Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1861-03-08
SOUTHERN POSTAGE ACT.

mr.. Cniiton from the Committee on Pos
tai Affairs, made the following report:
The COMMITTEES on Postal affairs having
considered of the duties assigned them
have instructed me to submit of folio vim
report, and the bill accompanying the same
The Committee have mainly directed
their Inquiries to the question whether
without material Inconvenience to the pub.
lie, the Post Office Department of this Con
federacy can be made self-sustaiuing.
The Committee find, from the latest and
most reliable means of information Of which
they have been able to avail themseIf, ,ha,
the. excess of expenditure over the receipts
OF this Department in the six States com.
Pr'sing this Confederacy, for the fiscal
year ending soth rune, 1850, was 81 $780,
595.s3. They have no, been able to OBJ
tain the report Of such receipts and -x-
penditures for the las, fiscal We r. bu, they
presume the above furnishes HI ap,.r.x;ma
t'on sufficiently accurate for The preIira,..
OF our present action.
To provide for this d.ficit. YOU, Conuir
tee would sugges, that the rates q, p,.~.sr-
may be increased, as proposed by the Ne
complaining bill. Bv :his bill ,:.y est,
mate an increase Of receipts app,,xima,inv
$57s,s74.ss.
They believe that saving can he .tf,c-
ted by chauge in the mode OF letting out
mail contracts, adopting what is u>nsilav
called the star.bid system Providing all
due safeguards for the CELEBRITY. certainty.
and security Of the mails bu, wi,hou, other
restrictions as to the mode Of ,ran>po,,a.
ton. In this way your Committee are
satisfied that the expense of mail trauspor.
tstion may he reduced, tav 33t per cent.
upon the present. cost, say s9l6033.
They are further of opinion that there
should be a discontinuance Of numerous
routes, the cost Of which is greatly dspro-
Portioned to their convenience, and the re-
csipts of the Offices supplied hy them. In
this way they believe saving Of lilo of
tho present coat of transportation may be
attained, say $2o6.344.
The service upon many of the routs may
without material detriment, te changed,
daily routes reduced to tri-weekl. &C., ut an
estimated reduction of, say s20e.s44.
They would also recommend the abolish
ing number Of minor post Offices, which
occasion considerable expense without cor
responding profit or convenience. In this
Maya saving TO the Department might he
resdily secured to the amount Of, say $50.
900.
these sums added, say by in
creased receipts by raising pos
tage rates $57s,e74 80
BY saving, as above indicated
total l.osl .72l 90
Total . l,e6O,595 SO
Present excess Of expenditures
over receipts l,66o.5e5 80
Your Committee are of opinion that
steps should be Immediately taken to pro
cure postage stamps Of the denomination
of two, five and twenty cents that these
stamps will be sufficient to meet the wants
Of the Department for the present.
E They would further suggest that i,nme-
diste steps should be taken for procuring a
supply Of locks and Keys for the mail SER
vice; and for post Office blanks. such as
, sre now in use.
.ri They would further recomr end that all
Ikhe mail contracts within this Confedpraey
E'be re.iet at as early day as practieabir.
and until they are re let the existing can-
Tracts remain of force. this governnn ut be-
coming responsible to such r"n.rariors from
the alh day Of February. 1861.
s. Your: Committee are nnabI. 10 suggest
"auy p'an until further arrangements. shall
have been made for the Transmission ,.f
mail matter TO and from other guperarn. tits.
They beiieses however. that nn,ii p,s, al
;. treaties csn be made, 7expedsents arising
from the necessities of the public ~ill r+adi.
ly suggest themsslves, Which " i'll in Il great
mdAs1tss bameds h,e5 Inconvenience. The
Widespread rariifieatioas Of t,e" Express
eompssies wSSdld furnish =, ;v,alus,Ie ya6sil,a.
riss for communication. beyopd the Con.
e. fsdsrscy., The, mail ua.ler7 bearipg, the
- stamps5of eschgosernuhsnt throue .uhicI,
}" it4msy psss by said Express GSt'H '-'.r
= Aifsbict is respectfully 'sdSamittea. ri"
,.,lc d. W.P. chiffon, Chsirnsn.
g,i Ia! ord pi.z d 9. s3..lA.,i:Ssa.,
AZ Acs,, tos eenaAea an Aa4 4te Ptsserids
ss; ssasssef postaos In sks Gosfsds'uss 4Stett
Of Asssricassaad sossetksr, stpases.
% 'HSsxog, II Tie -Gankres,of die sGoafsdakate