The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-07-28

SIR-Our attention hss been called TO IN ed'to-
raj article Of the Union OF this DATE headed "The
California Mails" In this our names arc frequently
ment oned, and certain qus stiOna sre asked Of us
Direct or the purpose. aodoubt. Of ughteuing the
public with our answers on po nts connected With
our contract. Called upon, a. you witness. We
cheerfully aston to reply, In order that you may
spread the same before your reader without delay
You wish to know-"First, Whether the grant Of
certain trans privilege, through Mexico. fr,m
Vera Cruz 10 Acapulco, which a~ claimed by Ram
sey & Calmick have not been forfeited because Of
the nor performance of the conditions Of the
grant"
To this enquiry we answer that these transit
privileges ave not been forfeited-nor are
they subject to forfeiture that the condi
tons have oil been performed. And, furthermore,
we have received every encouragement. assistance
and kindness from the government Of Mex o, up
to the latest dates, in forwarding our enterprise. We
sso believe. from every assurance received from tho
Mexican government, that thoy are anxious for the
success Of our undertaking.
Question second is replied to In the above an
swer The information on which You predicate the
assertion, Eve understand there have been two OK.
tensions already" of the transit privileges, is in
correct. There was former contract OH the same
subje which was an,icsbly set aside. it did not
met u 9 wishes Of e'thtr party.
The third question il, "wnet er there IL any sp-
plcstior pending for waiver Of tae forfeiture OF
the grant BY the Mexican government We o.
swer that there tx NO OCCASION for any such appl-
cation, and none has ever been made or pending
We would herr remark that the Mexican gpvero-
ment (executiye) never fOreits grants Contracts
because forfeituIes are left TO the acti n OF the
courts of law; nor does the executive ann0l con-
tracts. The sacIedDess Of Contra Is IL too inv0lLte
in that country for the executive ever /, Interfere
Fourth, wbetf or there is now any grant
Of bansit privileges through Mexico, forming
line Of Communication TO and from the Pa
cihc, binding and obligatory ON sthe Next
can government except to tn cehuantepec Com
psny, WI cb Is recognized and made more valid
able by the Ga 'sden treat, ~ Our reply To this To-
qur, is that we have contract for trau.it mail
privileges across Mexico more valuable than any
contracts gran for the object at the 18th.
mus of rehuantepec, where only an ideal line OF
communication at present exists As there are two
Tel uant pee companies, we canoos define the value
Of the rights Of either. But bet these two the
Garay grant Is certainly she more favorable for mail
facilities the other and more ent grant requires
touching ut Vera Cruz aud Acapulco and calling
from there ports to the isthmus under the Mexican
flag. which would be productive Of much incoave
nience.
"Finh, whether the Acapulco route il, or Is likely
TO be put, In any condition for the use OF wheel Car
Iiages, and whether, with all the newspaper and
matter conveyed over that route weighing as much
az twenty pounds?" To THE the ans wer Is that the
whole route between Vera Cruz ana Acapulco Ia
three hundred and eighty miles, by exact mea
surement lately made under our direction and saper
vision Twelve miles Of this Ia RAILROAD In opera
ton From thence to .Orizsva and Puebla one
hundred and fortyninc miles there Is an OK elleat
turnpike national road which cost several millions
The same extent in the United States. From thence
to the Mescala river one hundred and two miles,
the road Ia In all res. ecfs as good, and from the
Mt scala river to Acapulco only fortyeght miles OF
tic distance require repairs suitable for wheel car
rapes, which can easily and rapidly be completed.
The Mexican mails are BOW carried daily between
Vera C.uz and Puebla, weighing from three t, SIX
HUNDRED pounds, and to Acapulco twice every week,
weighing from one to two hundred pounds. Tue
runDirg time taken for the whole distance Is exactly
five days. This ia the ole est mail route across the
American continent. dating from tho year 1866
For two centuries it the only 8. ,snish route
Il ON sea to for the trade In merchandise, &C.,
between Irdia and Spain As you desired iufor-
nation on the points apswered, We refer you 10
the "Guide Book Of Mexico b. his Excellency
General Atmonte; "Alaman's History OF Mexlco;"
'Humbolts New Spain" az t. mauy other autho.
rites.
Having thus in trust fully answered all your
questions, we harnb'y hope ii will do much to
the general sceptcism In relation to the Ramsey
route.
And now, Mr.. Editors, having replied In all can
dor and good faith 10 your enquiries, permit to
call your attention to a few que -tions which we
herewith put to you. As youepjoy high and &c .erv
Cd reputation for proposing, behalf Of the pubic,
interesting questions to all clssse Of citizens, from
candidates for the Presidcnsy down to mail con-
tractors we will call you before the tribunal,
and hore out of respect for it, you will enter plea
to the jurisdiction.
l. Was this editorial article =" The California
Malta by you, or at your suggestion?
Q. Was 1t not written by another party interested
With you ia the Union, or at his suggestion
8. Is not that party Arnold Harris?
A. Is he not also largely interested in the Tehuan-
tepec contract?
8. Was not the article written to advance the Ia
terests Of the Tehuantepec route for mail con-
tract, at this session Of Congrss?
6. Was it not written for the purpose Of speeula
ton in mail contract out cf which some one
| interested with you in the Union would mako
! money?
7. Do you think it right or proper for those inter
| ested In the organ Of the democratic party to
speculate in government mail contracts while the
paper is protesting TO advocate political princpl
| only
| 8. While thus specializing in mail contracts, do
! you consideE that the assertions and opinions Of
your paper on the subject ought to have much
weight with Congress and your democratic sub
| scrib+rs?
| Q. You ssy-"Short as the time il before them.
we hope Congress will yet move ia the matter, AID
give q weekly mail service between the Atlantic
cities and San Francisco" Was not this written to
advance the interests of Arnold Harris, by q mail
| contract via Tehuautepec? and does not his party
propose 70 cIy tne6e mails twice every mouth, for
| 100000, while the contract by our route Ia
| $424 900.
TO- La the fact that there is no road at present at
| the I-thmus Of TebuaDtepcc by which mail could
be CARED; and also that plank or railroad Is lest
required to carry mails with even moderate de.
spstch2
| IL. Would not a mail contract by the Tehuantepec
route al this time be bubble only for fancy spe u.
lation In Tehuantepec stock without any probability
of performing the service2
| IL. Are not the Postmaster General and Arnold
Harris both aivocating, at this time, the adoption
BY Congress Of the Tehuantepec route for mail pnr-
poses
There questions, wc hope, will be satisfactorily
ansx ered which "will do much to remove the gene.
raj sceptcism in relation" to the Tchuantepcc Com.
psny.
The editorial article In tho Union has lone US
much injustice in attributing TO the remarks in