Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1846-12-24
Po,tmaster Generals Report.

inulion arises chiefly from loss on le!Ier post
age. bu, among other causes are mentioned ex-
presses, by which letters are regularly deliver
ed, the collection and transmission Of letters,
directed TO different persons, under one envel-
ope, by which the department gets, on the ag-
gregale weight, but dollar or TWO in postage,
when i, should have FIVE or len dollars "Car-
60 letters" are also made the vehicles of fraud,
and the immense mass of printed circulars,
transient newspapers, ETC., which are mol called
for or refused, constitute heavy item of ex-
pense in The matter of transportation. To these
must be added the dead letters" which amount
10 nearly Two millions annually.
TO remedy these evils, he recommends that
the rate for single letters be reduced to one
quarter of an ounce. except IN case OF letter
weighing less than half an ounce and written
on a single sheet. Tha, the same power grant
ed 10 the Revenue Department. 10 prevent vi
olaion of its revenue laws, be granted 10 The
Pos, Office Department.
Letters relating 10 cargoes, he thinks, should
be unsealed and subjec, 10 the inspection Of
Post Office Agents, and that postage on news
papers be so adjusted as 10 approach more near
" the cost of transportation and delivery
Transient newspapers, or Others sent by those
who are not publishers should he thinks, be
rated higher than others. All printed matter
also, should be prepaid, and all letters prepaid
or rated double This las, suggestion Is very
good one, for if correspondence is worIh any
thing a, all, i. is worth paying for.
The income during The period above mention
ed was $4034,297 %, and the deficiency as
compared with The receipts Of s597,097 81
This deficiency was supplied by drafts on the
conringen. fund of s65o,oo0 provided for by
law.
The mail service of the United States, ex-
elusive of Texas, is performed by $3.50 con.
tracts on 4 1855 post routes, the aggregate length
of which is l49 ,679 miles The transportation
of the year, up 10 Goth of June last. amounted
TO 81, 1854 miles, at cost, by contract, of
$2665, ,S7S. This is an excess of service, over
last year, in the length of routes, of 5,739 miles,
and Of annual transportation, Of ,764 j As miles,
al diminulion of expense of $202,9l3. There
is an excess in the cos, Of mail agencies, Of
4,s93 and aboa, $9,lS0 for four and half
months transportation of mails in Texas, from
9th February 10 3Osh June. 1916; which is 10
be deducted from this saving, which will re-
duce i. 10 Slss,s3l A grea, saving has been
effected in the re-leling OF the contracts in New
England and New York, and another, equal 10
thirty three per cent, has been made in the re-.
letting of contracts in the Northwestern and
Southwestern States and Territories.
The deductions from the pay of contractors
for irregularities in the performance Of mail du-
ry, amount TO S26,273 81.
The mail service in Texas has no, been sal.
isfactorlly performed, one of the mail boats hav.
ing been lost in storm-bul it is expected 10
be placed soon on a permanen, footing.
On the lhirielh June there were ID, ,60l pos,
Offices ST were established during the year
and 459 disconlinued-m an actual in.
crease of 4lS. AT this time the number is IA :
793. Nearly one-,hrd of the pos, Offices in
the United States have been voluntarily vacated
since the acl Of ls45, owing to the conse queni
increase Of labor and the abatement of privi
leges aud compensation. The onerous manner
in which the law presses on Pos,maslers and
clerks is briefly but clearly shown; bu, while
the evil is lamenled no remedy is suggested.
|. is eviden, the Postmaster thinks the De.
parlment should have control of The lines o
telegraph, and he again urges his opinions upon
the attention Of Congress.
The contractors TO carry the mail between
New York and Bremen, are progressing a,
rapidly as possible in the completion of ,hei
steamships A line from Charleston by Ha
vana TO Chagres, in steamers, and from Panams
in sail or steam vessels 10 Oregon. is again re-
commended as subjec. for legislative author
icy 10 authorize.
In conclusion he speaks again of the Tele
sraph-of The fact ,ha, it supersedes the Pos
Office; announces that he has possessed him
self Of all necessary information in case Con
gress should think Of making purchase of tn.
| lines