New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-12-03
n,u vopK DAILY TRIBUNE WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1851

-,,,sd n h-eah buik make entry N any pof' y.
- I.;,cS sraf.S that he has, 10 me lest d M
s-e &c and belief delivered or caused 10 DC le
i,y.red 70 The post Office al or nearest TO suen ply,
al hays packages parcels containing lellets 'n
were on board such snlp atthe tme OF rs In
except such letters as are exempted y "a
view Of the present low rates OF poslfg', me
expense OF mainianIng these ''nes o' ''ea'ne' ~
comparatively small amount OF postage "Hich ~
haTeaNer arcrle from them. 1ni the case VII
Which the r,esert LAYS are evaHeo, prompt Az oe
clsive action is urgently recommended.
The security Of our mails requires tDi' idrthsr
,ovison shou De made To punish a feions al per-
ems VINO shsl steal or obtain by fase pfeieLses or
knowingly ana uAliWltilV n axe, lOi5e or counter
Et any key suite 10 any lock when rs Ds.A VI
shah be adopted b. ne postOhce DePa'.lns = -
use ard Which snail then Be IN use on any OF me
mails OF the United states or "h) saau hi'e II
their possession any such mail key win me intent
unlawiuy or Improperly 70 Use, SELL OF OF iet"1oS
DISPOSE Of the same who, beng ep,Oy ca AZ nc
manufacture Of mail locks keys'or the use OF tne
Department, whether as contractors or o'Iei"Isc,
slall cehyer any finished or unfinished man Asy VI
mail lock, or the nor paris IneIeot " 5 ,as
moi duly authorized under the hand OF the rosthas
ter General and the seal OF the Department W re-
ceiye the same unless slch person be eng tgel ~
The manufacture thereof in the manner authoFized
by The contract for such manufacture
Most assuTedly these locks and Keys slon!d Oe
protected by provisions as stringent ana rs hlShy
penal as Treasury notes or any other pubic secuI
tv The stealing OF mail locks should De puhisne~
As felony for reasons that will readily occur
Great numbers OF canvass mail bags SEM ont ifon
this city and the larger Offices are never re'urnel,
and are improperly appropriated ihey al. pIeluy
marked " L. g. Mail" so that no one can De MIS-
taken IN regard to their purpose and ownership YET
il is believed that great numbers of them nave been
Improperly taken and kept for private use. by Ine
,mpOsed for purchasing tue arms or uniform ciothlDg
OF an enlisted soldier and a similar penalty Slouta
certainly be imposed upon those who uDlt"id,y ap-
,ropriate the mail BAGS pouches, mali locks or
other property of this Department
The provision OF law which now authoYizes fost-
masters 10 sell newspapers not called ioT Tor the
postage thereon should be extended TO all classes OF
printed matter and ii should be male the duty OF
al Posimasters 10 sell all such dead printed matter,
and account for the same under such regulations as
the Departure mt may prescribe. .
Plank roads, afior1Dg the means OF more rapih
and easy communication between .mpoIsAh. p'hts
ca existing mail routes, are common IN different
portions OF the country 10 frequently occurs mat
no mail service can be placed thereon because they
are not on the line Of any established post route
II is therefore suggested that a Law be passed an:
thoIizipg contracts for carrying the mail on all
plank roads, and declaring that plank roads on
which the Department shall provide for carrying the
mail shall, while the mail is 50 carried thereon be
deemed public post routes. slmi ds provision IN
relation 10 canals was adopted IN 1896.
&c increasing abuses OF the ranking privilege
render dc srable some further legislation IN fespsct
thereto The ranking as public documents oi may,
tiers which not sucn the distributing OF IialAeu
envelopes to persons not entitled 10 the franklng
privilege the ranking as official letters "hch
are moi such the use OF the frank to cover lnnu-
merabe circulars for the benefit OF others Than the
parties who frank them, and the ranking OF letters
OF other persons are presented as some OF the ex-
listing abuses. All these should IN my Ju1gneht, pe
prohibited by severe penalties, and conVlctoa ior
such ofense should deprive the offender Oh MS
fanking privilege. II is also proper that the alien
ton of Congress should be directed 10 the fact that
the penalty of $500 imposed by the existing ia" Is
found TO be insufficient 10 prevent the counterelung
Of franks either with or without the assent Oh the
person whose frank is cOunterfeited.
