Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1860-08-18
THE CALIFORNIA MAIL SERVICE.

AS there IS singular want Ot Know ledge Of
the action Of Congress on this subject, we sub.
join extracts from the Congressional Globe,
to show the final action Of the Senate and
House, and the position in which the Inntter
will stand at the commencement Of the next
session. Hales Bill, about which SO much
has been said by the opposition press iHthis
State, was never considered in either House
Of Congress-. twas not recommended by any
committee Of either House but was simply
the proposition Of n member of the Senate,
and it was never acted on, although the sub
ject Of the Overland Service was elabOratelV
discussed on the propositions of the Senators
from this State. The amendment of Scnotor
Wilson embodies the main features of Hale's
Bill, with the exception of that which brcuks
the Butterfied contract. The bill MS amended
in the Senate, will come up for action in the
House ut the opening Of the next session rs
unfinished business, and. without doubt, the
amendment Of the Senate, providing for daily
overland mail, will pass, changing the time Of
opening bids to the LIST of April, instead of
the lSt Of December. We will refer to this
subject more at large hereafter.
IN THE SENATE, JUNE 22D, 1850, THE POST ROUTE
BEING CNDLR CONSIDERATION.
Mr.. YULEE-I offer now an amendment re.
ating to the California mail service, which
may he read, and then ask that n letter from
the Post Office Department, which ! send to
the Chair, may also be read.
The Secretary read the amendment, nS fol:
lows:
WHEREAS, 1t appears from the report of the
Postmaster General that it will be doubtful
whether the mails Of the United States can be
transported between the ports Of the Atlantic
and those Of the Pacific on the terms prescribed
by the fourth section Of an act entitled " An
act making appropriations for the service Of
the Post Office Department during the fiscal
year ending the SOth Of June, 1861, approved
the 9th day Of June, 1860: Therefore,
lie At further enacted, That the Postmaster
General be, and he is hereby, authorized to
contract for the carrying Of said mails by
ocean and ISthmus transit over the shortest
practicable route, between New York and San
francisco, at rate Of compensation not to cx-
coed $4OO,OO0 per annum which contract
shall be for term not exceeding two years
from its date, and may he made with or with.
ont advertisement, as the Postmaster General
may deem the public intSrcsts require. And
the compensation which mny become due to
the contractors for tbs service, MS we'll as for
that which may be on the inland routes mum.
bercd S9ll between ST Joseph, Missouri, and
Salt Lake City, Utah Territory 10, SOL, he.
tween Salt Lake City, Utah, and Placcrville,
California; l3,5l5, between ST. Paul and Pu.
get Sound and l2,57S, known as the great
overland mail route, shall be paid out Of any
money in the Treasury not otherwise apprO-
priated, on the certificate of the Postmaster
General that the service has been duly per-
formed.
MIR. WILSON, send to the Chair an amend
ment, which offer as substitute for that Of
the Senator from Florida.
The Secretary read the amendment of Mr..
Wilson, as follows:
And be ii turther enacted, That the Post.
master General be, and he is hereby, author
lied and directed to contract with contractors
on route S9l1, between ST. Joseph, Missouri,
and Great Salt Lake City. aud route IL, sol
between Great Salt Lake City and Placcrvillc,
California, or with either of them, for the con.
vryance Of the entire United States mail be.
tween st. Louis, ria ST. Joseph Missouri and
Placerville, to San Francisco, California, in
twenty days time: PrOrided, The service can
he obtained tri-wcckly y the first year, at n com.
prnSaliOn not to exceed $500, 900, and daily
thereafter Mt an additional compeuSa ton not
to exceed $500, 900 per annnn, the service tu
expire July 1866, aud the contractors to
supply Denver City and Great Salt Lake CITY
with weekly mail without additional com.
pcnsatiOn.
And he ft .farfher enacted, That the Post.
master General be- and he is hereby, author
lzcd and directed to- provide fnr the convey.
ance OF the entire United States Mail on which
letter postage is paid, weekly, from St. Pnrl,
Minnesota, via st. Cloud, and from Superior
Wisconsin, via Crow Wing, to the Dailcs. in
Oregon, with the same pre.emption right Ms
heretofore allowed upon other through routes
PrOrMcd, The service can be obtained at ar
annual cost not exceeding $500, 900, and tn,
trip to he performed in twenty dave, from Ma.
LIST to November LIST; in thirty days the re
mainder .: the year.
Ahd b" 1t ,urther enacted, That the Post
mnG;er General be, and he is hereby, author
lied and directed to contract with the con
tractors on route S076, now engaged in tn,
transportation Of the mails between San An
tonic, Texas, and FL PaSO, Texas, for the con
veyance Of the entire United States mail, semi
weekly, in ten days time, between New Or
leans, Louisiana, and Fl PaSo, Texas, for
compensation not to exceed $500, 900 per an
mum the contract to continue for the SAM
length of time as the service provided for il
the foregoing sections.
And be ii further enacted, That the cost O
service authorized in this act shall be paid b,
the Secretary of the Treasury, upon the Ger
titicatc OF service from the Post Office Depart
mcnt.
and be IL further enacted, That the con
tractors on the overland mail routes hereiu
provided for shall have the privilege of for
warding printed matter, Semi-monthly, at
schedule Of thirty DAYS
Mr. LATHAN-As the amendment Of tn
Senator from Massachusetts, is an amendmen
to an amendment, it cannot be amended; bu
| suggest to him to modify it by inserting al
additional section, providing that, in case tn
contractors over the Salt Lake route fail to &C
cept this service, the Postmaster General ma,
have the power to provide some other servic
for the printed matter.
Mr.. HALE-That can be put in.
Mr.. WILSON-Lct the Senator from Califor
MIA suggest the modification he desires.
Mr. LATHAN-I will draw it up If the Sen
ator will make il part Of his amendment, be
cause it would be out Of order for me to move il
The Secretary road It. as follows:
That the Postmaster ueRprRl be, and he !
hereby. authorized and directed to oontrac
with the contractors on route R9Il, betweeI
St. Joseph, Missouri, and Great Salt LAX
City, and route 2,S0l, between Great Sal
Lake City and Placerville, California. or will
either Of them, for the conveyance Of the en-
tire United States mail between St, Louis, vi
St. Joseph, Missouri. and Placerville, to Sa,
Francisco, California. in twenty days time