Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1848-06-02
MAIL BETWEEN RICHMOND AND
WASHINGTON.


WASHINGTON.
We learn ,hata, the Annual Meeting Of The
Stockholders OF the Richmond, Fredericksburg
and Potomac Railroad Company on Monday,
The Rcpor, of lht President and Directors was re-
ferred TO committee consisting of Messrs VIM.
Fl. Macfarland, ]. A. Lancaster, and Edmund
T. Morris, by WON the following Report (pub.
lished BY reques) was made, which was concur
red in by a large ajoriy OF the Stockholders.
The commute, 10 which was referred the rt.
port Of the President and Directors of The Com
pany have had the same under consideration,
and report that is attention has been confined TO
the Mail affair." oresuming that 10 be the ques.
ton upon whichit was expected 10 report. The
members of the committee are fully sensible, as
doubtless one ant all OF The Stockholders are CT
the importance lc the public OF The transmission
of the Mail on lie road Of the Company. Ii is
The only mode o. conveyance between Wash
inslon and this ely, by which il is possible 10 al
tain quickness aid uniformity-sucha matter oil
primary importance in The transmission OF The
great mail. A pail which is behind established
channels Of inlecommunication, is deprived OF
lis chief value, and deserves 10 be regarded as
an imposition or the community which is COM
10
ycur committee would have considered the Di.
reclors as grossly inallenlive 10 their trust, il
The diversion ofthe mail from The Road of the
Company had ben occasoned by any caprice
or unreasonable eIacions OF theirs. IL would
have been great folly in them to have lost the
transmission OF the mall il il might have been
retained by any just and fair concession. For,
besides The accommodation OF the public by coa.
yeyine il, Ia consideration which should never
be LOST sight OF the Company may properly ex-
pect from it no uncomfortable share of lis reve-
nue. Duty and interest, therefore, unite IN re-
ouifipg that The Company shall be always will
ing 10 receive and transmit the mail on Ieasona
bic and fair terms
Tho mail was refused TO the Company by
the Postmaster General, upon the ground that
the price asked for its conveyance was beyond
what the law authorized him to pay. Yet the
price was not beyoni what had been heretofore
maid. II deserves 10 be noted that the Company
did not advance upon the previous rate of CON-
pensation, but that the Postmaster General re
fused to continue it; and the mail was lost by an
unhappy difference of opinion between the Di-
rectors and the Postmaster General as to the
amount which the law authorized to be paid.
Your committee will content itself with ex
pressing the opinion that the Directors inter-
prete1 The law properly. 1t is undeniable that
sum larger than that asked By the Company is
paid upon the roads North Of the Potomac, on
which, though the convenience of the compa
mics admits of double mail, the weight Of the
mail, day b. day, is not greater than was con-
viewed over the road OF this Company. 1t can
NOT ba admitted that the law makes distinction
between Northern and Southern roads, and al
lows less on the same weight of mail to the lat
ter than the former. But the fact is, that the
Postmaster General now pays more for the ser
vices formerly rendered BY this Company than
he paid to ii; and that the mail is slower and
less uniform. Surely there can be no law
which forbids the restoration Of the mail 10 the
railroad, at any sum less than is now paid for
inferior service. 1t would be an extraordinary
law which required the Postmaster General to
pay for a slow and exposed mail more than
would suffice to secure q quick and safe mail
it would be an absuIdi,y, from which there
should be haste to relieve the statute book
The sum about which the Postmaster General
and lie Directors diff-le! was loo small 10 have
produced hesitation in either in matter OF so
much Importance. Tine Directors might posi-.
by have yielded il al the time, relying upon Con-
xress 10 increase The compensation. But whilst
it might have been expedent for The Company 10
have yielded the difference 10 prevent the diver.
sion of The mail, your committee canno; recon-
mend that il should be taken back on the Post
masters terms. In the opinion OF The committee,
The Company should no, depart from the position
it has assumed; but, al the same time, The Direc-
tors should manifest their desire 10 accommodate
the public, by taking back The mail-by avowing
a disposition, now as heretofore, TO submit 10 ar
bi,raon or TO re open The negotiation with the
department whenever il may he the Postmaster
PC nleasure