The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-02-10


As the frs. practical fruit of the Puget
Sound Mail meeting held in this city on
January 81, we noticed, some time ago,
that the memorial Of that meeting was laid
before Congress and ordered to be printed.
We now notice that, on the 26tb ut., Hon.
II. NJ. RIcE from the Committee on Post
Ofioes and Routes, instead OF his original
Bill Of Dec. 10th, reported bill, in which
the suggestions Of that memorial are so en-
tirely overlooked, that il is quite obvious
that Mr.. RICE mast have been overruled by
the majority Of the Committee 10 its prepar-
alton.
The Bill provides for the conveyance of
letter mail semi-weekly for six years from
st. Pau! and Superior to Puget Sound, at
a cost Of 100000 per annum each trip
to be performed in twenty days.
This, certainly, is q most preposterous
proposition, il the amount of remuneration
granted to the other lines is any measure
Of the real cost Of the service.
The injustice Of it will be manifest by
comparison with the amounts appropriated
on the other routes. The Southern route
from st. Louis and Memphis, ria FL Paso
70 San Francisco, obtains for q semi.weekly
service six hundred thousand dollars per
annum for the main line alone, besides
large amount Of subsidies for tributary
routes and feeders The middle route, from
st. Joseph, Missouri, to San Francisco OBJ.
tains 100000 per annum for semi
monthly service. The first OF these routes,
for the same amount, obtains twice the re-
muneration proposed TO be granted the
Northern mail route, and the second oh.
tains more for semi.montbly service on the
Central route than this bill asks for semi.
weekly service on the Northern. A propo.
sitIon so ridiculous, it ought 10 be observed,
did not emanate from Mr.. RICE, but was en-
grated on the bill originally introduced by
him, in the Committee on Post Offices, OF
which he is Chairman. He has himself
given too many proofs Of his devotion to the
public interests Of the Northwest, and of
Minnesota in particular, to have been
cousenting party to proposition 80 mimi
cal to their interests, aud so contemptuous
Of their just demands. The people Of the
Great Northwest demand that the North
ern route shall be put upon an equal footing
with the other routes, and they appeal
with confidence to the nation against such q
sacrifice of their interests and their rights to
the sectional favoritism manifested in this
matter by the Government.
The following is the bill Of Mr.. RICE, as
amended in committee
SECrIoN |. BE it enacted by the Senate and
House Of Representatives Of the United States
Of America in Congress assembled, That the
Postmaster General be, and he is hereby su.
th0rized, TO contract for the conveyance OF the
entire letter mail from st. Paul. in the State OF
Minnesota, and the head of Lake Superior. in
Territory Of Washington, for six years, at a
cost not exceeding three hundred thousand
dollars per annum tor semi.wsekly service.
SEC. 2. Aud be IL further enacted, That the
contractors shall have the right OF pre- smption
to one hundred and sixty acres Of land not then
disposed Of, or reserved, at each point necessa-
ry for . station. not TO be less than ten miles
distant from each other, and provided that no
mineral land shall be thus exempted.
SEC. 3. And be il further enacted That the
said service shall be performed within twenty
days for each trip and that before entering
into such contract, the Postmaster General
shall be satisfied OF the ability and disposition
Of the parties, bona ids and in good faith, to
perform the said contract, and shall require
good and sufficient security for the perform.
| ance OF the same the service TO commence
within three months after signing the contract,
SIC. I. And be il further enacted. That the
cost Of said service be paid ont Of any money
in the treasury not otherwise appropriated.