid before
the public TO cause them to speak In tones which
shall make these companies trembe.
These facts, which are daily coming to light, re-
speeding the manner in which these corporation mo-
nopoles conduct themselves in relation to the trans
mission of the mails, the exorbtant charges which
they make therefor, amounting to double the rate
paid for the same amount of service by coach and
horse mails and the high handed acts to which they
have recourse in order to coerce the Department,
will arouse spirit OF enquiry on the part Of the
people as to the best way in which they can deprive
these corporations OF the powers which they use to
the detrment of the public service. As these cor
poratons are all infractions of the rights Of indi-
vduals and the public generally, it is settled prin-
cple of law that their charters must be construed
with the utmost stricmess. Their charters gen.
orally give them privileges only to carry pas
sengers and freights. Now the question arises,
and IL is an important one, whether there Is not
reserved to the people all other rights whatever
connected with these rail roads, and they for
all other purposes common post roads And have
have not the people right to declare through their
legislatures if necessary, that the carriage of the
mail is not stipulated to them in their charters, it
may be thrown open to the competition of the public
generally, with individuals of whom the Department
may contract to carry the mails on these roads
that the Department itself may make arrangements
and carry the mails itself over them! These are i'm
portant questions believe that the course of the
souless corporations in relation to the mails which
has compelled the suggestion of such questions to
intelligent minds, will likewise compel the public to
declare that these questions must be answered in the
affirmative The questions depending upon their az
firnative solution arethe success or failure of the
new postage law, the triumph Of the corporation mo-
nopolies the Department, or OF the public con-
conduct Of the corporations SOLITARY and alone
Gas Senator Benton said on a celebrated occa-
son) put this ball in notion" will not the public
'Scep it, in motion and carry it on to triumphant
result over the combinations OF monopoly.
The selection of scales for the use of the post Of
a. l.. III. l.. ..J T',a