Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-08-24
POSTMASTER GENERAL BROWN ON POST
OFFICE AFFAIRS.


Postmaster General Brown has declined jubilee
dinner rendered him by the citizens of Memphis, but
writes an interesting letter post Office affairs in
ference to the invtalon
Gentlemen FL am here in your beautiful and pros
oerous city, on rapid vis TO Arkansas, where my
private affairs require my attention. Nothing could
.vs me greater pleasure than TO partake OF public
dinner rendered to me by my personal and political
friends at Memphis but the necessity OF my return TO
Washington at the earliest possible moment deprlves
,4 of the qualification Of accepting your kind invita-.
ton. m
Any Testimonial from my fellow citizens indicating
;h.ir approval of the manner IN which have dis
charged my public duties, is always agreeable, but
his one from the people of Memphis s peculiarly
gratifying to me.
The apparent conflict of interest between your oity
and ST. Louis in establishing the great Overland Mail
Route to California, seemed 10 preclude the posrbili
~ of arranging that route IN manner at once most
beneficial TO the country and satisfactory TO the two
cter whose interests would be most materially
Effected thereby. But was happily enabled 10 &C
,omplish ihese objects ny making both places ternnl
If the route thus comforting equal benefits on them,
and giving postal and travelling facilities to all parts
of our extensive country Tha cities and States lying
On both sides of the Mississippi can scarcely be disss
,-f.d with the arrangement lately made tor opening
free communication with California and OF develop
ing the resources mineral and agricultural, OF that
vast and interesting country which lies between the
| Orleans by Tehuantepeo and from the came great
rlty by ST. Antonio and overland to ST. Diego, give
| 10 Louisiana and Texas all they can desrs NE
routes from Memphis and ST. Louis, uniting 81 orr
| smith, confer on Tennessee, Arkansas and South
western Missouri, most important advantages The
route from Independence to Santa Fe, and thence t.
California and the one from Hannibal and St Joseph'r
through the South Pass 10 Salt Lake City and 10 Sa
cramento, furnish very great facilities to all parts OF
| Missouri and incidentally to the Northwestern States
| tvhi ha
| branches from the great route.
trust that Memphis will also be greatly benefited
by the system of express mails which has been re-
| Gently organised. Under that system the mails are
sent from the great cities the Atlantic to thoee or
the M,ssissippi river, in what at one period woud
have been considered an incredible short space oi
lime. From Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore and
Washington, they are sent TO Cincinnati, 81. Louis
gnd Chicago, under the care OF agents VINO tfave
with them nearly the entire route giving their recept
for them al starting and taking oDe on delivery a o
which receipts are forthwith forwarded TO the DE
partment In this way We are now enabled ~hen
sver Il robbery is committed or failure taxes place
TO know exactly in whose hands the came occurred
By these means depredations are often prevented
and the arrival of the mails secured with as much
certainty as that of passengers. 10 these Through
agents have distinctly announced that If passengers
ar. psrmitted TO 20 ahead OF the mails will certainly
| remove them-fOr tnere 10 no Ieooou why ono o"
20 faster than the other ,,,
The arrangements for mail service on the miss'e'
sppi River will, hope prove eminenty Satisfactory
IN the towns aud settlements on its borders by let
ting the routes in sections or subdivisions, daily
mail is furnished by river, heretofore, from Mem
phis to New Orleans and greater speed ana certain
~ are secured in ,s transmission and delivery In
addition to this, the Department has contracted for
the transportation of the great Cairo and New Or
leans mail by the Rail Road from Columbus. ksn 4
tucky, by the Grand Junction, Canton, &c, to New
Oflesns Nstchez, Vicksburg, Napoleon, Helena ana
the cities above Memphis, will find their communlca
ton With the great emporium Of the West greatly
facilitated by the increased rapidity in the transm'S
zion of the mails on this route.
You are pleased to refer. in complimentary serms.
TO my connection with the present Adminisralon or
one Of the constitutional advisers OF the tles9eh..
Although nv services q member OF the Caoine.
have not been conspicuous your kind approvsl lead.
me to hope lha, they may bsve oeen 10 tone eh'e"'
nssfnl and satisfactory TO the country,
Honin1 that you will excuse the length of this
oonmunicstiou, which have extended beyond my
or;aias intention, in the basty review have made
Of hs various subjects connected with the admins
ration of the Post Office Department, which
thought might be interesting to you, as they concern
The prosperity Of your City,
remain, very respectfully, yours.
AARON V. BRowE.