Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-05-02
From washington.
WAsHrSerox, April 2s.

WASHINGTON, April &C..
The mail contractors find much more diff
Guilty than was expected in raising money
upon the verified statements of their accounts
from the Postoffice Department. As in all
other callings, there are some who find no
embarrassment at all, others who have to pay
usurious interest, and others still, who cannot
get aid on any terms. The President has
promised 10 recommend interest on these out
standing balances, but even that unusual in
ducement has not touched the sensitive nerve
of capital. As necessary consequence
much inconvenience has resulted to those who
are least able to bear the burden. The De-
partment takes the world easy, while the con-
tractors suffer. 1t is by no means so sure, as
seems to be supposed. that the Postofice bill
will be run through Congress. without hesita-
ton. On the contrary, it's quite likely to be
thoroughly overhauled and ventilated before
dollar shall be granted. no matter what may
be the outside pressure, or force of the venal
lobby employed.
After several weeks of hard labor. the ten
or twelve thousand bids for the Mail service
in Virginia, North and South Carolina,
and Florida, have been assorted so that
proper idea can now he formed of the costs
of this service as compared with the existing
contracts, which will expire on the Both of
June By referring to the last Report of the
Postmaster-G enera', it will be seen that he
contemplated an increase of fifty per cent.
on the mail facilities of this section. The
proposals on the basis of present service,
averaged between fifteen and twenty per
cent. above what is now paid, so that in
order to keep the expenditures within the
existing rates it became necessary to reduce
the service instead of improving it. Tri-
weekly mails will generally be cut down TO
twice a week, and those of the latter class to
weekly. The same scaling process must be
applied to other branches. These contracts
run four years. AS yet the proposals for
transporting the mails by railroad through
these States have not been considered. They
are deferred to the last, owing to the alb
sence of competition. Mr.. Toombs' consti-
tuents will now have the opportunity OF
feeling the effect of his refusal to allow the
Post office appropriation bill to pass after the
House had accepted the compromise which
committee of conference reported.
AS yet no bids have been received for
carrying the mail between New York and
New Orleans and San Francisco, for the nine
months between the expiration of the pres
ent contract and the beginning of the ensuing
fiscal year. 1t was so obvious all cOmpeti-
ton must be excluded, that the Department
did not even advertise for proposals. but con-
tended itself with issuing circulars. The
old companies will doubtless finally get the
contract, and il is improbable, in the present
state OF our Central American relations, II
any attempt will be made to open the Nicar-
aqua route. No confidence exists in the
ton of the government, or its shifting dplo-
plOmacy in that quarter North american.
WASHINGTON, April 2S.
We are reliably Informed that tie neSotia-
lions between the English Government, At
lantic Telegraph Company, and the New
York Newfoundland. aud London Telegraph
Company have reached point which admits
of no doubt about the Governments guaran-
tee of quarter of eight per cent on the six
hundred thousand pounds capital being ac-
cepted. In view of the facts, as we learn
from the same reliable service. the Atlantic
Company are actively engaged in making the
most thorough trials of the various kinds of
cable adapted to the Atlantic line and will
be prepared to enter into the necessary COM
pacts at an early day.
In the meantime the company have decided
to expend sum not exceeding one hundred
thousand dollars to resuscitate the present
cable. aud active operations to this end will
be commenced as soon as the weather will
permit. The heavy battery of Mr.. Henly,
which arrived at ST. Johns, n. B., late last
fall, has not yet been sent to the telegraph
station at Trinity Bay, owing to the ice, but
will be in position within the next few weeks
or days. The Atlantic Company viii not at
tempt to lay the new cable until July of next
year, 1860.