Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-01-17
MAIL. DIFFICULTIES.


We lat: The pleasure of seeing on Saturday
last Messrs. Ker Boycc, and VIM. ID. Porter of
Charleston, on their say 10 Washington. They
are both highly respected members of the Lesls-
a,ure Of South Carolina. ana are charged with
the duty oil presenting TO the Postmaster General
the memorial Of the Citizens City Council, and
Chamber q Commerce Of Charleston, ramon
stratnS against the recent arrangement oil The
mail from Weldon 10 Augusta. We had very
little conversation with the: gentlemen upon The
object of their mission but sufficient 10 invite our
attention 10 The subject We have now had an
opportunity Of seeing the memorial which reach
ed us in the Charleston Courier by Yesterdays
mail. We have read il carefully. Ii is, Gas The
Courier says,) drawn up with great ability
Il processes TO ''relate The difficulties that must in
cviraby occur in accomplishing the intended
chan.e-thc great confusion and irre.ulariiy HAT
will cnsuc-the gross injustice inflicted and The
neglect OF The true interests OF The community, in
language respectful, ye, firm and decided, and
with such perspicuity as 10 carry conviction 10
every unprejudiccd mind OF the impropricty and
inexpediency OF perssling in The contemplated
scheme"
Such is the remark OF the Courier; and if we
were 10 form our opinions upon the facts which
a.c set forth in the Memorial as well as the Re-
port Of The meeting Of The citizens Of Whining
ION Gil the 18Th ullimo, We should not hesitate
10 concur in It's conclusion. That much DELAY,
and great injury will result 10 the ci,zfns OF
Charleston and Of the whole community between
Augusta and New Orleans, is apparent on the
face OF The record. But we arc not yet willing
10 ccnsure The motives and rebukc The act OF the
Postmaster General, without hearing the other side
OF The question.
The Southern Mail has been hitherto carried
through Wilmington, in North Carolina, and
thence in 4 Steamboat 10 Charleston, by the Vii
mingion Railroad Company. But they complain
OF the inadequacy of the compensaion-S13.0 600
per annum-on "a long and varied line Of ::311
miles" and the shortness Of the time allowed
them, 50 hours, 90 hours Of which is in the night.
Other questions also came mp about The extent
10 which they were bound TO carry the mail-hu,,
after some correspondence, the negotiation fail
ed, the Postmaster General complained Of their
eyaclions and determined 10 substitute land
route from Raleigh TO Columbia. The mail is
now carried in this way bul The memorialists
complain Of The injuries they have suferedby The
alieraiion-lhe mail being now 2i hours behind
The former time, and SO at Charleston (now car
red by cross route.) They paint in very strong
and true coors The mischiets productivity this de-
lcnion on the whole line 10 New Orleans-and
they appeal with great force 10 the justice and in
terests Of The Department itself, for an immediate
redress Of their grievances.
The appeal is Of such character that the
Post Master General is not al liberty 10 disre-
card it, We would speak Of Mr.. Wickliie with
all lie courtesy and respect, which we I'M
feisnedly feel for him; but We are found 10 say
that il becomes his duty 10 revise his arrangement,
10 open a negotiation again with The Whining
Ton Railroad Co., and To make a fan arrangement
with them for The transportation OIL the mails. Is
there any serious difficulty about it?
The Company complains, and it seems 10 us
with great show justice that for 4 service OF :2
hours each way daily, 20 hours of which is in The
night, they are allowed but 1920 per mile, while
the average pay 10 other Rail Roads is At least
S2317i per mile for day service only, and that the
Mail Boat between Mobile and New Orleans,
for speed OF less Than miles per hour, receives
$l2G per mile. These are the only matters OF
controversy Continue the citizens OF Wilmington
that we can discover, which have produced re-
sui % disastrous 10 the whole Atlantic seahoard,
particularly Of The South. The department is So
icous 10 economist and save. The company
is unwilling longer as matter OF principle 10
submit 10 terms, Of which they have always com
planned, aud which they see by the Report of The
Post Master General are not imposed on Com
paneS North of us, where the constant stream Of
profitable travel would render il much more tole-
rablc.'
We do not blame The Postmaster General for
cu!,ivaiins system OF economy, and of prevent.
ing any imposition from chartered company
We canno, blame the company for attempting
TO obtains fair equivaentfor The extraordinary ser
vice they would render, 1--WE mean extraordinary,
when compared with The appliances and expense
of the usual mail routes) The question is, how
is This e1aciian 10 liz prevented, and this equiva-
lent 10 be obtained lfnci;hcr party is a proper
Judge in its own case, why not leave The quanfum
mcran TO the aIbirament of impartial Judges =
We have long thought, that no State should
gran, 4 railroad charter without throwing in
clause providing forsuch cases before such an
umpire 10 be appointed by the two parties. These
arbilrators should take all the facts OF the case
into consideration, and decide between them as TO
the fair amount of the compensation due In what
other way can il be so satisfactorily adjusted
The United States have no right under the Con-
sti,uion 10 make roads, canals, &c, within the
jurisdiction of the States But il is due to the Fee
dera Government 10 provide against any exac-
tons in the transportation Of their public stores,
troops, mails &c, &c. In telling that Governmen',
therefore, 10 keep her hands of our soil, we owe II
IL her in comfy at least 10 provide that she be
fairly dealt with in using the railroads provided by
the States. Thus too we offer her every induce
ment 10 respect our ghts BY respecting her own
interests Such provision has been made in
some Of The charters OF our own railroad compa-
MES, and ii ought 10 be made in every new char
ter which is granted by all the States.
We trust then that the mail difficulties in the
South may be promptly removedby some agree
ment between The Post Office and the Railroad Co.,
or, ifthey cannot agree among themselves thatthey
would submit the question 10 an impartial trbu-
nal Of two arbilralors, who are capable of doing
justice between the parties.
Dr We do not complain Of our friends al Washing
tnn-Far from it-They have been courteous and kind
10 u.s. beyond our deserts-but when brother
Editors receiving public documents from Messrs A, B,
G., &C., we sometimes ask ourselves, why have not
X, and sent thes. documents To US. Isl be
thinks, that Y, &c, &C., will take Of US?
Our vanity would fan suggest this explanation though,
after ALL il Is pretty much the Of "ihe poor Hare and
many friends" Or, Is il because our brother Editors
acknowledge the favor with The of their beneficial
res, whilst we receive the documents without publicly
thanking them for IT,