The daily union., 1854-07-25

THE CALIFORNIA MAILS.

The Postmaster General, with proper regard to the
wants of commerce and public convenience recommended
in his annual report to the President the establishment of
weekly mail between the Atlantic scaboard and San Franz
CISCO This recommendation vorably received by the
country and especially by those Immediately inter-
esedhe commercial men of our great Atlantic cities and
the people of California The subject engaged the prompt
attention of Congress- and the recommendation Of the Post
General would doubtless have been adopted but
for the rival interests which have nervened in jealousy
one of the other, to defeat legislation
The greatest difficulty perhaps, in the way of an in
creased and expeditions mail service and from Call
torna has been the existing contracts The general dis
position in Congress has been and u.s. to annul these con-
tracts and to provide frequent cheaper and speed
service.
The route by which this service should be performed is
that which is shortest and specest and legislation
upon queson of such aad varied magnitude should
not be hampered with the idea Of cost The
of the country, extending to Japan and largely
the increase with China demands expeditions mail
vcea service within thirteen fourteen daysand such
service it is earnestly TO be hoped Congress will estab
lish.
While portion of Congress urgent for the uncond
onal annument of the existing contracts another portion
insists that the shall not be disturbed except
the which the law authorizing them, and thecon
tracts also providcthat is that all the ships OF the
tractors which regularly accepted mail ships shall
be taken their appraised value These conflicting opn-
IONS which interested outsiders have done much to form
in Congress- and the constant strife kept up by the rival
routes, have no far much to the public detrimen de-
teaed all legislaon and the same causes are exerted to
prevent useful practical result during the present
session ~ f.s "
We have heretofore refained from any expression Of
opinion in the premises because we have not wished nor
do we ws to minge in this strife which has prevailed
doubt not to the equal annoyance of Congress and
Postmaster General. We shonld not venture a word now
hcaped upon tie Postmaster aencra in the belief thai n
stands between them and specuiatng mail contrafts Tho
columns Of two New York Journals the Herald and the
Times have for months past been the favored condui
of this unjust and uncaled-for abuse of faithful public
servant The purpose of those latter through
its Washington correspondent onyis to impress Congress
and the country with sense Of the wrong done to Mcssrs
Ramsey and CnfininL
VI these Wrongs, Which have been harpcd upon to the
p"ace OF the POSTMASTER General and the deception OF
Congress and the people long enough intend TO
speakthe more unrescrvedy nasmuch as the aNew York
Herald OF Sunday comes to doeful and denunciaory
over them at the highest point Of grief and anger w
The predecessor of Judge Campbell made q conditional
contract win Messrs Ramsey and Carnck-sub,ec to the
ratification OF Congressfor the scmnonthly trapspora
non OF the mails between New Orleans and San Francisco
over what is known as the Ramsey route by Vera Cruz
and Acapulco at the annual compensation Of $424O00 per
annumhe service TO be performed in sxtecn days This
was mad, .l 1 81 81 day Of March ls53the day
preceding Mr. ubbards retiring from Office Some three
months after under date of the 10th OF June 1853 Mr.
Robert G. Rankin president Of the Ocean Mail and In
land Company notified the Postmaster General that the
company had succeeded TO the rights of Messrs Ramsey
and Carmick nnder the contract and were arranging
commence the service This communication required of
course, reply, and the reply sent the 9th of July
1853
That reply which elected nothing from the assgnees Of