New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-12-04
SYNOPSIS OF TEE REPORT OF TEE
POSTNAsTER GENERAL.

9S $50: and that the entire number of cases acted
upon during the same period was lO,63o, including
appointments made by the President Of the United
States The whole number Of appointments made
by the Postmaser-Gener5l, 9, 23J, and the number
by the President during the same period, $50.
The aggregate earnings OF the diliereut trans-A-
lantc steamship lines during the year ending June
3d. 1861, were S395,SS 63.
The expenditures Of the department, in the iscal
year ending June 80, 1861, amounted 10 sl3,bO6,-
7j9 IL. -
Tie expenditures were sI4,S7i,772 50, showing a
decrease in 1861 OF q, 26S,Ol37S.
The gross revenue for the year 1861, including re-
cepts from letter carriers and from foreign postages
amounted TO $3.50 vt ~.
The estimated deficiency Of means for 1861, as pre-
sented in Tie annual report from this Department
: ,ember g. 1859 was 9SS 124 OF. Deducting
De-, al deficiency 8, 65l 900 49, and there is an
the actu. -'imated deficiency over actual deficiency
excess OF e.. =
Of 1885, AZ ~ IN sources during the gear ,,a a. 40
1860 SUI united to.;;...,.S during tue year ,o.,e
The revenue from ell sources .......... 9o4e26 10
1851 amounted observation-disclosures,
Dc, reae OF revenue for l5si.....,........ ioval
The net proceeds from Post.0fces in IHe 10 psso
States for the fiscal yeare ending June 81, ioO''
g 6Ss, 600 Sc, and in 1861, 81 Sol ,4a o., an
increase in 1861 Of sll2796 50 and in the disloya
States, In $780, $500 $40 ST. and in 1861 s6 7O6 TO-
showing decrease in 1861 Of SIZES 81.
The QecrpAse IN lNbI rom Lle net VI ipNV
in all the States appears to be 5000 -
Statement Of the receipts and expenditures OF the
disoyal States and amount alleged TO he due to con-
tractors; ALSO the amount actually paid to contract
ors from July /, lS6O, TO May 81 1901; -.
Total expenditure. 49, ~
F,ces. Of e.pendtures owe. receips. 81 i57 $50 ~
Amount alleged 10 be due 20 contractor iof trans -
Amount sctaaiy Paid for transportation 21 50
Leaving amount alleged to be due and unpaid. sal2s95 90
The estimate Of the total expenditures FOR lobJ IL
less than those of Previous years heretofore
submitted. Ths difference arises fIom the iael tnA,
only partial estimated are made Tor tne e9sl u
service in States where il is now suspended.
The appropriation for defenses in 1862 was
a. sgI ash 70. while the amount estimated TO 10 be
re1uired from the Treasury for 1860 is - lf3,oVo
The whole number Of ordinary dead letters re-
ceived and examined during the year was about
2,55O,O0O
which were registered and sent out during the year
ending Jrne 20, 1861, was TO- $40.
The number Of dead letters returned unopened 10
foreign countries during the fiscal year was III lE
which added To the number OF domestic letters llOJ-
SSO sent out as above, giyer the whole number sent
out from the dead-ietier office for the year,
2l5,O33.
The result of successful investigation IN 500 cases
confirms tho past experience Of the department. that
the failure OF letter TO reach It's destination IL, IN
the vast majority Of instances tie fault alone oil me
writer or sender Out Of the above go valuable
dead letter. 09j We're directed to the wrong Office
467 were imperecy Addressed; Oh were directed TO
transient persona; ~ 10 parties who bad changed
their residence sci addre sed TO hctious per-
sons or firms; 3 were uncalled for 10 without any
directions; 2,l36 were not mailed for want postage
stamps; 70 were missen and for the failure Of Post
masters 10 deliver l3J, no satisfactory reason was
assigned. The department therefore can Justly be
held responsible Tor the nondebyeIy OF but IL OF
these letters.
Much other valuable data il given on this subject,
and il il worthy of remark that out OF TO- o. letters
before alluded to- originating in the loyal States, and
addressed TO residents OF dsloy States, 40 900 could
not be returned either because the signature OF the
writer was incomplete, or because the letter con.
tanned no clue 10 his residence. The experience OF
the Department shows that a large proportion OF
domestic letters written by educated psrsons and
particularly women, are deficient IN one or both of
these respects.
In view Of these and other facts, the Postmaster
General suggests that valuable dead letters, when
returned to their owners, should be charged with
treble the ordinary rate OF postage, comprising one
rate ior return transportation 10 the deadeter olse
one rate for registration there and one rate for return
transportation 10 the writers or owners.
A treaty with Mexico has been concluded, await
ing the ratification by Mexico, establishing common
international rate Of twenty-five cents on letters,
with other useful provisions
The Postmaster General has accepted the offer
made In 1851 by Great Britain for reduction of the
International rate between two countries on letters
from twenty.four to twelve cents which, however,
has not yet gone into operation, as II awaits the re-
sponge OF the British Office.
The above abstract presents merely few Of the
points Of the important report.
The Postmaster. General gives a, length bis reasons
for the change OF contracts, for disloyalty. Not
only it unsafe, he says, TO intrust the trnspor
taiion of the mails 10 person who refused or failed
TO recognize the sanctty OF an OATH but 10 continue
payment of public money 10 the enemies Of the
Government and their allies, was TO give direct aid
and comfort 10 treason in arms We could not thus
permit this branch OF Government to contribute TO
ts own overthrow.
The Postmaster General also gives bis reasons for
excluding disloyal publications from the mails To
await the results OF slow Judicial prosecution was TO
allow crime 10 be cODsummated with the cKpecta-
ton of subsequent punishment, instead OF preventing
it's accomplishment by prompt and direct interference
OF tie cases presented for his action, upon the pfine
piles which he nance, lie has. by order, excluded
from the mails twelve OF these reasonable pubica-
tons of which several had been previously presented
by the Grand Jury as ineendary and hostile 10 con-
stitutionsl authority.
While the Postmaster General did not claim the
authority 10 suppress any Newspaper, however DIS
loya and reasonable its oontenis, the Department
could not be called upon 10 give them circulation.
II could not and would not Interfere with the free
dom secured by law but il could and did oDsruct the
dissemination OF that license which was without the
pale of the Constitution and Law. The mails estab
iished by the United States Government could not,
upon any known principles Of law or public right, be
med for it's destruction. As well could the common
carrier be legally required to transport a machine
designed for the destruction of the vehicle conveying
il. or an inn keeper he con PEELED to entertain tray-
eer whom he knew to be intending to commit "A rob-
berry in his house.
lie finds these views supported by the high au-
thority of the late Chief Justice Story, Of tho Sn-
premc Court Of the United States, whose opinion lie
quotes.