The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-03-07

IHE FOREIGN MAILS.-It IS very well known
to the merchants of our Atlantic cities, and to
the community at large, that owing to the imbe-
cility and positive iucapacity of Mr.. Johnson,
the present Postmaster General, to fill the posi-
ton in which he has unfortunately been placed,
the mails of the country-especially the foreign
mails-have been thrown into a state of confu-
sion almost inextricable. His bungling at.
tempts to get rid of this confusion, are only
equalled by the laundering manner in which he
got into them, and serve to clinch the reputa.
ton, rather unenviable, which he has seemed
determined to attain-that of being the most in
efficient head of that department that was ever
inflicted on this people. Every one knows tue
sad irregularity OF our domestic mails; but those
who correspond with England and other foreign
81 fRs eas5 ssR n hays 70
thewhole commercial interests of the country, by
the kettle of fish ~ into which Mr.. Johnson, by
his want of foresight, want of thought, and want
of capacity to fill his office, has reduced the TO-
reign mails.
After committing gross and unpardonable
error, IN not making postal arrangements with
England as soon as the American steamships
were started, he sought to correct his blunder
By commencing negotiation for that purpose
which was done at considerable expense to
this government. This negotiation went on,
and by the arrival OF the steamship anterior to
that of the Britannia, which arrived at Boston
day or two since, we received the gratifying in
formation that the English government were
finally willing to enter into postal arrange
ment with the United States OH principles of re-
ciprocity; that is, that they were willing to give
81
them This was looked upon as satisfactory, in
the highest degree, by our Minister in London,
Mr.. Bancroft, and the contamination of those
negotiations, In the form of settled treaty, was
looked forward to with much interest by our
commercial classes.
BY the last steamer, however, we are informed
that those negotiations, which had resulted in the
agreement, on the part of the British post offics
and our minister, OF treaty on principles of
perfect reciprocity, have been abruptly cut short,
and there is little probability that a postal
arrangement can be concluded as long as Cave
Johnson is in office. What the cause of this
sudden termination of these negotiations is we
do not exactly know; but as we learn that the Bril-
tlsh Postmaster General agreed to ener into a re-
ciprocal arrangement, we begin to think that Cave
johnson has in this instance committed another
blunder, which defeated the negotiation, by, per-
haps, acting towards them as he did recently to-
wards some railroad companies and wanting to
get more than he gave. From the characteristics
which have marked Mr.. Johnson's official con-
duct, we are led to believe that this has been the
cause of the failure of these negotiations.
We think, however, that he will find it hard
matter to get out of the British government
advantages sufficient to compensate this country
for the damage he has caused to it by the de-
rangement of the domestic mails; which, tor all
we know to the contrary, was his desire and
intention; for the whole world knows that the
government of that country, have more demands
on them than they are able to meet. This is
only another evidence of the treasure OF Post.
master General which the people of the United
States have in Cave Johnson We hope that
Cave Will give his reason TO the country for re-
iuslng to make postal treaty on terms frecipro.
city, In order to let us understand what he is
really DESTROYS of accomplishing. 1t is strange,
II 1t be true, as we are assured, that the British
Postmaster General is willing TO treat on such
fair terms, that no arrangement is yet made.
Let us see whether or not the British govern
ment will give as much as they take