The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-05-09
MAIL CONTRACTORS DINNER.
THoRsDAY EVENING, April 30, ls4e.


invited,
The sumptuous entertainment provided by Mr..
Coleman having had full Justice done il by the com
pany present, the cloth being removed, DIR. Mar
shall OF Kentucky, president ofthe meeting, read the
letter Of Hon. c. johnson, regrettng that he could
not attend owing TO indisposuon.
Doctor Marshall then gave
Hon. Gaze Johnson, Postmaster General Of the
United States A ong.tred and faithful servant OF
the public in its legislative eounses: upright and
efficient head Of great department.
Gen. T. l.. Price, OF Missouri, having called on
Gen. Hinton for sentiment, he rose and said
GENTLEMEN: ! propose to you Colonel Richard
M. johnson, OF Kentucky, for many years a repre-
sentative In Congress- late Vice President, the dis
tingulshed hero at the battle Of the Thames, who
mingled his blood with British soil in fighting the
battles Of his country for many years the ardent
and devoted friend of the mail contractors; may he
live To enjoy the blessings OF peace and happiness
under the mild influence Of that government in
whose he has so freely shed his blood and to
receive the congratulations and good will of his fel-
low-men.
Col. Johnson rose and said
Mr. PREsIDEEr AND GENTLEMEN | should do yio-
lenee TO my own feelings not TO express my graft
tude for your kindness. The sentiment Of friend
ship is always eongenial to the throsbngs Of sen.
sitiye bosom, and in that bond we form one broth
erhood. Permit me, on this occasion, TO congratu-
iato you Oh INC ConulllOn prospects VI our
ny country, IN whose service you are engaged
Our liberties, civil and religious are fixed on a ba-
sis as firm as the mountains Our laws are all
equal---the path To wealth and honor is alike open
to ail-the Of enterprise finds all the incentive
that hope can promise, with the assurance that he
is secured in the enjoyment Of the fruit OF his honest
labor. Our country, under her free institutions,
has grown in strength and resources beyond all ex
ample. Her moral character has risen with her i'm
proyements. Cur territory extends from the Allan
tic 10 the Pacific oceans and from the cold regions
of the North TO the Mexican gulf, where vernal
bloom is perpetual. Our population has increased
from three to twenty miions and what is still more
grateful we are all free, equal and happy. The tide
Of prosperity is still rapid than ever and with
out prospect of an ebb. In few short years hun
dred millions Of freemen will enjoy the blessings Of
our land Every section has the same interest in
our happy union for the same rights and
preroganyes are common TO all, and protected by
ALL To secure this union, intelligence and inter-
course all that is necessary ana the facilities for
these are committed TO the mail contractors. To
convey intelligence with frequency and rapidly,
and TO transport passengers from one section Of
country To another, are to form the arteries and
veins Of the body polite by which the circulation
Of life is perpetuated and nourishment administered
10 every member You constitute an important
part of this patriotic band, and especially as your
services Ire in the West and Southwest, where our
growth is most rapid and important. To be asso-
ciated with you in this happy festival, consider as
a high honor; and while | tender my grateful ac-
for your kind consideration of me,
permit me to conclude with this sentiment speedy
mails, crowded coaches, and low postage.
Gen. Hinton then called on Gen. Price for a SEN
timent who gave
The Post Office Department: May the object Of the
law creating that department Of the government be
fully realized and sustained by its present efficient
and most worthy offcers
Major Hobbe, the First Assistant Postmaster
General, was loudly called for. After making some
predatory remarks, returning his Acknowledgements
and regrettng the absence OF the Postmaster Gene
raj, from whom, he said, reply TO the sentiment
last given would more appropriately come, he pro-
cceded as follows:
feel proud, sir, of the association in which my
official business places on these occasions. II any
one entcrtains disparaging opinion, IT must be bo-
cause he measures the dignity and importance OF
things by some other standard than that OF useful
ness There are no labors that confer greater bene
fits than those Of the mail contractor there are no
operations more important to man and society than
embraced in that system of INSTRUMENTATION
and intelligence established by the government, and
which performs its principal functions through the
agency of the private enterprise and capital which
we appeal to upon these occasions.
But We make no great pretensions, gentlemen;
we claim not to be learned men, though some Of ms
must be admitted to be men of letters. have in
my eye, in making this remark, the postmaster Of
Washington who sits on the other side Of the table.
We claim not to be scholars, or sages, or a Smith
sonian institute, though it is peculiarly your bus-
ness "to diffuse knowledge among men, and to in
crease the stock Of human intelligence by multiply
ing it among all the sons and daughters of Adam
that you can reach with railroad cars or steamboats,,
in coaches or on horseback, or by means Of that
new light in the post-oice armament, "a bid"
1t is said sir rather boastngly at times, that the
schoolmaster is abroad. Allow me to add, that the
mail contractor is abroad also. He is abroad every
wherein cities and towns, over our thorough
fares, up and down our rivers, across our praires
and in our distant forests. The lonely bridle-path
that leads into the gorges Of mountains finds
hima patient traveller con his winding way" And
he leaves kindling light behind him-the light Of
knowledge, the light of civilization and improve
ment, the light of the blessed charities, amenities,
and affections that give the sweetest charm to social
existence, and bind our hearts together, how widely
separated by distance into one great, united,
and glorious American family
1t is unnecessary to 60 into details to show the
extent and importance Of your service. The outlines
are sufficient. This widespread area of freedom is
also an area of post office operations-from the
Sault St, Marie and the Copper Harbor on the
NORTH to the Baze on the Gulf Of Mexico-from
the Aroostook on the east, to the Sabine on the
west-[Mr. Brown, the I'd Assistant Postmaster
General said, "to the Rio Grande"l-I accept the
amendment, though it is borrowing somewhat from
the future; for at present lines of mail commu
pication are not yet extended by act of Congress to
that limit-but will nevertheless declare with
fdence and exultation, to the Rio Grande to the
Rio Grande! But we will take another traverse
from the Atlantic border crowned with its princely
cities, to the primeval forests that imbosom the
sources Of the great father Of waters. And here
again, Mr. President, the future crowds close upon
the present The American mail contractor must
go farther-up the Missouri--up the Nebraska
over the Rocky mountains, and down the western
slope Of the continent-and halt not till he stands
upon the shores Of the far Pacific, with naught but
its blue expanse between him and that Oldest quar-
ter of the globe, where his first progenitor was
planted on earth by the hand Of the Creator.
What theatre of operations! What space to
fill with post-routes and post oces-with mail ser
vice. and with the males and females that render
such service necessary But the work is going for
ward, and will be accomplished. No modern Ca
mute, whether holding the trident Of the seas, as
Stunning to hold the balance Of power is yet commits
stoned to say to the tide Of American population up
f.. .. H. A, a.,