, 1856-10-31
Postal Meeting.

adopted at a meeting of the citizens Of
Thurston county, on the 18th day Of OctO-
ber, held at the rooms of the Washington
Hotel, Olympia, concerning the mail facili-
ties Of this Territory Our citizens have
appended their signatures, endorsing the
resolutions, en- maSse; and we have the as
surance of the worthy Postal Agent of the
two territories, who was present on the oc-
casion-RoBERT THOMPSON, Esq, that all
that could, arOuld be done by him, in his re,
port to the Post Office Department, to
faithfully, and at Onoe, represent our gricv-
ances to the home government, and earn.
estly ask for a speedy redress.
At public meeting Of the citizens Of
Olympia and vicinity, held at the rooms OF
the Washington Hotel, Oct. 10th, 1856,
held for the purpose Of taking into consd-
e, alton the present condition of our mail
facilities, and to make such representations
to the Postal Agent for the Territories of
Washington and Oregon, as will enable
him to make such report to the Post Office
Department as would show forth our wants
and present disorganized mail facilities in
their true light,-GEoRGE GALLAGHER was
called to the Chair, and E. FURsrE appoin-
ted Secretary.
On motion, Mr.. j. W. WILEY was called
upon to state the objects of the meeting
which he did, and in brief manner stated
the wants Of the territory at present, insti-
tuting comparison between the mail SER
vice existing in this territory (then Ore
gon, four years ago, and the meagre facil-
ties with which our territory is favored at
this time-plainly showing that we were
then better provided for with regular mail
transportation than at present. That then
the terminus Of our northern route was
Seattle; nOp it is Steilacoom. That then
we boosted of semi-monthly communication
with Vancouver's Island, as well as inter.
mediate points, by the regular express ca
noes of the Hudson's Bay Co., which have
since been drawn of, the officers and agents
of that company justly deeming that our
government should furnish the requisite fa-
cilties of speedy communication:-that HOIo
We possess none. Thus fully demonstrating
that through the culpable and criminal neg,
lect Of our home government, we are with
held and robbed Of the privileges aud i'm
munities to which as territory we are
rightly entitled.
A motion to this effect having been sec
onded and carried, committee Of three
was appointed by the meeting, consisting
of ]. W. WILEY, G.. X. WILLARD, and G.
C. BLANKINsHIP, to draft resolutions ex-
pressive Of the sense Of the meeting.
The committee having previously retired,
here returned and reported the following,
which were voted upon separately, and
unanimously adopted:- 3,
Resolved, As the sense of this meeting:-
LIST. That there is the most urgent ne
cessity for additional mail facilities for the
people of Washington Territory.
I'd. A mail steamer should run direct
from San Francisco to Puget Sound, run
ming semi-monthly; and in the event Of a
weekly line from the states to San Fran.
cisco, alternating with the steamers running
to the Columbia river. ..
on. 1uC nGANlCG Oll buG OOuuu ouOulu W
done by q mail steamer, making weekly
trips. a
4th. That both services can be done
economically, has been established by the
testimony Of the officers Of the navy, in fa-
vor Of the Sound coal, that at Belliugham
Bay having been thoroughly tested, and
pronounced Ct for similar services.
9Th. Resolved, That believing It to be
the duty Of the general government to fos-
ter its distant settlements, and especially to
have such arrangements as in time Of war
and difficulty will insure prompt and GER
tain communications. We desire to bring
to the consideration Of the Postal Agent,
the necessity Of urging upon the depart
ment the establishment Of the above routes
as promotive Of both objects, and entitled
to the favorable action Of the government
In the recent Indian troubles, the whole
public correspondence on the Sound has
been done by special expresses, and at q
heavy charge upon the public service. The
saving to be thus effected, by proper mail
service, in connection with the revenue 10
be derived from it, will, in the opinion Of
this meeting, keep 1t up, without increasing
the national expenditures.
9th. Till, however, the people Of the
Sound can be provided with mail service
direct from San Francisco, we are Of opin-
ion that the mail matter for the Sound, and
for the country thence to the Columbia,
should be placed in separate bags, and land
ed by the mail steamer at Rainier; and
that at least the letter mail from the states
should be despatched to the Sound by q
special carrier Under present arrange
ments, tue mail is liable to be detained at
Astoria three, and at Rainier six days, be-
fore being sent to the Sound, and making
it, as a general thing, impossible for the
Sound country to answer their letters till
the steamer, after going to San Francisco
twice, sets out the third time from the 70
lumbia to that port.
- fhn nftnlItl0u