The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-10-01
FOREIGN MAILS.

FOREIGN MAILS. .. -,
TN OBEDIENCE to the act of Congress, appro we'd
August 80. 1852, which is in the words following
to wit: Ia,
/" An act to provide for tri-montbly mail from
New Orleans to Vera Cruz via Tampico, and
bnck in steam vessels
"Ie IL enacted by the Senate and House Of Repre-
ssstavss Of the United States Of America in Congress
asstmbLd, That the Postmaster General be, and he
Ia hereby. authorized aud dir ected to enter into
contract for q term of five years, and for n sum
not exceeding one hundred thousand dollarsa year,
with such person or persons a. may offer sufficient
and satisfactory security after due public notice, for
the of the mails of the United States
upon the best terms for the United States. three
times month from New Orleans, via Tampico, to
Vera Cruz and back, in steam vessels OF not less
than eight hundred tons burden, Of the best form
of construction adapted to purposes and to the
navigation Of the Southern waters, the same TO be
ready in the shortest possible time"
PROPOSALS
Will be received ut the Contract Office of the Post
Office Department, in the city of Washington,
until three o'clock p. m of Monday, the 18th day
OF November next. Ito be decided by the 18th Of the
same monthly for conveying the mails Of the Uni
ted States, for five years from the first day OF
January, 1853, in the manner and time herein
specified:
From New Orleans, Louisiana. by Tampico,
(Mexico,) to Vera Cruz, about 900 miles, and
back, three times a month, in steamships. Time
allowed from port to port to be three days; the
schedule (subject to approval Of the Postmaster
GENERALLY TO be proposed by the bidder.
Proposals to omit Tampico by main line, and
supply, tri monthly, by eide vessel, in due con.
nexion will be considered, in the event OF it's being
shown to be impractcable to enter that port with
the steamships OF the line.
The proposals should set forth the size rate, and
description OF the vessel, (Which must be OF not
lees than eight hundred tons burden,) with sufti-
Client particularly to enable the decision to be
made IN the advice of the DroDer officers OF the
naval service, whether the same 10 or Is not con
vertible into ship Of war. And special notice 10
hereby given, that, agreeably TO the provisions OF
the act Of Congress of Sd March, lS45, those pro
posals (beng acceptable in other respecs) will be
preferred which shall stipulate to deliver the
steamship or ships, to be provided for carrying
said mails. 10 the United States, to their proper
officer, on demand made, for the purpose Of being
converted into a vessel vessels of war; the
United States being bound, ON their part, to pay
the fair foil value thereof at the time Of deli cry,
to be ascertained by four appraisers, appointed,
two by the President OF the United States, and two
by the owner or owners, with umpire, in
Of disagreement. to be appointed by the President
of the United States.
The laws on this subject are the 7th section of the
act Of March lS45 and the 20 section Of the act
lJune q, l94S, to which bidders are referred.
The bidder may embrace in his offer stipulation
to carry an agent of the Post Office Department
with the mais, or he may omit it, at bis discretion
Such stipulation may induce a preference to be
given in favor of bid equal in other respects over
bid not containing it.
BY the second section Of the act OF March 3, ls45
il is required that contracts for the conveyance Of
the mail FROM the United States to foreign porte
shall be made with American citizens, and the mail
transported in American vessels by American
citisens.
Articles of contract arc to be executed by the &C
cepted bidder and by his sureties, by or before the
first day of January, 1883. The contract is TO pro
vide among other things. that the pay of the trip
10 be forfeited when the trip is not performed,
and not more than three times the pay of the trip
when the trip 10 not run, and sufficient excuse
for the failure is furnished, and q due proportion
of when grade Of service is RI ndered inferior to
that specified in the contract; and tina. fines may
be imposed, unless the delinquency be satisfactory
" explained in due time: for failing to take from,
or to deliver into the post office at the port of land
ing the mail belonging thereto, or any part of said
MALL for suffering the mail. or any part oft, to be
wet injured, lost destroyed; for conveying it in
place or manner that exposes it to depreciation,
loss, or injury; for refusing, after demand made,
to convey a mail by any additional steamship or
vessel by the contractor on the route, over and
above the specified number OF trips in the contract
and for not arriving at the time set; also for trans
hitting intelligence, or furnishing the means Of
transmitting intelligence, in advance OF the mail
The Postmaster General may annul the contract
for repeated failures; for violating the post Office
lave; for disobeying the instructions OF the De-
partment; for refusing to discharge q carrier when
required by the Department; for assigning the con-
tract without the consent Of the Postmaster General
or Tor setting up or running an express as aIorc-
said. w.
The Postmaster General may alter the contract,
and alter the schedule, he allowing a pro rata in
crease of compensation, within the restrictions i'm
posed by law for any increased service required ;
but the contractor may, in such case, reinquish
the contract, timely notice. il he prefer it to the
change. The Postmaster General may also dis
continue or curtail the service, be allowing one
months extra pay on the amount dispensed with
The route, the service, the yearly pay, the bid
der's name and residence, and the name Of each
member of the firm where company offers. should
be distinctly stated in the proposals.
Form for Bid where no change from aduer-
tisenaent is contemplated by the bidder.
al (or we, as the case may beg there write the
name names in FULL of there state the residence
or residences hereby propose to carry the mail on
the route from New Orlea ms to Vera Cruz as often
as the Postmaster Generals advertisement for pro
posals the same, dated September 30, 1852, re
quires, in the time stated in the schedule contained
in such advertisement, and by the following mode
of conveyance, to wit: Here state how 1t Is to be
conveyed,l for the annual sum of there write out
the sum in words at full length.l
Dated [Signed1
The following is the form of the guaranty. which
should be filed. the first blank with the name Of
the guarantors; the second with the name of the
bidder; and the third and fourth with the begin
ming and terminating poin,s Of the route; and,
after being Dated should be signed by the guaran-
tor, who must be shown, by the written certificate
monial, to be men of property, and able to make
good their guaranty. This guaranty, 90 certified,
should accompany each bid:
"The undersigned IT guaranty that -,
if his bid for carrying the mail from - to
- be accepted by the Postmaster General,
shall enter into the contract required by the Post
master General, pursuant to such bid, prior to the
LIST day of January next, with at least two good
and sufficient sureies, to perform the service pro-
posed"
Dated lSignedl
Form Of Certificate.
"Thc undersigned, Postmaster of F., certifca
that he is we'll acquainted with the guarantors
above named, and their property, and that they
sufficient and able to make good their guar
anty"
Dated [Signed]
The bid should be sent under seal to the Second
Assistant Postmaster General, and the words mai
Proposals--Foreign Mails" written the face of
the letter. and should be dispa tched in time TO be
received by or before the 18th day of November
next which will be the last day for receiving pro-
posals under this advertisement.
The acceptance non-acceptance of the bids
will be determined by the 18th day Of November
next.
The service is to commence with the trip near