Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1861-12-12
Leaving amount alleged to
be due aud unpaid


The estimate of the total expenditures tor
1868 Is somewhat less than those Of previous
years heretofore submitted. This difference
arises from the fact that only partial estimates
are made for the cost Of postal service in states
where it is now suspended.
The appropriation for dcfences il 1862 was
1891 $50 60, while the amount estimated to
be required from the Treasury for 1861, is
$S,I4j 600.
The whole number of ordinary dead letters
received and examined during the year was
about 2, $50, 600.
The number Of these letters containing
money, which were registered and sent out
during the year ending Juue So 1861 was
l0,5S0.
The number Of dead letters returned un.
opened to foreign countries during the fiscal
year was ILL., l47. which added to the number
of domestic letters N03 $50, sent out as
above, gives the whole DumUcr sent out from
the dead letter Office for the year, 2l5, 033
The result of successful investigation in 1860
cases, confirms the past experience Of the de
partment that the failure of letter 10 reach
its destination Is, in the vast majority OF III
stances, the fault alone OF the writer or sender
Out Of the above ! 500 valuable dead letters,
3,095 were directed to the wrong Office, 467
were imperfecty addressed 6I2 were directed
to transient persons 257 to parties who had
changed their residences S2l were addressed
to Fictitious persons or frms !; SO were uncalI
ed for /; 10 without any directions |, 1876 were
not mailed for want OF postage stamps; 10
were miS-senl and for the failure Of pOSLmas-
terS to deliver 1873, no satisfactory reason was
| assigned. The department therefore Can justly
be held responsible for the non delivery Of but
PIP of these letters.
Much other valuable data is given on this
subject, and it is worthy Of remark that oat of
76, 769 letters before alluded to, originating
in the loyal states, and addressed to residents
of disloyal states, 40, 600 could not be return
ed, either because the signature of the writer
was incomplete, or because the letter contain
ed no clue 20 his residence The experience
of the Department shows that a large proper
tion Of domestic letters written 10y educated
persons, and particularly women, are deficient
in one or both Of these respects
! In view of these and other facts the Post
master General suggests that valuable dead
! letters, when returned to their owners, should
be charged with treble the ordinary rate of
! postage, comprising one rate for return trans
! portation to the dead letter Office, one rate Tor
registration there, and one rate for return
transportation to the writer's or owners.
A treaty with Mexico has been concluded,
awaiting the ratification by Mexico establish
ing common international rate of twenty-five
cents on letters, with other useful provision
The Postmaster General has accepted the
offer made in 1851 ny Great Britain for a re-
duction of the international rate between the
two countries on letters from twenty-four to
twelve cents, which, however has not yet gone
into operation, as it awaits the response of the
| British Office
The above abstract presents merely a few
of the points Of the important report.
The POstmaSter-G gives at length his
reason for the change of contracts, for dis
! loyalty. Not only was it unsafe, he says, TO
entrust the transportation Of the mails to a
person who refused or failed to recognize the
sanCtity of an oath, but to continue payment
of public money to the enemies of the govern.
ment and their allies was to give direct aid
and comfort to treason in arms. We could
not thus permit this branch of government to
contribute to its own overthrow.
The Postmaster General also gives his
reasons for excluding dsloyal publications
from the mails. To await the results so slow
judicial prosecution was to allow crime to be
consummated, with the expectation of subse
quent punishment, instead of preventing it,
accomplishment by prompt aud direct nterfer
ence. Of the case presented for his action, up
on the principles which he Dames, he has, by
order, excluded from the mails twelve of these
reasonable publications, of which several haC
been previously presented by the grand jury
as incendiary and hostile to constitutional au
thority.