The New York herald., 1851-12-03

iii bser packages or parcels containing letters that
on board such ship e The time Of ts svs
thess lines Of steamers, the comparatively ma amount
Of postage which will hereafter nom them and
the ease with which the laws svsded prompt
and decisive action is uIg gently recommended.
vision should be made to punish = slons ali psr:ons
who shall steal obtain BY false pretences or know
suited to any lock Which has BEEN or shs BE- adopted
BY the Post Once Department for use ana which shall
then be use on any OF the malls OF the United States
wko sha have In their possession any such mall key
with the intent unla wfy or improperly to USE SELL or
otherwise dpoee OF the same or Who being employed
in the manufacture Of mail looks or keys for the use Of
the Department, whether contractors otherwise
shall deliver any finished unfinished mail key mail
lock or the interior pars thereof to any person not
General and the seal Of the Department to receive the
same unless such person be engaged in the manufacture
thereof the manner authorized BY the contract for
Most assuredly these locks and keys should be pro.
trsssurv ~ ppt or anv other sub. securte rbs stss
ing Of mail locks should be punished felony for
sons that will readily occur.
Great numbers Of mail bags sent out from this
city and the larger oces are never returned and are
Improperly .Ppropriated They are plainy marked T.
their purpose and ownership; yet is believed that
great numbers Of them have been improperly taken and
s, Os BY ns soss r % ny
uniform clothing of enlisted soldier, and ST.
mar penalty should certainly be imposed upon those
mail locks, or other property Of this department
The provision Of law which authorizes postmasters
to sell called for for the postage thereon
should be extended all of printed matter and
should be made the duty Of all to sell all
der such regulations as the department may prescribe
Plank roads sferdng the means OF more rapid and
IN On
country 1t frequently occurs that no mail service
be placed thereon because they not the line Of
any established post route 1t s therefore suggested
thst law be passed authorizing tracts for carrying
the mail on all plank roads and declaring that plank
roads which department shall provide carry
ing the mail shall while the mail Is carried thereon
be deemed public post routes. similar provision In
lation to canals wss adopted in 1885.
The increasing abuses of the anking privilege render
desirable some further legislation In respect thereto
The sSkg Of wnsa % are
not entitled the fanking privilege the frankng
Official letters which not such the Of the
frank inpumerable circulars for the benefit Of
others than the parties who frank them and the frank
Ing of letters Of other persons presented - some Of
the existing abuses AL these should In my judgment,
be prohibited by severe penalties and conviction
such offence should deprive the offender of his frank
ing privilege L s also proper that the attention Of
Of ve hundred dollars imposed BY the existing law s
found to be to prevent the countereiting Of
franks either with without the assent Of the person
whose frank s counterfeited
Authority should be given to the department to in
the compensation of its special agents in Cali
pondng with the high prices Of those sections
These agents acting at points remote from the central
organization Of the department must necessarily be in
vested with large discretion and implicitly relied upon
for the information which the action Of the depart
ment in respect to hoee portions of the country must
be based. The highest salaries authorized to be
paid entirely Inadequate and the services
of competent assurances have been given that
thory to pay higher compensation for past as well as
future services would be asked for The early passage
OF an act authorizing the Postmaster General to allow
thtm just compensation for their past vices and
adequate salaries for the future lie earnestly and urgent
ly recommended.
The Postmaster General should also be empowered to
authorize the special agents in California and Oregon
respectively TO receive OPEN and decide upon proposals
for mail service and in presence and with the aid
Of such Postmaster a. the Department shall desgnate to
open the dead letters accumulated from time to time
within their districts to destroy those found to be OF no
value and to return to the department. those containing
vdusbss under such regulations and instructions as
may De deemed proper
ment for the better accommodation Of It's several bu
the Auditors Office, and the City Post once,
recommended In my last annual report The reasons
then urged for such extension are constantly acquiring
additional force The of the Post once building
for the odsion Of the business OF this depart
and Of the auditors office Indeed 1t Is now and
during the ast has been found to occupy
Of the auditors osce exposed to loss by Gre and
other Large quantities too Of important papers
from necessity packed In the halls in the basement
cellar Of the main building where they exposed to
midew and gradual destruction They should not so
exposed for the los % the papers Of the aspss@snt and
and would be rrepsrable respectfully ask that 1t be
earnestly and urgently RECOMMENDED to Congress TO
auu eneceuhi tor tue ektehsion
Of the west wing Of the present Post ONCE bulldog
Tor the erection OF It's north ont s originally contem.
plated
The accommodations for the Post Ofioe of this city
are entirely unsuitable and insufficient situated ct the
seat Of the national government and appropriated
chiefly to the correspondence Of its various departments
II continually visited BY the Of foreign
and strangers from every part Of the world
Its present condition not only unsafe but decidedly
dseredtsbe 10 this department and the country. Some
Improvements made during the last fiscal year have
afforded partial and temporary relief from the evils be-
experienced
mens OF q creditsbe and permanent character ehould
soon be made.
In my last annual report also recommended that the
laws for the government Of the department and its
ofsers, which numerous and complicated have been
enacted at different periods and contain many obsolete
and conflicting provisions should be revised An entire
revision OF these laws and the passage ef single
pertaining all the provisions OF Law relating to this de-
rsr,ment and it's officers, would give greater efficiency
to its operations. Such revision Is again respectfully
Recommended.
again renew the accommodation that the Assistant
postmsstsrs be footing In