New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-12-03

n1blic interests and the same may be said
Of the privilege possessed by newspaper pro,
orietors Of sending and recsivIn9 e&chauSe
Dapcrs free of postage. But if these prlyNe-
res are continued, it ia respectfully submit
led that this Department should be paid Tor the
conveyance of the matter sent free under them,
nv an appropriation from the public Treasury,
rather than by a tax or the private correspon-
dencc of the country. II a sum equal to the pos
4sge which would be charged on all free natter,
were it chargeable with postage, should be an
nuaiy appropriated aud paid to this Department,
it is believed that such appropriation and the accu
smulated surplus revenue would enable the De
parneIt 70 sustain Itself, Notwithstanding the
proposed reduction, or that the appropriation re-
quircd would be so inconsiderabe as to interppsc
no St rioUs obstacle to the adoption Of the
gutes nov recommended.
IN case 8 reduction OF postage shall be made, It
is suggested that it should only take effect from
and ate the 3Qth Of Juae next, that itmaygo iat0
operation st the commencement Of the next fiscal
year tbs is desirable for the purpose o. cnab
ling tic Departments 60 present the fscar results
~ the - Guctiun with CleIness and accuracy ~
8ui5re reports. and also ipr sbs purpose Of giving
tme r. irepare the FORMS Instructions and blanks,
which sill be necessary il consequence OF the
eIHtge H. he rates Ct postage.
49, 4doetiono postage IS likely to increase
tba la5o. al1 reduce, for time at least, the com.
peAS0tiui ol the several pQstnasters. Il is there
fore r. anmended that power be given to the
Postmaster General to increase the rates Of com
rigsicl III the smaller Offices so as to ensure the
service If Competent and faithful officers
The term newspaper is not 50 fully defined by
tie existing laws upon tLat subject, as to enable
the Department TO decide, without embarass
ment and difficulty whether particular period
cal is or is not to be deemed a newspapers and
though various decisions III particular cases have,
at different times, bo Ell made in the Department,
they have not relieved the question from perpex
ity and embarrassment.
There was a manifest ncongruity in the laws
Establishing the California steamship lines, In pro-
yiding for conveyance OF the mails twice month
from New York. New Orleans &c to Chagres,
and conveyance OF the same only once month
from Panama north along the Pacific coast
Soon after the close of the last session OF Con
gress, my attention called to this subject by
Ia memorial from the representatives in Congress
from the State of California and Territory OF Or
egon. insisting that semi monthly mail service
should be regularly organized md performed on
1.-The Pacific portion OF that important route. The
contractors on the route had already so far yield
ed 10 the complaints aud wants of the public, us
Ito take occasionally second monthly mail, bat
for want OF legal authority to make compensation
for such service its performance had never been
lpr0pery organized Il was voluntary merely,
and only occasional
The action Of the Department was urged in
view Of the provisions oithe recent act OF Congress
making All appropriation tor actual mall service
performed or to BE performed by mail steamers,
but | did. not feel at liberty to make sn order
which might divert a portion OF that appropriation
Ito the payment OF services not within the c0ntem-
plation OF Congress when the appropriation was
made Anxious, however, to atiordto the new State
the requisite mail facilities, an arrangement was
made with the contractor Tor the monthly mail, by
which the additional service was secured, with
the express understanding and agreement that
the order therefor should create liability OF any
kind against this Department on the Government;
that the service authorized by such order should
not be considered i'll fixing the amount OF any
compensation for mail service by ocean steamers,
FOR which any appropriation had been heretofore
made by Congress; and that the order tor such
service was subject TO be revoked, if Congress- to
which alone the contractor was to look Tor an al
lowanCe OF pay, should dlsapproye of the same.
ghe assent OF the contractors to these terms was
required and obtained as condition precedent to
the completion OF such arrangement. lt.rernalns
Tor Congress to adopt such measures Ill regard to
this subject as may be deemed Just and expedent
The locks and keys in use upon the mails OF the
United States have been in service Tor many
,years, and the experienced officer OF this Depart
ment, to whose charge this branch OF the service
has been committed, recommends that the same
be changed | concur in this recommendation,
and shall ask that sufficient appropriation for
that purpose be made by Congress at the ap
preaching session.
The publication of the list OF post Offices and of
L new edition of the laws and regulations for
which an appropriation was made at the !$st SEES
zion has not been completed The list of Offices
has been prepared and jta printing directed, but
lhe printing OF the new edition OF the laws aud
Regulations has not yet been ordered. The delay
has been caused by the desire to await the action
Of Congress upon the bills affecting this Depart.
lNent which were reported at the last session, ana
by the pressure of business which has hithertopre'
81 Lott n w q
deemed expedent to make before the new edition
was ordered.
The accommodations loy tie post Office OF this
o;tv are entirely unsuted to office OF its impor
lance and are decidedly dlscredltable to the De
/ Dartment and the country. Some improvements,
lately authorized and now IN progress, VIII afford
partial and temporary relief, but other arrange
lmcnts of permanent character should soon be
made The rooms of this Department. also are
already unreasonably crowded, and additional
rooms for the officers and clerks OF the Depart
ment and ofthe Auditors Office, will soon be at
solutely required To afford suitable accommo
Slstons for these and for the City Post Office 1t IL
respectfully submitted that the contemplated ex
tension of the west wing of the General Post OF
+ ice building should be authorized and that the
upper floors in such wing be assigned to the
Auditor and his clerks and that the first floor be
devoted to the use of the City Post Office.
: The laws regulating the action of this Depart
InGnt ana us OlLiCCiS art iuAClUusi HGiS p''SSSp
st different times, and contain many obsolete and
con1ictng provisions. An entire revision OF these
laws and the passage of single act containing all
The provisions of law relating to this Department
swoud aid all its officers in the discharge OF their
smties, aud give greater case, accuracy, and dis,
Epatch to its operations. Such q revision is re-
Especially suggested.
In conclusion, l desire 20 acknowledge my obli-
ayations to my assistants snd the clerks in the De
partment for the choeriulness zeal, and assiduity
with which they have labored in the discharge Of
their respective duties, and to renew the recon-
Emondation OF my predecessors, that the Assistant
Postmasters General be placed upon the same
boting in respect to their compensation, as the
4 beads OF bureaus III other Departments.
n. X. HALL Posimaste General
To TIE PRESIDENT
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