Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-04-10
WARRINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.

Il WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP
/ An Important Move.-See in our report of
to-day's House proceedings the resolution of
Mr. Dean, sent to the Committee on Foreign
Affairs
4 Mr. ChurchweN's Bul.-The discussion of
this measure which has already taken place
in the House, satisfies US of the disposition of
most of the members to create the additional
postal accommodations between the Atlantic
I and Pacific States, now absolutely necessary W e
ened hardly suggest to men of business expert
ence, that once fortnight is by no means safi-
cient for postal intercourse with California in
her present industrial condition aud for the
absolute monetary necessities of the Atlantic
States, growing out of the fact of her mining
I operations. The embarrasments resulting
from want of proper mail facilities cost the
government itself untold sums, besides defeat
Ing the revenue from hostages which would
accrue If the mails kept pace, part passu, with
the facilities offered by the express men and
other private parties. 1t will be recollected
that all the efforts to permanently establish
the private transportation CT letters between
points wherein the governments mails 90 ne
cessarily as speedily as those of their rivals
can travel, have signally failed The United
states have but to send their mails as speedily
as the express men send theirs, to put down
this species of competition, which, SO far, has
entirely defeated reasonable revenue from
hostages between our Atlantic and Pacific
coasts.
There are features in the bill of Mr. Church
we'll which are Objectionable to many prudent
members; inasmuch as they are conceived TO
mean an indirect government Interference, in
order to build up passenger enterprise across
Mexico-the Ramsey and Carmack specu-
lation, of which little has been heard since
they made single extraordinary trip by the
employment of Mexican express riders with
frequent relays of horses, to rush (by way of
experiment. over the overland portion of the
route, carrying mail pouch containing q
score of letters and two or three newspapers
MIR. Churchwell doubtless designs only to Sc
| cure the quickest possible transmission of all
| the mails of the government and at the same
| time to afford the means as far as possible for
equally speedy transmission of the treasure
from West to East-a point which is of as much
| Importance to the country at large, if not of
greater importance, than that Of the speedy
| transmits sion of the letters.
If we remember correctly the schedule of
running mail time between New York and
San Francisco is now thirty Ave days; whereas,
| independent enterprise for the last six months
at least, has been making the trips always in
from twenty-three 10 twenty-five days, and in
twenty and twenty -one days between San
| francisco and New Orleans There is nothing
| left to chance in all this It is now the regu
| lar time required for the trips with five hun
dred or more passengers, their baggage and
| millions of gold, as well as letters The con-
sequence is that Uncle Sans conveyance be-
ing VIGOROUSLY the slow coach, no sensible man
permits his money or letters to go by it,
| if he can help it. 1t is proposed that the
House will postpone the further consideration
| Of Mr.. ChurchwelI's bill to day certain, so
| that all the questions of interest connected
| with it may be spread before them, to the end
of the enactment of some measure which win
| relieve the country from the business embar-
easements growing out of a single semi monthly
mail to and from California, and fhat by
| necessary schedule, occupying from five to ten
days longer than Independent enterprise re-
quires n making the trip.
The Fremont Battalion Claims.-It will be
recolected that in 1852, Congress made pro-
vision for the appointment of board of officers
| u. S. Army to sift the California claims
known as those connected with Fremont's ex-
petition with Mounted Volunteers. On the
3lst of March last, this board-breyet Col. c..
Z. Smith, I'd artillery, 1t. Col c. W. Thomas
and Maj. K. B. Lee-reported to the Secretary
of War. From copy CT their report we pre-
sent extracts, to show at a glance the result Of
their Iabors as follows, viz:
'Claims against the United Sta tes amount.
| ing to So63,o0 234, have been presented for
| the examination of the board OF this amount.
| $i29,SS3 654 have been allowed; $l52 933 50
| disalowed or rejected; $237,9I1 rs suspended
for want OF testimony Or explanation; STA
go 50, ruled out as not coming within the let
| ter of the law for examination, although part
| of this sum (Sl47 ,S96 40) the total of clain
Nos liJ anu ZZJ, Is emlnently worthy OF the
consideration OF Congress; $685. 80 ought to
be paid at the treasury without the further
action Of Congress; $40, 500 have been settled
| by act of Congress; and STAT 800 have been
| withdrawn, and the claims submitted as ex-
planatory Of the claims.
| 1t will be perceived that more than one-third
in amount of the claims presented, Excluding
the amount Of claims withdrawn) has been
suspended for want of testimony or explana-
| ton. 1t is deemed by the board of great I'M
| portance 20 the Interests of the United States
as well as an act of justice to the claimants
that these claims should have an early investi-
CATION by the bogrd. That investigation can
best take place in California.
| x 4
| The following scale of prices, adopted By
the board on the Sd of January, 1854, after
due examination and delibera,ion, appears to
the board not only equitable and just but lib
| eral, compared with the actual transact tons
which occurred willie the battalion was in SER
| vice, viz
| Resotuea, That in the opinion of the board
the prices hereinaf- er set forth for animals and
property are equitable, and will govern the
board in its recommendations to Congress, in
all the claims before it where a different valu-
alton is not satisfactorily established, viz -
First quality horses, $50 90; second quality,
20 w; third quail y, 10 90; horses where the
quality is not men toned, % 90; mares, 10 90:
mules % 90; frs. quality cattle, 10 90; second
| uualjfy 40. third orality On. o,ttIo IN bor IN