Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1861-12-20

year was Ill, ,147, which, added te the NUN.
Ter of domestic letters tl03,886) sent CUT as
above, gives tie whole number seat out from
the Dead Letter Office for The gear, 2i5, 033.
The result If successful Investigation Ia
7.560 cases confirms tho past experiences OF
the Department that the failure of letter to
reaeh lls destinations, in the vast mpjority Of
instances, the fault alone of tie writer or
sender
Ont of he above Z $50 v8in4ble dead let
ters 1905 were directed 10 the wrong effiee,
46I were mpcrfegtly addressed, 6I2 were d.
fectod 10 transient persons, 257 10 parties who
had changed heir residences, 82l were ad-
dressed 10 fctitioas persons Or firms, S3 were
aacalled for, iQ without auy directions, 2l36
were nos mailed for want or postage stamps,
% were mis~sent, and for the failure of post
masters TO deliver l33, 10 satisfactory reason
was assignei. The Department, therefore can
justly be beld responsible for the non delivery
Of but IL Of those letters.
Much othog valuable data il given on this
subject, aud it worthy Of remark that out
Of rs 169 letters, before alluded to, oFigiaa-
tiag ID the loyal States, aud addressed to resi-
dents Of disloyel States. 20 900 could not be
returned, either because the signature of the
writer was iuoompiote, or because tho letter
contaiued no clue 10 his residence. The expe
rlcnce of the Department shows that large
proportion Of domestic letters, written by edu-
Gated persons, eud particularly BY women,
are deficient 10 ere or both OF these re-
speets.
10 view of these and other facts, the POST
masteT- General suggests that valuable dead
letters Ehen returned to their owners, should
lie charged with treble the ordinary rate of
postage; comprising one rate FOR return trauss
poEtatiou TO the Dead Letter Office, one rate
ior registration there, and one rate for re,
turn transportation to the writers or owners.
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 provisions.
The PcslnasieT General has accepted the
fer made in 1857 by Great Britain, for
reduction Of tho international rate between
the two counties on letters, from twenty-tour
10 twelve cents, which, however, has not yet
gQao into operation, as it awaits the response
of tho British office.
The above abstract presents merely few of
he points Of the important report.
ih9 Postmaster Gen9ra! gives al length hia
reasons for the change of contracts for disloy~
atty Not only was it unsafe, he says, to en-
trust the transportation of the mails to per-
ron who refused or failed to recognize the
sanction CT an oath, but to continue payment
Of public money to the saemies Of the goso
eminent aud their allies, was to give direct
ald and comfort to treason in arms. We could
nos thus permit this branch Of the government
TO contribute 10 It's own overthrow.
Tae Posmaster-General also gives his rea-
sons for excluding disIoyal publications from
the mails To await the results Of slow Judi
oial prosecution was to allow crime to be con-
sumuated, With tie expectation Of subsequent
punishment, Instead Of preventing its accom-
plishment by prompt and direct interference.
OF the cases presented for bis action, upon
ihe principles which he names, be has, by ore
der excluded from The mails twelve of these
reasonable publications Of which several had
been previously presented by the grand jury
as incendiary and hostile to constitutional au-
tburity
While the Postmaster General did not claim
tue authority o suppress any newspaper, how
ever disloYal and reasonable its contents, the
Department could not be called upon to give
them circulation. cit could noE, aud would
GOT, interfere with the freedom secured bylaw;
but | could, and did object the dissemination
OF that license which was without the pale Of
Of the Constitution and law. Tue mails estabr
llShed By the United States Government could
not, upon any known principles Of law or
probably right, be used for i,s destruction. As
we'll coold the common carrier he required to
transport machine designed for the destrue-
too Of the vehicles conveying it, or an inn-
keepe! be compelled 10 entertain traveller
whom be knew to be intending to commit
robbery In his house."
lie inds these views supported by tho nigh
authority Of the late Chief Justice Story, Of
the Supreme Court Of the United States, whose
"pinion be qqotes.