Arkansas true Democrat., 1858-09-15
Postmaster General Brown on Post Office
 Affairs

| Postmaster General Brown has declined a l jubilee dinner rendered to him bv the citizens of Memphis, but writes an interesting letter on post office affairs in reference to the invitation am here in your beautiful and prosperous city, on a rapid visit to Arkansas, where my pr'vate affairs require my attention. Nothing could give me greater pleasure than to partake ot public dinuer, tendered to me bv per sona and political friends at Memphis, but the necessity ot my return to Washington at the earliest possible moment deprives me of the qualification of accepting your said invitation
 Any testimonial from my fellow citizehs in- dlcatlng their approval of the manner in which have discharged my public duties is always agreeable but this one from the people of Mem pns Is peculiarly gratifying to me.
 Toe apparent conflict of interest between your city and S5. Louis in establishing the great overland mail route to California. seemed to preclude the possibility of arranging that route in manner at once most beneficial to the coun- | try and satisfactory to the two cities whose in tereSts would De most materially affected there by But was happily enabled to accomplish these objects by m king both places ternni of the Fonte, thus conlerring equal benefits on them. and giving postal and traveliug faculties to all parts ot our extensive country. The cities and States lying on both sides of the Mississippi can scarcely be dissatisfied with the arrange ment lately made for opening a free commu-
 ncatlon with California, and of developing the resources, mineral and agricultural, of that vast ana Interesting country which lies between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The route from New Orleans by Tehuantepec, and from the same great city by San Antonio and overland to St. Diego, give to Louisiana and Texas all they can desire. The route from Memphis and St. Louis, meeting at Ft. Smith, confer on Ten nessee, Arkansas and southwestern Missouri. most important advantages. The route from Independence to Santa Fe, and thence to Cal iloina, and the one from Hannibal and Saint Joseph's through the South Pass to Salt Lake City and to Sacramento, furnish very great ia clllties to all parts of Missouri, and incidentally to the northwestern States which will be easily and promptly reached by branches from the great route.
 trust that Memphis will also be greatly be- nelIted by the system of express mails which has been recently organized. Under that sys- tem malls are sent from the great cities on the Atlantic to those on the Mississippi rlver in what, at one period, would have been consid- ered as incredible short spece of time. From boston Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washing ' .on' they are sent to Cincinnati, St. Louis and oucaSSo under the care of agents, who travel "''n 'heh nearly the entire route, giving their oGo'pl iof mem al starting and taking one on delivery, all of which receipts are forthwith forwarded to the department In this way wa are now enabled, whenever robbery is cor, mltted or failure takes place, to know exactly ln whose hands the same occurred. Bv the.a means depredations are often prevented. and the arrival of the mails secured with as much certainty as that of passengers. To these through agents l have distinctly announced that Il passengers are permitted to go ahead of the mails l will certainly remove them-for there IS no reason why one should 90 faster than another.
 The arrangements for mail service on the Mississippi river will, l hope, prove eminentlv satisfactory to the towns and settlements on it's borders By letting the routes in sections or subdivisions, daily mail is furnished by river, as heretofore, from Memphis to New Oreaus, and greater speed and certainty are secured in its transmission and delivery. In addition to this, the department has contracted for the transportation of the great Cairo and New Dr. leans mail by the railroad from Columbus, Ken lucky by the Grand Junction, Canton, etc., to New Orleans Natchez, Vlcksburg, Napoleon, | Helena, and the cities above Memphis, will find | their communication with the great emporium of the west greatly facilitated by the increased rapdity in the transmission of the mails on this route.
 You are pleased to refer in complimentary terms to my connection with the present ad { ministration ss one of the constitutional advi- sers of the President. Although my services as member of the cabinet have not been con- spicnous. your kind approval leads me to hope that they may have been to some extent useful and satisfactory to the country.
 hope that you will excuse the length oi this communication, which have extended be- yond my original intention, in the hasty review l have made of the various subjects connected with the administration of the post office de. partment, which thought might be interest l ing to you, q they concern the prosperity ol l your city. AARON V. BROWN.