The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-12-11

either country, ia established for all letters not
exceeding half an ounce in weight between the two
countries. Six cents ia the rate established for
each newspaper, to be prepaid This convention
also provides for the transmission of mails, not
only through Germany, but also through the Uni
ted States to countries beyond, and induced
the Department to discontinue the closed mail to
Bremen. II is estimated that the countries in
GLIDING the German Austrian Postal Union, which
are thus brought into postal communication with
the United States, embrace population OF seventy
millions
As necessary consequence of our convention
with Pfussia, the larger part OF the continental
correspondence, which formerly went by the way
of Bremen, is now sent via London, Ostend, and
AK la Chapelle-the latter being the more ex pedi-
tous route. The mails for Bremen, however, and
such as may be addressed via Bremen to other
German States and countries beyond, will continue
to be despatched monthly by the New York and
Bremen line.
A project of postal convention between the
United States and Belgium has been prepared and
submitted by this Department for approval to the
Belgian government, and it is confidently expected
that in the course of few months, ut farthest,
an arrangement which shall be mutually advan
tageous, will be duly sanctioned and put in ope-
ration
Our postal convention with Great Britain has
not yet been modified as to admit OF the exchange
of a closed mail with France via England; the Bri-
tsh government, with reference to each mail, still
insisting on transit postage of twenty four cents
ounce. .r '
mail facilities with this country, and has made
proposals for postal treaty with the United States.
to operate independently OF our treaty with Great
Britain. How far the negotiations on this subject
have progressed am not at present prepared to
state 1t is hoped, however, that they may be con-
Quoted to a favorable Issue at an early day. Con.
nected with this project, France proposes, in con
junction with the United States to establish union
line of mail steamships direct between New York
and Havre. P.
Under our postal treaty with Great Britain ad-
ditional articles have been agreed upon, and are
ready for signature, providing for regular mail
arrangement between the United States and the
West Indies generally, and points on the coast OF
Mexico and northern coast OF South America, at
which the British mail packets touch. TO the
British West Indies, the United States single rate
of letter postage, which must be prepaid on letters
cent from and collected on letters received in the
United States, will be ten cents where the distance
from the mailing Office is under two thousan i've
hundred miles, and twenty cents when the distance
exceeds two thousand five hundred miles. To the
West Indies--not British-Mexico, and South Anne
RIGA by this channel, the British postage OF twenty
paid, must be added to the ten twenty cents
United States rate. according to distance above
This arrangement, it ia expected, will go into ef-
feet without delay. ...
government, arrangements have been made by
which letters for the Sandwich Islands are de-
spatched in sealed packets by each mail steamer
from New York, and conveyed through TO Homo
lulu without being opened.
On all letters and newspapers for these islands,
however, as well to China, by this route, it is
required that the United States postage TO San
Francisco be prepaid.
The act of March 3, 1861, "to reduce and modify
the rates of postage in the United States, and for
other purposes" authorized the Postmaster Gene
raj to allow increased commissions 10 postmasters,
whose labors had been increased and their com
missions reduced by the operation OF that act.
The maximum allowance thus authorized was
twenty per cent. added to the amount of commits
sions received for the focal year ending June 80,
1851.
In the exercise of the authority thus granted,
the late Postmaster General issued an order on the
10Th of October, 1851, allowing increased commits.
sions to all postmasters entitled thereto. varying
from ten to twenty per cent, according to the
gross receipts of their offices. This order applied
to the settlement OF the accounts for the fiscal year
1882 and reserved the rate Of allowance to be made
counts of the three first quarters IF that year should
have been adjusted by the auditor"
When the result OF this adjustment was reported
to him. the late Postmaster General issued the fol-
lowing order, which ia now in force:
Increased Commissions to Postnnasters.
Posr OFFICE DEPARTMENT, August 7, 1852
The Postmaster General being satisfied that the
labors of postmasters have been 30 increased with
the increasing business Of the country, and by the
operations of the act "to reduce and modify the
OF postage in the United States and for other
purposes" approved March 3, 1851, that the
highest additional allowance of commissions au-
thOrzed by the sixth section of that act will not
afford them more thar reasonable compensation
for such increased labors, it is
Ordered, that with the restrictions and lmta-
tons hereinafter mentoned) the Auditor OF the
Treasury for the Post Office Department, in set
Ting the accounts OF postmasters for the fiscal year
ending 3Oth June, 1853, and for each succeeding
year until otherwise ordered shall, upon satisfac
tory proof being furnished him, by affidavit 9th
erwise, that the lnbors OF any postmaster have
been increased and his commissions reduced, as
postmaster the same amount of commissions al
lowed at bis Office for the fiscal year ending the
Both June, 1851 with twenty per cent thereon add
ed thereto. Provided, ho,oeuer, That the commits
sions to be allowed at any post office (other than
distributing office) shall not exceed the hostages
collected at such office during the period Tor
which such allowance is made: dnd provided fur
ther That there shall not be allowed at any office
where the compensation Of the postmaster is by
law limited to fixed annual salary compensa
ton, any greater Gum than shall be required to
pay such salary or compensation, and the actual
and necessary expenses of his office.
N. K. HALL, Postmaster General.
1t will be perceived that this order makes ii ne
cessary, in the settlement of each postmaster's
quarterly account, to compare the current bust
ness of his Office with that of the corresponding
quarter of the year 1851, and that his commission
account for each quarter must remain unsettled
until the end Of the year that the aggregate com
missions accruing may be compared with the COM
missions allowed for that year.
The effect u mis-, in delaying and embarrassing
the settlement OF accounts in the auditors Office,
and increasing the labor of such settlement, is
fully shown in the following letter from the audi
tor, who recommends repeal of the provision
requiring this mode Of settlement, and a return to
the old system of uniform rates of commission on
the amount OF postage collected. concur in his
recommendation, both as to the repeal of the cx-
listing law and the rates of commission to be al.
lowed:
AUDiToR's OFFICE, P. o. D., Nov. 10, 1852
STA: II is found in practice that the acts of Con
gress respecting the allowance Of additional com
missions to postmastcrs are extremely inconve-
nient and burdensome to this office. The sixth
section Of the act entitled Gan act to reduce and
modify the rates OF POSTAGE" &C approved March
3, 1851 provides "that to any postmaster whose
commissions may be reduced below the amount
allowed at his office for the year ending the 30th Of
June, 1851, and whose labors may be increased,
the Postmaster General shall be auth orized in his
discretion to oil ow such additional commissions as
he may deem just and proper; provided that the
whole amount Of commissions allowed such post
master during any fiscal year shall not exceed, by
more than 30 per centum, the amount Of commits.
sons at euch office for the year ending the 30tb
day OF June, 1851"
And he ninth section Of the act entitled can
act to establish certain post roads and for other
purposes" approved August 81, 1852, provides
THAT the Auditor OF the Treasury for the Post
Office Departin may, under such regulations
ND he sferC q, hal