Authority should DC given to the Department 10
increase the compensation of its special agents IN
California ard Oregon 10 an amount more nearly
corresponding with the general high prices Of nose
sections.
The Postmaster General should also be en-
powered 10 authorize the special agents IN Cantor,
MIA and Oregon, respectively, 10 receive, open, ah9
decide upon proposals for mail service, and III tle
presence and with the aid OF sach Postmaster as the
Department shall designate TO open The dead Testers
accumulated from time TO time within their dstrles,
10 destroy those found - be OF no value, and to re-
turn TO the Department those containing Vaiuabes,
under such regulations and instructions as may be
deemed proper.
paItment, for the better accommo iation of aus
several bureaus, the Auditors Oiilce, and the Clty
Post Office, wasTecommended IN my last annual re-
port. The reasons then urged ioT Sucn extension
are constantly acquiring additional force The
rooms OF the Post Office building. no nnreasonaoly
crowded. Will soon be entirely insufficient i0r the
accommodation OF the business OF this Department
and of the Auditors office. Indeed II is now, and
during the last year has been, found necessary to
occupy several rooms over the cry PostoEce,
where the papers OF the Auditors Office exposed
10 loss by f.e and other causes Large quantities.
too, OF important papers, are from necessity packed
IN tie halls and IN the basement or cellar OF the main
building, where they are exposed 10 mildew and
gradual destruction. They should not be so ex-
posed for the loss OF the papers of the Department
and especially OF the Au1i'oT, would be public
calamity, and would be iucparable. respectfully
0sk that il be earnestly and urgently recommended
to Congress to take immediate and efectual meas
urcs for the extension of the west wing OF the pres
cnt Post ONCE building, or for The erection OF It's
north mont. as on9lnally contemplated
The accommodations for the Post Office Of tins city
are entirely unsuitable and insufficient. some I'M
proyements made during the last fiscal year have at
foIded partial and temporary rehci from the evils be
iOle experienced for want OF room but other ar
engagements OF a creditabe and permanent character
should soon be made.
In my last annual report also recommended that
the laws for the government OF tAe Department and
It's officers, which are numerous and complicated,
have been enacted at different periods, and contain
many obsolete and conflicting provisions, should be
revised An entire revision OF these Ia rs, AMI the
passage OF single act containing all the PROVISIONS
Of law relating TO this Department and Its officers,
would give greater efficiency 10 It's operations. Such
areyison is again respectfully recommended
again rel eW The recommendation thIt the Assist
ant Posimasters General be placed upon the sane
footing IN respect to salary a. tae Heads Of Bureaus
in other Departments
The increased business of this Department, cOnse-
qutnt upon the rapid growth OF the country and the
extension Of lis correspondence, made II necessary
IN 1916 10 assign TO the Chief Clerk OF the Depart
ment the duties appropriate 10 The head OF bureau.
These dutles have since been greatly increased, AMI
II IS submitted that he should have the Official dcsig
nation and salary corresponding With his duties. To
besiow them now would De 10 render bat Justice 10
an able and faithful officer Who has served the De
paItMoai long and well
The foreign desk OF the Department has become
ore Of great importance requiring more than oTdi-
nary capacity and LABOR for the discharge OF its dI
ties. II is respectfully suggested that authority
should re given 10 increase the compens alton OF the
officer performing them TO that OF principal clerx,
10y adding $200 20 his present salary.
The annexed re ports from my frs. and third as.
sisants, VIII present useful and interesting details
OF the business OF their respective bureaus as well
as SHOW The necessity for small increase OF the
CLERICAL fOrce OF the Department Believing that
sue meIeases required iorihe dispatch OF the basi-
ness OF the Department with promp,ness and sccu-
lacy, recommend The increase which these reports
suggest.
In conclusion. | desire again 10 acknowledge nv
Il