davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The New York herald., 1861-12-06
OUR POSTAL AFFAIRS.
Postmaster General Blair's Report
to the President.
Interesting Information for Let
ter Writers.

Posr Orrlcs DEPARTMENT Dec. 2, 1891
Sm--Respccing tho operations and condition oil TINS de
partmen< during the past fiscal year, ending June 80,
1861, | have the honor TO report as foiiows:-
APPOINTMENT
Tho operations of the appointment Office, for the year
ending juno 80, 1861, show the following result
The whole number of post offices in operation on tho
3oth Of June. 1860, was 2S ,f8S.
The whole number tho 30th June 1851 was 2S $3.50.
The increase of post Offices during tho year ending
The 3oth June, 1861, is 49,
The total number Of post offices at which appointment
made by tho President of the United States the
30th June, 1861 was 434.
Tho table (No. ~ annexed 10 this repor, shows tie
number Of each class OF Offices the States and
Territories of tho Union
Tho whole number Of acted upon during the last
official yoar including tho appointments ordered by the
President Of the United States, 10 63S. The whole
number OF appointments made by the department durng
that year Cor all causes 1856 The number OF ap
poiutments ordered by the President during the same
period 331. The classification OF these changes by
States will appear in the tablo no y and summary Of
them in the table NO 81 annexed to this report.
The whole number Of post Offices in operation in the
Uuited States the LIST day Of December 1851 excluding
those discontinued by special order and including those
suspended by the general orders Of May and June last
was rs, ,62O
AGENTS ROUTE AGENTS AGrNrs.
The number of special agents in the employment OF the
depar mcnt the 3O,h of June last was sixteen. The
extraordinary condition Of tho country the exigcn
of the service in certain States rendered necessary
20 increase this number, up TO tho present time, to
twenty.
During The last fiscal year tho number of agents
in the four hundred and seventy four, ut
annual cost OF 1912 ,240.
Tho number Of local agents forty, at annual
cost OF SO ,479.
At the close of the year, the 30th of June last, the
number Of route agents reduced to three hundred
and ninety two, at n cost OF S294 AGO.
The number of local agents reduced to thirty five,
at cost OF $1o ,719.
These agents paid salaries generally ranging from
four TO eight hundred dollars per annun and from tho
large proportion OF railroad transorcn have become
important and Indispensable branch OF the service in dis
ribang and despatching tho mails The special agents
the eyes and hands of tho department. detect and
vioatofs OF the law and TO render the mails safe
and rapid of communication In their selection
have cndcavored tho qualities Of integrity saga
city and efficiency. While the dute OF agents
different they are always of greater Importance and
more than s commonly apprehended, and
qurc great degree the qualities OF character above
described,
FOREIGN MAH. SERVICE.
Tho aggregate Of postage fsea inland and foregu
Ni txs,tt, Vfn.t IFt.,l
The New York herald., 1861-12-06

Iotai 81 ,3o2 ,O36 20
States and $547 582 81 in tho United Kingdom Prussia
France, Hamburg Bremen and Belgium.
of collection In the United States $66 S52 oS
The cost OF collecting which, in commission at United
States post Offices at estimated average 40 per
would amount TO S1O8, TAO 83.
The number Of letters and newspapers exchanged in
the mails between this country and Europe as fol
lows
The New York herald., 1861-12-06

