North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1852, 1851-12-06


to the Navy and Army. The estimates for the sup
port of the Navy the ensuing fiscal year, he puts
down at $5,s56472 l9-the estimates for the current
year being little more than this sum. The expendi
for the War Department for the year ending 3Oth
June last, were $9,O6O,l6s So; and he estimates a
reduction of about million of dollars for the
1858. Of the Post Office Department he says
"The report of the Postmaster General; herewith
communicated, presents an interesting view of the
progress, operations, and condition of his Depart
nent.
At the close of the las, fiscal year, the length of
mail routes within the United States was 1876 $50
miles the annual transportation thereon 53272,252
miles and the annual cost of such transportation
81, ,754.
The length of the foreign mail routes is estimated
at 349 miles and the annual transportation there
on at 81 5,2O6 miles. The annual cost of this ser
vice is 81, 472, 1877, of which $449,937 IS paid 6y
the Post Office Department, and $l,O23.S5O is PAID
through the Navy Department.
The annual transportation 10ikhin the United States
Excluding the service in California and Oregon,
which is now, for the first time, reported and en-
braced in the tabular statements of the Department.
exceeds that of the preceding year miles,
at an increased cost of $547,llO
The whole number of post Offices in the United
States, on the Both day Of June last, was 1926:
There were 1858 post offices established, and zoo
discontinued during the year.
The gross revenues of the Department for the IFS
cal year, including the appropriations for the anked
matter of Congress, of the Departments, and ohcers
of Government, and excluding the foreign hostages,
collected for and payable to, the British post ofhce,
amounted to $6,727 1866 10.
The expenditures for the same period Excluding
$2O,59S 40, paid under award of the Auditor, in
pursuance of resolution of the last Congress, for
mail service in the Ohio and Missppi rivers in 1882
and 1888 and the amount paid to the British post Of
flee for foreign hostages collected for and payable to
that ofice) amounted to 5000, 1856 10; leaving
balance of revenue the proper expenditures OF
the year of $7O3, 299 SO.
The receipts for hostages during the year (exclu
ding foreign hostages collected for and payable to the
British post ofice) amounted to $6,345,747 81, be-
ing increase of 1897 $40 70, .65 100 per cent
over the like receipts for the preceding year.
The reduction of postage, under the act of March
last, did take effect until the commencement OF
the present fiscal year. The accounts Tor the hist
quarter under the operation of the reduced rates. will
not be settled before January next; and no reliable
estimate of the receipts for the present year can yet
be made 1t is believed however, that they will fall
far short of those of the last year. The surplus of
the hand IS, however, so large that
i further appropriation from the treasury, In aid OF
the of the Department. is required for the
fiscal year; but additional appropriation
for the year ending June 30, 1853, will probably be
found necessary when the receipts of the first two
quarters of the fiscal year are fully ascerained.
In his late annual report the Postmaster General
recommended a reduction of postage to rates which
he deemed as low could be prudently adopted,
unless Congress prepared to appropriate from
the treasury, for the support of the Department.,
sum more than equivalent the mail services per-
formed by it for the Government.
The recommendations of the Postmaster General,
in respect to letter postage except on letters to and
from California and Oregon, were substantially adoP-
ted by the las Cong ress. He now recommends adj !
heence to the pesent letter rates, advises against
further reduction until justified by the Of the
Department.
He also recommends that the rates of postage on
printed matter be revised as to render them more
simple and more uniform In their operation upon all
classes of printed matter. l submit the Tecommen-
dations of the report to your favorable
The President recommends that the public statutes |
of the United States be revised, and printed together
He makes, in conclusion, the following remarks in
relation the compromise and the fugitiveslave
law:
"It is deeply to be regretted that in several insan
officers of the Government, in attempting to exc
the law for the of fugitives from labor,
have been openly resisted, and their efforts frustrated
and defeated by lav'less and violent mobs; and in |
such resistance resulted in the death of an
estnable citizen, and in others serious injury ensued
those officers and to individuals who were using
their endeayors to sustain the laws. Prosecutions
have been instituted against the alleged offenders,
Tar they could be identified, and still pending.
have regarded my duty, in these cases, to give
all aid legally in my power the enforcement of the
laws, and shall continue 10 do wherever and
wheneI er their execution may be resisted.
The act of Congress for the return of fugitives from
labor is required and demanded by the express
words Of the Constitution.
The Constitution declares, I" That person held
to service labor in State, under the laws there
Of escaping into another, shall, in consequence OF
any law regulation therein, be discharged from
such service or labor, but shall be delivered up
claim of the party to whom such service or labor may
be due" This constitutional provision is eqraly
obligatory upon the Legislative, the Executive, and
Judicial Departments of the Government, and upon
every citizen of the United States.
Congress, however, must, from necessity, first act
upon the subject, by prescribing the proceedings
cessary to ascertain that the person is fugitive, and
the to be used for his restoration the claim
ant. This was done by act passed during the first
Term of President w ashington, which amended \
by that enacted by the last Congress, and it
mains fol the Executive and Judicial Departments to
take that these laws be faithfully executed. This
injunction of the Constitution is peremptory and
as binding any Others it stands exactly the
same foundation that clause which provides for
the return of fugitves from justice, that which de-
cares that bill of attainder or post fac1o laws
shall be passed, that which provides for equali
ty OF taxation, according to the census the clause
declaring that all duties shall be uniform throughout
the United States, the important provision that the
trial of all crimes shall be by jury. These several
articles and clauses of the Constitution, all resting on
the authority, must stand fall together. Some
objections have been urged against the details othe
for the of fugves from abor but il is worthy of
remark that the main opposition is aimed against the
Constitution itself, and proceeds from persons and
classes of persons, many of whom declare their
wish to see the Constitution overturned. They avow
their hostility to any law which shall give full and
practical effect this requirement of the Constitution.
Fortunately, the number of these persons is compare
lively small, and is believed be daily dimins hing
but the issue which they present is which in
wolves the supremacy and even the existence of the
Constitution.