New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1854-01-25
rs THERE NO HELP f?

This is said to be 1, &c Government of the peo-
pie Possibly it is 1t ought to be; for they
are its owners. But it oftentimes does them
very little credit and we confess ourselves often
at loss to understand how the people can
put up with the mere farce which some of those
entrusted with most important branches OF the
public service make Of their duties.
Why in the world have we in the nation 8 pay,
at salary Of some $4,000, a Postmaster Cen
eral OF what use is he None, practically ;
for our Mails could not we'll be worse managed,
if they were left entirely to the care Of Proyi-
dence. Why have we contracts and contract
ors for regularly carrying and safely delivering
the mails at an enormous expense' The con-
tracts are profitable only to one party and Of
almost no avail whatever to the other. The
public interests are made incidental and inferior
to private interests and are, whenever conflict
ing with the latter, totally neglected. Why
have we Postofices, when they are only used to
chronicle mail failures-and Postmasters who
deem they have performed the whole duty of
their position in announcing that they have
done nothing
These questions are pertinent to this time and
place. The failure Of the mails here has be-
come chronic and we almost fear incurable
For the last two months there has hardly been
a day in which the arrivals at our Postofice
have been what they ought to be. Either the
Eastern mail or the mails from up the river,
or those due from Texas and the interior have
not come to hand The Eastern mail fails the
most frequently, butthe river mails fail for the
-. ~, off oil
classes but the latter affects some more seriously
than its rival We could run parallel be-
tween the two for great distance. but should
feel equally unable at its close as its commence
ment to decide which was the more annoying
and injurious which entailed the greater
trouble, perpIexity and inconvenience. We are
in almost daily receipt of communications from
business men inquiring the cause of such state
of things, and condemning in no mild language
their continuance. We are unable to state
the cause and equally unable to suggest any
method by which the fault can be amended.
1t would seem as though the Postmaster here
was called upon by virtue of his Office to take
cognizanoe in the first instance 1t may be
there is no virtue in the office. If not, notice of
so great and continued Irregularities should be
taken by the Postmaster General But the
contentious Of the Hards and Softs distract the
Cabinet and the mail service is left to a kind
Providence and the chapter of accidents.
The mail from Memphis failed for twelve con-
secutiye days. With the exception of q few
copies received yesterday and the day before,
We have not seen Louisville or St. Louis
paper for ten days, and the same is true of
Chicago, Cincinnati and all the towns and
cities about the Upper Mississippi The New
York mail failed this morning and yesterday,
and, with an occasional exception, has failed
regularly for the past seven weeks Papers and
letters arrive here daily in advance of the mails
and are more likely to be received in proper
time if transmitted by other means than if sent
by the mail.
This is the state Of the mail service in this
section. Is it not both pleasant and praise
worthy Do not our officials deserve great
communication and the gratitude of the commu-
nifty and the thanks of the department? Is not
an Administration which exacts so great reeu-
larity and dispatch deserving Of strong sup
port