Total. III 14T
Which added the number Of domestic letters o3 $50
sent out as above gives the whole number sent from
the dead letter of office for the year 2l5, ,oss
expended, for which the ordinary letter postage is
scarcely sufficient recompense.
For the letters thus returned
might be charged with double rates.
PREPAYMENT OF PossAGE.
My predecessor called attention to the fact that large
numbers Of unpaid letters continued to be posted not
wthsandug the act Of March 1855 making prepay
compulsory ard stated that the practice OF notifying tho
parties addressed that such letters would be forwarded on
receipt Of postage had been abandoned because it ap
continued unabated showing determination on the part
OF many correspondents using tho mails to evade the
postal aws BY Immediately sending this class of letters
to the dead letter Office il expected that proper
compliance with the law would be enforced but far
from this being the case, the number after years
trial exceeds ten thousand each MONTH and the attention
they require imposes considerable additional labor and
expense on this department
The practical result Of this decision Of MY predecessor
is so different from what was anticipated that
have been induced TO revive tho former regulation re.
quirng postmasters to notify persons TO whom unpaid
letters are directed that they will be forwarded
cept Of the postage enclosed in paid letter the post
master. Thus the number returned to the dead letter
Office will be reduced at least two-thirds.
The detailed statement Of the expenditures under the
head Of aneous payments, required by the ap
proved June l5 $780, win be found appended to this re-
port as furnished by the Auditors office.
MISCELLANEOUS.
APPROPRIATIONS FOR CALIFORNIA OVERLAND MAIL.
Ihave in previous part OF this report alluded to tho
refusal at the treasury to pay the appropriation for the
overland mail service to California. 1t to 80
evidently to have been the purpose Of Congress TO
quire tho payment OF the amount stipulated from
the treasury, under the 9th and 1lth sections
of the act, that again call the attention of Con-
gess to the subject for such further legislation as may
be required IL cerfanly be supposed that GEN.
tract OF that magnitude could be required by postal m
terests alone the general interests OF the coantry re-
qured L, ana The compensation should therefore be mace
by general appropriation from the treasury as TINS Nc
p,rtmcnt presdmes to have been the intention o. tue
law,
TIE Fosr oprfcE RuiLbING At NEw YORK.
Owing TO the extraordinary demands upon the treasury
The New York herald., 1861-12-06

Total posages on European mails. 81 1862 ,036 20
Being a decrease from the amount report
3 cd FOR the preceding year of.......... s.4c65 So
The conveyance OF these mails performed
follows
By United States Mail Pocke,s
or the New York aud Havre Steam
ship Company. ny............... $l05 057 So
OF Vanderblts lropean line.... 56894 10
or the North Atlantic steamship
Company auy...................... Al 7oe 25
- sos, ,657 90
By FIeign Steamers Employed United States Pachas.
or the Canadian line ......... Sl69 1903 AZ
or tho Liverpool and New York
and Philadelphia Steamship
Company ...................... 13l OIL 81
OF the North German Lloyd Com
pany ......................... ll2, ,74s IS
or the New York and Hamburg
Steamship Company. ........... 65,761 90
$479,3s4 II
BY British Contract MaI Packets
or the Clnard line ............. .$65O, $40 81
or the Galway line. ............ % ,683 70
- $751; ,994 60
The New York herald., 1861-12-06

BY tho ninth section Of an act Of Congress approved
March g 1861, entitled IAN act making appropriations
for the Of the Post Office Department during the
FISCAL year ending June S0 1862" authority given 10
the Postmaster General to discontinue The mail service
the Southern overland route nown as the Bntteraeld
routa between st Louis and Memphis and san FraIcsco
and to provide Tor the conveyance y tho parties Of
SIX times week mail by the central route; that IS
"irom some point on the Missouri river, connecting with
tue East to facerye California" In pursuance Of this
act AMI Inc acceptance o It's terms BY The na company
order made On the 10Th ol March, 1851 modify
the present contract discon service en- tho
Southern route, and T. provide FOR the transportation OF
the ontye letter mail SIX nos "A week on the ccniral
route to he carried through in twcAty days eight months
in the year and in twentytErc days four months IN tho
year tgoa st Joseph, M,ssoi lor Atchson, Kansas 10
The New York herald., 1861-12-06

s,s45,ooo 90
100000 90
The New York herald., 1861-12-06

Tho aggregate amount OF postage inland and forcgu)
on mails exchanged with the United Kingdom
Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1861-02-15
FORT SUMTER.

If the old adage. threatened cats i've
LONG" csn be applied to forts, we think II
will be a good while before the South Caro-
In. rebels and their allies attack Fort Sum-
ter. There have been we do not know how
many days set for an assault on it-and the
public curiosity has been kept awake by
descriptions of large war-like preparations to
insure its capture when the Palmettos should
actually take the business in hand. Gov.
Pickens being, of course, a discreet as well
an honorable man, has been DESTROYS of pre-
venting bloodshed, and sent Col. Hayne to
let the President know that be had chance
to give up quietly the fort to its rightful
owner las he claimed), South Carolina.
Through some blunder, it seems, the Uni
bed States Government had built, out Of
government funds, that fort, on a spot ceded
to the United States for that purpose, and
had put guns, and shot and shells, and all
that sort Of unpleasant thing intoit. What
was worse, Maj Anderson, very Unexpectedly
and in very disrespectful way, had taken
possession of it with company Of United
States troops under his command, and very
strangely refused to vacate the premises at
Gov. Pickens' orders. Owing TO some
changes in the business arrangements of
South Carolina, it has become, Gov Pickens
says, very disagreeable to her that Fort
Sumter should be 50 occupied any longer
and, to make the matter short, he demands
its surrender, saying that after South Caro-
lima has once got Major Anderson and hi:
men out of the way and her ,wn soldiers in
possession she will be ready to DO the faiI
thing about the pecuniary value Of the prop
erty.
But the fear of Floyd being no longer be,
fore MIR. Buchanan's eyes, he tells Governor
Pickens through Secretary Holt, that he
does not look at the subject exactly IN the
same light that Gov. Pickens does and or
the whole Uncle Sam will hold on. Mr.
Holt intimates too that if Gov. Pickens
| braves do make an attack on the tort, it viii
| be case for the hardest head to fend off, i
it can, and if Major Anderson is not enough
to hold possession, the Government will SET
that there are enough more to help him.
Tuesday was the last day set for the at
tack on Fort Sumter but we have not ye
heard the sound Of the guns, and presume
the case has gone over to another term.
Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1861-02-15
MIR. LINCOLN,S JOURNEY.

though Mr.. Lincoln expressed wish to
journey 10 Washington with IS little parade
as possible, he finds it impossible to avoid
receptions a, the places where he has to stop
on the way.
At Indianapolis he was welcomed with
a salute Of 81 guns and q great pageant
/ including the governor and both houses Of
I the legislature, public officers. the military
and tremen. lie rode in q carriage drawn
by tour white horses, amid great enthusiasm
and vast crowd.
Mr.. Lincoln acknowledged the honors uaid
him, and spoke from the balcony Of the
Bates HOnse. lie thanked the IeonIa ~
the support given by Indiana to the true and
Just cause. Coercion and invasion are terms
much used now, with temper and hot blood
Let US not misunderstood their meaning. nor
the meaning of those who use them. Let NJ
get their meaning from men who dcprecate
the things they would represent by theiruse
hat IS the meaning Of these word? Would
marching an army into South Carolina with
hostile attempt be invasion? I think j.
would, and would be coercion. i tie SJutb
Carollnlans are forced TO submit.
But If the United States should mcr,lv
mold and retake its own forts, collect duties
or withhold mail facilities where habituaIlv
violated, would any or all these things be in /
vyasIon or coercion Do professional Union /.
lovers, resolved to resist coercion understand /
such things If they do, their idea is LIGHT /
and airy.
In their view, the Union, as family 1e-
Iatlon, would seem no regular marriage. but
a sort OF free love arrangement, to be main
tanned by personal attraction.
In what consists the special slcradness of a
state? speak not of the position assigned 4
state in the Union by the constitution forbv
INC bona We all recognize that position, how
ever state cannot carry it out.
Ii state and county possess equal rirb,s
IN territory and inhabitants, in what. as
matter OF principle, is state better than
county? Would an exchange of names be
'1chanSe OF rights? By what rightful prin-
'lple may a state, being not more than a fl
le'I part OF the nation IN soil or population,
'reak up the nation and then coerc8 the lar :
yer division Of itself.
hat mysterious power is conferred on a
-istrlct OF country, with its people bymerely !
alling it State? :
Mr.. Lincoln, in conclusion, said he was =
ot asserting any thing, but asking questions +
1r them to consider and decide in their own
linds, what is right and what is wrong. !,
Governor Morton, being loudly called for !
poke in brief cOngratulatory terms to the y
immense multitude, which seemed to FORGET $
i etiquette. I
Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1861-02-15
THE WASHINGTON CONVENTION

The Convention, assembled at Washington
at the instance of Virginia, now comprises
persons from twenty States, ris: Name
New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island,
Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Penn
sylvanis, Delaware, Maryland, Ei,glnia'
North Carolina, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana
Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts,, Tonnes see,
Wisconsin.
On the 9TH, committee was raised, TO
whom all plans of adjustment offered are to
be referred, that from the whole some saving
medicine for the afflicted country may be
pounded, if possible. This committees so
far as reported, consists of the following per-
SONS:
Guthrie, Ky, Fowler, n. II, Hall, Vt.
Ames, r. l., Baldwin, Conn, Vroom y. j.,
White, Pa, Bates, Del, johnson, Nd, Sell
den, Va, Ra&n, NC, Ewing, Ohio. Smith ,
Ind, Logan, H., Harlan. Iowa.
There does not seem to be, from what we
can learn. much prospect Of their accom-
plishing anything except delay. Perhaps
that article may prove to be Of some real
service. We hope 50. A chance to stop
and think little is very much needed in
some Of the States 10 these times. The &C
tive spirits in the secession have been deter
mined that there shall be no such chance if
they could help it; but that the people
should be hurried into open rebellion blind
fold by the passionate and dishonest ap-
peals made to them by their dishonest
leaders
We see tina; E1. Gov. Hiland Hall of Vt.
is on the general committee, above referred
to. We will risk any appreciation being
given by him to any scheme Of concession
which the people of Vermont would be dis
satisfied with. In fact we believe We know
enough Of the views Of the gentlemen
who are in that convention from this state,
TO assure our readers that they may feel
quite at ease with respect to them all
The Convention having determined 70 sit
with closed doors, there will be a grand
chance for pumping reporters to marufac-
ture speeches and propositions out of winks,
hints, and shakes of the head. Were it not
that the country generally has made up its
mind to expect nothing Of consequence from
the incubation. we should have sensation
rumors of its progress BY the dozen.
The Phonrr says that Gov. Fairbanks in
vited Hon. Frederick uolbrook of Brattlebo-
70 to be one Of the delegates; but he declined
from personal considerations. and Hon. B.
d. Harris was appointed in bis place.
In the New York Legislature the appoint
ment Of Commissioners was attended with
much feeling among the members of the Leg
i.lature Mr.. Addison Gardner was first
appointed one Of the Commissioners, but
declined. The Legislature then, by strong
vote appointed THURLow WEED, of the Alba
ny Evening Journal, but he too declined.
Efficient as Mr. Weed has been in the
political matters Of the State of New York
FOX so long time, he has always declined
political Office.
Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1861-02-15
COUNTING THE VOTES

Wednesday was the set day for formally
counting at Washington the Electoral votes
for President and Vice President Ct the
United States.
The Constitution says The President of
the Senate shall, in the presence of the Sen
ate and House u Representatives, open al
the certificates. and the votes shall then be
countci'; but it does not prescribe any fur
Their. The usual mode of proceeding has
been for tellers to be appointed on the part
Of both Senate and House, ard for the Presi.
dent Of the Senate to open the sealed packa-
ges Of votes officially transmitted to him BY
the Electoral Colleges from the several States
for him to deliver them to the tellers. who
make list of them in the presence of the
two Houses, and declare the result to tn.
President Of the Senate who announces the re-
suit and forthwith dissolves the Joint meet
ing. In 1857, when a violent snow storm in
Wisconsin prevented the Electoral College
from assembling to give its vote till the day
alter the one appointed, the President of the
Senate avoided any question about the va
Iidlty OF that vote, by not announcing the
number Of votes given, but merely who were
duly chosen President and Vice President.
Had the result depended at all on the Wis
coDsin vote, contention no doubt would |
have arisen-probably determinable only by
a decision of the Supreme Court. As twas,
no dispute arose, and the vote of Wisconsin
on that occasion is always counted as if it
unu 0een IN all respects perfectly regular.
l NiS year there is nothing to raise quIbble
''i'erS on the part of both Senate
and House were appointed. and tho-.
seems to he no fear at presen. -
violent or dishonorable means wers -
to interior With the orderly consummat;on
of the business. The firm refusal of Gov.
Hicks to eonl enc the Legislature of Mary
and, and thus to open the way for "seces-
ion" contention in that state-the anti.
ecession-convontlon vote just given iu Vir-
,inia, and above all the resolute and soldier
y arrangements Of Gen. Scott to put down
y force OF arms any attempt on the Capitol
y revolutionary mobs and traitorous con- ,
octers OF instruction, probably secured
10 public quiet. That there was an inten-
on to break up Congress and to prevent t
Of only the Inauguration of Mr.. Lincoln,
ut also the formal counting and announce {,
ent OF the electoral vote in bis favor and at 4
e same time to start the Southern Con- II
deracy as the Government of the Nation. is
IT to be doubted. If it has been abandoned.
is from conviction in the minds of the m
offers that the attempt would prove a tc
lure and with the failure would come h
'n' obstruction to all their nefarious and sc
A.'e'ous schemes and in the end sure f.
~ 00noign punishment for them sslva. n
Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1861-02-15
Vermont Items.

Seth Lawrence, who escaped from Ben
nington jail some time ago, has been arrested
at Salem, N. Y, and brought up to Man
chester for sentence; he has already had his
trial.
A lad named Cummings was badly hurt in
Bradford last week. while sliding lie fell
of, and the sled behind ran over him.
Miss Helen Hartman, Of Corinth, commit
ted suicide last week Wednesday. while on a
visit to her friends in Orange, cutting her
throat with razor. She had appeared much
depressed for some time past, and was prob
ably insane at the time
\ chimney Of the Windsor House fell re
Gently, the roof having settled from the great
weight Of snow omit another chimney had
to be taken down
Several chimnles were carried Of from
houses in BIattleboro by sliding Of the snow
Oh the roofs. Oae chimney was carried
down to the yard, all staining
Tie center bulI.ns and th3 SIX wings If
the Vermont Asylum, at Brattleboro', are to
be enlarged by the addition Of another story,
during the coming season, and dome put on
the central building.
W. ". Henry, Of Bellows Falls, brakeman
on the Rutland Road, w1s caught while
Stacking cars, some time since, and hurt
badly.
The statement that Re-. Moses Spencer, Of
Bennington, had lost his whole family by
diphtheria, is eonradicted.i
The Sc Visitor" Printing Office at Brandon
IS advertised for sale
Nr. J A Ferguson, Of Elem, missed a
yoang colt recently, and found it three days
after IA the wbeel-pit Of bis saw-mill, having
evidently fallen from plank l. feet above.
Tie colt was got out and showed no lack Of
spirit from its long fast and confinement
Tie corpse OF IN infant child was recently
found in the snow q; Noun, Tabor, put there
by It's mother, I Miss Underwood, who was
tried aud bound over for her appearance at
the County Court.
Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1861-02-15

The death of Hon. CHARLES ADAMS sewers
another of the very few links which for some
years past have connected the present gener-
alton Of our citizens with those who dwelt
here in the earliest days of our town.
Mr.. Adams was not native of the place,
having been born in Arlington, