Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-09-28

BE enacted sc. That there shall be appointed by the
President with the consent Of the Senate Deputy Postmas
General for California and Oregon who shall RESIDE at
San Francisco, and receive salary OF - per annum He
shall exercise and perform within California and Oregon all
ra so far as the shall be assigned him by the POST
General subject TO his supervision direcon and m
don Of The nost Offices and mail service within his urisdc
ton such reports the Postmaster General shall and
employ such number OF clerks and such salary as the Post
Sec md BE- further enacted There shall be appointed
by the President with the of the Senate post oee
auditor for Calfoa and Oregon, who shall reside at San
Francisco. and receive salary OF dollars per annum L
shall be his duty audit and settle according 20 law all
parmen arising or aecrung California Oregon and to
perform all duties In regard said claims and ana
such other duties As shall be assigned to him Dy the
that the Auditor Of the Treasury for the Post Once De-
required perform like duties and g trans
said Department addreedso the Auditor thereof
quarterly statement exhibiting the amount Of its revenues
derived from posges collected in California and Oregon
lowing Objects namely Compensation postmasers trans
poraon Of the mails ship Steamboat, and way letters
blanks mail locks keys and mail dspredaeas and
special agents clerks for Offices and miscellaneous.
appropriation for the service Of the Post Office Department
the books Of the Auditor for said Department and said
Auditor employ such number OF cerksa such salaries
the Secretary Of the Treasury shall allow
Sec s. .4d be further enacted The Postmaster General
order the dead ettersin the post offices IN and
of being to the General Post Office He may dis
pense with advertising proposals for carrying the mails IN
California and Oregon in the papers in the city of Wash
ngton and he may allow there commission
tor their not exceeding per cent on
stead OF the amount now fixed by law.
Sec A. .ad be G further enacted That shall DC the duty
of the Secretary Of the Navy addition mail service Of
each by him already contracted for under the
fifth section Of an act entitled An act providing Tor the
building and equipment Of four naval seamhips approved
March four eighteen hundred and forseven to conact
behalf the United Saes for the transportation of the mails
steamships between Panama and San Francisco and the in
ermcdiae ports another each month, each way such
with the mail arriving twice each month at
Chagre the Atlantic to make two mails each way to
San Francisco. @ ess3ssts tA ~. &M4t
Mr.. TURNEY. I think this amendment ought to be er-
planned. II contain very important sections and
think they ought be passed without investigation
proposed transfer branch Of the Post Office Depart
California and to invest it with all the powers within
the Limits Of that district which apperain to the Postmaster
General remainder Of the United Satss and to give to
the branch thus created officers to these provisions into
operation In fact create colony in relation 70 the
Post Office Department in California Il strikes me that
Of such Importance, and introducing great change
in the Post Office Department. deserves consideration
than we give during the short period remaining OF
the present session certainly not prepared to vote for
such an amendment without ample explanation.
Mr. WALKER. am sorry to see that amendment offer
ed 1t sounds little like melancholy acknowledge
ment that have extended dominion little too far
is peculiar proposition. 1t may not be designed as an ac-
acknowledgement Of the kind mention, but certainly inn
presses itself upon my mind and excss in rathera
peculiar train Of thought Sir the Federal head OF this Gov
established by the constitution seemsor the st time
history about to be suDdered and to be distributed De
tween portions of the republic That amendment APP
pears me- points the first finger to the establishment Of an
eastern and empire. think the Senator from
Tennessee may well remark that it is singular proposition.
certainly think it is Of too great importance 70 be su
cieny considered in the short spsea Of is yet left
considering all the other urgent business which s still be-
fore u.s. For my part may be considered
thoroughly and deeply than we can possibly have time
to consider during the present session. and tus, the Sena
j tor will withdraw il.
/ Mr. RUSK am surprised that this proposition has ex-
cited any asonshment at this time, for was reported oy
the committee than six months in answer to me-
mortal the Senate by merchants OF the cities OIL
Boston and New York. One proposition Is to increase the
mails between this part Of the United States and oregon AT
present the mail passes between New York and Chagres
twice month"; and from Panama San Francisco only
month"; and great Inconvenience Is the necessary result
O this subject petitions have to the Senate from mer-
Of Boston and New York for an increase Of the mails
the Pacific side think it is due that the mail service
there should be increased obviate the
Of which complaints now 50 justly made
The other propositions 10 the bill based upon sugges
tions of the Postmaster General have struggled hard to
get the bill up for long time, but little matters, Of local
altogether have pressed forward to render
impossible for to get the bill before the Senate Inc
which allowed TO postmasters under the law
in other sections Of the United States will not secure the SER
vices Of capable Of dschagng the business at those d
tant parts the Union The existing state OF things there
peculiar labor commands great prices consequently tne
amount Of commissions given to postmaster IN any otnef
mart Of the United States will not be sufficient to procure the
services of postmaster there We have no mail route TO
California by land We ought to have one promptly Inc
examination accounts and the suPentendence OF the mai
service be well performed when the
have to travel by the way Of Panama on account OF the length
Of required The returns which are made Tor one quar-
ter do not reach the Department here until the next
has passed months voyage has to be made TO get the
audited here when might be as well done there
by an agent appointed for the purpose The Postmaster
General could send of his assistants out there for the Pur
pose of experimenting these mail affairs He sends his mail
every where and yet mail agents IN Missouri do not
point to separation Of this Union No, SIR The separa
ton or the danger of separation, will not come from the
extremes
| Mr. DODGE, of Iowa. Not at all.
Mr. RUSK. If from any quarter, that danger may be
looked for here Agitation here may throw of the extremes
but from the extremes danger need be anticipated This
amendment looks nothing Of that description It was sub
med upon the suggestion of the Postmaster General 1t
was sent in when the first petitions received from bos-
ton and New York the subject The bill was drawn up
by the Postmaster General after mature debeaon. and the
bill in relation the Auditor there was also drawn up by him.
after the whole subject had been examined fully and thorough
ly, and by him sent to me.
Mr. WALKER. The speech Of the honorable Senator
from Texas sounds very much like his proposition
Now sir if reduced the smallest possible space into
which could be reduced amounts nothing more or less
than acknowledgment that territory has been so tar ex
tended it be managed by the old machinery o the
Government. Well, suppose that cannot be done TOT
year two, owing peculiar circumstances, the tune
be hoped will come and that shortly when facilities o. co
muncation in regard to that country will be as great a
in the oldest settled parts OF the United oa
think, therefore, that it certainly will be better 20