Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1856-01-17

such contrac. on behalf Of the Illinois Central Rail
road: but though the latter used every ezertion to
comply with their engagement, they failed to do so
from the high price demanded of them by the own
ers of the boats the lire and the route was aceor-
dinghy advertised for reletting.
The new distribution schemes have been COM
plcted, and each distributing Office has now alpha
betica lists of all the counties in all the States ex
cept California. In accordance with the late act OF
Congress, suitable measures have been adopted to
put in operation the system of registering val
liable letters, but has not been sufficiently long
in operation to be able form just estimate of the
success of the plan. The Postmaster General has,
however, found abundant proofs of its usefulness,
and of the necessity ofbrin"ing it to perfection.
The expenditures of the Department for the last
fiscal year amount to 9,969 3I2, and the gross
derived from hostages finland and foreign) are
S6,6i2, SO b. which, adding the annual appropria-
tons made in compensation of mail service to the
government by the acts of Sd March 1919, and Sd
March 1851 amount to !S7,@@i2, l36 l3. Deducting
the balance against the United States, due 10 for
cign powers, for postal accounts, from the above,
the actual gross revenue of the Department for the
year ending 30th June 1855, will be S7.}35, III
The gross revenue for 1854, after deducng foreign
balances, amounted to S6el6,65I 81. making diff
ference in favor of 1855 of sol ,5l9 10. The ex-
cess of expenditure for 1855 over that of 1854 is
2,626, 206 l6. This excess is attributed partly to
the increase in compensation to postmasters and
clerks of Office, and partly to the increase of expen-
tl
sion of railroad service. The condition of the de-
partmcnt goes to show that the rates fixed by the
act of ID March, 1851, will not enable the Depart
ment to sustain tselfby its own resources.
Another cause of this excess of expenditures is
attributed to the letters and documents carrd free
of charge for members of Congress and others, and
to the immense amount ofprinted matter conveyed
at low rates. The Postmaster General thinks that
the reduction offfty per cent for advance payment
on newspapers is wholly without justification. He
also recommends that prepayment by stamps be
made compulsory all kinds of matter. The ex-
penditures of the Department for lo56 is cstimae ed
at Sl0.l99. 02l, and the means available for the
same year 5000. e73, leaving a deficiency of 81 ),
S,l5l to be provided for.
hcicrcilce Il again MADE 10 the TACT that tiie
Collins line of steamers receives from government
S5S, GOO for entysix trips, while the British gov
ernmcnt paid the Canard line $500, 100 for fifty
two trips. which, in the opinion of the Postmaster
General is amply sufficient. Measures have been
recently taken to lay before the Mexican govern
mcnt proposals on the subject of postal convcn-
ton. The report aludcs at some length to the
last report of the Postmaster General ofGrcat Brit
ain, and concludes by doprcciating the denuncaton
of the Department for mistakes, carelessness or
neglect instead of advising it of the wrong commit
ted and leaving it to apply the remedy.