The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1845-10-08
LATEST INTELLIGENCE,
WashingtQp.
Correspondence Of the Herald

WASHINGTON, Oct 6, 1876.
Foreign Maa Proposais-1he Cape Horn Route,
and the Route ria the Rocky Mountains TO the
Mouth Of the Columbia Considered-Mr. Holmes,
Of South Carotina-Tndependent altitude of South
Carolina and her Poiiticians--Policy of Nex
York, &c. &C.
The Postmaster General has issued proposals for
foreign mail transportation, in conformity with the
law of Congress of March last And first comes
the question, why has the Postmaster General suf-
fered seven months to elapse before the issue Of
these proposals Has he been celebrating all this
time, "whether the public interest will be promoted,
by this proposed foreign mail transportation, and
lust hit upon the conclusion that it will? Or, is he
opposed to the new expense upon the Department!
Or is his object to ascertain the probable cost Oh mall
transportation as proposed and to report thereon to
Congress, from such returns as may come In before
the first Monday in December next. Weare strongly
induced to adopt this latter conjecture as the most
n IN bs the Act Of
March last authorizing this foreign mail Tansporta.
ton, shall be repealed or continued IN FORCE; ana
whether any contracts shall accordingly be made
under il or not. We are apprehensive. that In the
face of the great importance OF these foreign mail
lines, that the fear of their enormous cost Will so
alarm the next Congress as to lead to the repeal OF
which will be in favor of the probable adoption Of
this new Post Office experiment. to wit the amount
Of patronage 1t onfers upon the Department In the
discretionary power touching ouch the stipulation 70
the mails" From six to a dozen mail agencies at
sea, at $4,000 year and found, will be likely to
have some weight with members OF Congress,
among whom public offices, great and small, are IN
such regular demand. Indeed, members OF Con-
gress and ex-members are fairly monopohzing the
enormous patronage OF the general government
chapter upon this subject might be compiled from
the history of SO short period the seven months
existence of the present administration, which
would astound the people, and lead them seriously
to debate the question whether Congress was de-
signed as law-making body, or as a convention OF
office seekers, and intrguers for the presidency and
the "spoils" But this is not the place tor such an
exposition M,
Among the proposals of the Postmaster General
we call your attention to No. o.
6. From New York, by Havana, to Chagres, IN
Colombia and back; with joint or separate offers
to extend the transportation to Panama, ana up tne
the principal port in the Sandwich Islands; or from
Charleston to the same and back
CIs the mail to be carried across the lsthmus OF
Panama; and, if SO, by what arrangement Tor - 1t
to circumnavigate the continent of South America,
via Cape Horn the Straits OF Magellan at the dis
cretion of the Postmaster General, as the nearest
route to the mouth Of the Columbia /? Admitting
the general utility of this line in connection with
the navy would not Its necessity be IN great mea-
sure superseded by domestic line from Fort lnde-
pendence through the Rocky Mountains TO the
mouth of the Columbia, In connection with line OF
military posts We doubt not, should the Presi.
dent fail in recommending this great continental
post route Congress, that resolution will be Of
tered in the Senate instructing the post-ofice COM
mttee to inquire into the expedency and practica.
bility OF such route, and to report thereon at an
early day But you have the proposals before you;
and their importance if carried out, you cannot faii
It strikes us from the simple remark the other day,
that we Intercepted Mr.. Holmes of South Carolina,
on the Avenue, pulling toward the White House,
that some unfavorable inference might be drawn
from it, from the jealousy of the ciques opposed to
the South Carolinians, and billing and cooing tor
the favors OF the administration, and wranglng with
each other In Mexican style for the ascendancy
over the administration and the dominant party.
Now, if there one faction, or fraction, among the
present discordant elements Of the undermined de-
mocracy," whose position before the administration
it gratifying contemplate, 1t ID that OF the South
Carolina faction, or fraction They have exhibited
and are exhibiting an independence Of Executive
favors and Executive power, really, all things con-
sidered, most worthy of admiration. Their views,
their projects may be contracted metaphysical and
sectional but they are untnchng at least TO the Po-
Icy Of South Carolina. The highest offices in the
ment Of ''jot or TITLE" Of the State Right or nulf
fication creed, IT you will, OF the lndomiable state
of South Carolina. They have asked no compro-
mise-they have sconed all overtures to a conces-
| sion of their principles The Empire State, on the
other hand, overrued at the Baltimore Convention,
has submitted to be further overrued in the Cabinet
appointments. and in the selection of the Collector
and Postmaster Of New York: 1t remains to be seen
whether the Van Buren, Wright party, or Mr.. Walk
ers Executive patronage party, will control the voice
of the democracy of the State in the policy Of the
Administration, and in the choice Of the succession.
The ascendancy of New York has been shaken
down-her Albany despotsm forced to caPituate to
the Baltimore combination against her, and it ispro
bable that hereafter even her domestic political in
trigues will be controlled more by influences at
Washington than the heretofore memorable pTonHn-
ciomentos of the Albany junto.
Briefly, the only independent State in the Union
at this iuncture Is South Carolina-independent of
the administration, its power and its patronage, de-
with all vigilance, however, any rupture in the lines
so as at the signal, to throw her whole disPosable
force into the BREACH and carry the day.. We shall
discuss these general topics more deliberately IN
some succeeding chapters