Daily American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1852, 1852-02-19
TCircular.1


| WASHINGTON CITY, Dec. 10, 1851.
SIR: BY the enclosed proceedings Of meet
ing held in this city on the. Sd instant, it was
made the duty Of the undersigned as a commit
tee to correspond with the several railroad COM
panes in the United States and to report to an
adjourned meeting, to be held in this city on the
first Tuesday in March next, to consider prop
osition to petition Congress for change in the
law regulating mail contracts, as to enable the
Post Office Department to deliver to railroad CON-
panies United States FIVE per cent. coupon bonds,
upon permanent contracts for carrying the mail,
to amount the interest upon which, at five per
| cent, would be equal to the payments to be made
under existing laws; and they therefore respect
| fully call the attention of your company to the
subject, and invite your cooperation. They
| greatly prefer that you should send delegates to
the djourned meeting; for the opinions expressed
| by convention of practical men, representing
so much wealth. enterprise, and intelligence, will
command, as they viii deserve, the confidence and
respect of Congress, and thus promote the adop-
tion of such details as may be agreed upon in
convention but if it should not be convenient to
send delegates, we would ask your company to
submit through US, your wishes and opinions
upon the main proposition, and upon the details
connected Herewith.
1t is well known that many persons are opposed
to internal improvements by the general govern
ment-some denying the power of Congress to
make appropriations for that object; others fear
| ing that the exercise of such power would lead
to combinations resulting in partial and unjust
legislation. 1t viii be seen that the proposition
| under consideration is free from these objections
| 1t asks no appropriation of money in aid Of the
construction of railroads The contracts will be
restricted to the service which the several rail
road companies are in condition to execute when
| the payments are made.
| 1t is true that the proposed modification Of the
laws regulating mail contracts will give similar
payments pro rata, as new roads are made and as
| old ones are extended, and will so far increase
the credit and resources Of railroad companies.
The same effect, although to less extent, re
suits from existing laws, and surely il cannot be
urged as q valid objection to the proposed change
that it will aid in the extension of the railroad
| system We claim as a merit, that the proposed
modification will aid in extending the system by
giving greater value to railroad investments.
Under existing laws contracts are made for four
years, and the payments continued, If not in
creased ad infntum. Under the proposed modi-
fcation the contracts will be made, giving the
United States the perpetual use of railroads; and
the rate of compensation is so reduced that, at
the end of thirty-three years, the payments will
cease, and the department will forever thereafter
have the use of such railroad free of all charge.
1t is objected that old routes may be super
seded by new ones, and the present service so
diminished as to render it inexpedient to make
permanent contracts at the rates proposed 1t
has also been objected that railroads now in use
may be discontinued, and that such railroad COM
panies cannot protect the department from loss
We answer these objections BY assuming that the
contracts will be made by board appointed for
that purpose, and that no contracts will be given
unless that board be fully satisfied that mail SER
| vice adequate to the payments will be amply Sc
cured to the United States.
| We desire to obtain the views of your company
| upon these and all other matters Of detail, and
respectfully ask of you to furnish such statis-
| tics as will enable us to submit to the convention
| and to Congress q statement showing the COM
parative increase or diminuton, as the case may
| be, Of the mail service performed by your COM
| pany-the past, and probable future increase Of
| the weight of mails carried over the route of
| your road. And in this connexion we wish to
| learn what, in your opinion, will be the probable
| increased weight of the mails, if newspapers and
periodicals are sent free of postage
We wish you also to state what is the present
| current price of your shares what rate of divi-
dend does your company now pay, and what divi
dend could you pay under contract such as we
propose.
The committee venture to invite the co-opera-
ton of the railroad convention to be held in New
Orleans on the first Monday Of January, and that
| the newspapers in the South and West will urge
upon all those who are interested in railroads or
| in the extension Of the system favorable con-
sderation Of the measure proposed and the ne
cessity Of prompt and efficient co! cooperation. In
behalf Of the committee,
DUFF GREEN, Chairman.
Procssdiags Of Meeting held in Washington osy IN n,
| Sd December, 1851.
AT meeting of gentlemen, assembled, AT the request Of
Gen. Duff Green consider project for modifying the ex
isting regulating the letting Of mails to railroad
| porations- .
| Smith, of Maine, secretary.
The meeting addressed by Gen. Green in explanation
Of his proposition; after which, desultory conversation
held by all the gentlemen present. and the following
| resolution adopted:
"Reotped That committee of Eve be appointed, with
authority with the several railroad companies
In the United States upon the subject of an application to
Congress for change In the mode of compensation for
transporting the mails railroads. and to digest pan to
be submitted to meeting to be hereafter convened by the
said com mittee.
Cen Duff Green, Mr. Blunt of Florida, Albert Smith Of
Mane Robert H. Gaaher and Col Fonaiue, Of Virginia,
were chosen said committee.
Voted, that the meeting be adjourned.
ALBERT SMITH, Secretary