The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1858-12-15
aud officers Of the government in the

dblbuidult W tuc lutItHsOu CA-
pense of transporting the mails In 1852
the sum paid for this service was but
fraction above four millions and quarter.
Since that year it has annually increased
until in 1858 it has reached more than
eight millions and quarter and for the
service Of 1859 it is estimated that it will
amount to more than ten millions of dol
lars.
The receipts of the Post Office Depart
ment can be made to approach or to equal
its expenditure only by means Of the leg
islation Of Congress- In applying any
remedy, care should be taken that the
people shall not be deprived of the advan-
tages which they are fairly entitled to
enjoy from the Post Office Department
The principal remedies recommended to
the consideration of Congress by tho Post
master General, are to restore the for
mer rate of postage upon single letters to
five cents; to substitute for the franking
privilege the delivery to those now EMIT
led to enjoy it, of post Office stamps for
their correspondence, and to direct the de-
partment, in making contracts for the
transportation of the mail, to con6ne itself
to the payment Of the sum necessary for
this single purpose, without requiring it
to be transported in post coaches or car
riages of any particular description. I'm
der the present system the expense to the
government is greatly increased by re-
quiring that the mail shall be carried in
such vehicles as will accommodate passen-
gers. This will be done without pay from
the department, over all roads where the
travel will remunerate the contractors.
These recommendations deserve the
grave consideration of Congress.
l would again call your attention to the
construction of a Pacific Railroad. Time
and reflection have but served to confirm
me in the truth and Justice Of the obser
vations which made on this subject in
my last annual message, to which beg
leave respectfully to refer.
The President here proceeds at length
to argue the expediency of Immediately
instituting measures for the accomplish
ment Of this great internal enterprise. In
conclusion he narratcs the story of the
capture of the SLAYER Echo the difficulties
that attended the final disposal of the
Blacks and recommends that Congress, by
some special legislation, make the duty Of
the executive in this respect more plain.
REMARKS.
OF the Message, the most striking thing
is its inordinats length which to person
of no more than ordinary leasure is quite
APPALLING. We think it safe to Say that
not half the business men in this State
have ventured to undertake the reading Of
the whole Of it, and that three quarters Of
those would have preferred brief com.
pendulum. And next, the readers of it viii
observe as quite no icable that consid
cradle part is taken up with matters per
tanning to Kansas history, and of such q
character as to have no relation to the
duties of Congress, in the future. II
strikes reasonable men, too, as not little
strange that the President should glorify
himself for the settlement of the Kansa.
difficulty when in point of fact the peop/,
of Kansas have done all that has been
done in that direction, in spite of the ad
mnistration and in contempt of all his
propositions. In this matter the Presi.
dent has not only excited the pity of his
opponents, but the disgust of his friends
who are generally quite willing to allow
that question to subside in any way that
will take it out of notice. The extraor.
binary airing thus given it only shows
that the Presidents conscience is uneasy
We wish it was certain that Mr.. Blu.
chanan's feelings towards Spain were as
consistent with honorable conduct as he
would have US suppose, but the tenor oil
his remarks unavoidably leaves the I'M
preston that it would be satisfaction to
him to discover one of these days that
"war exists" between us aud that gov.
eminent.
The proposal to occupy part of Mex
leo means war at once and means nothing
else, and that too with scarcely shadow
of pretext. 1t hardly admits of doubt
that the government has been managing
fer some time to make this appear a me-
csssity. The motive is an inordinats
thirst for more territory and to crafty it
by forcibly Fastening the dissolution OF the
Mexican Republic, which is sure to come
all too soon for our good.
The message indicates that the present
brief session will be stormy one, and
there is reason to fear that partisan strife
will absorb the valuable time which should
be devoted to the pressing wants of the
country.
Congressional.
Congress assembled on Monday of last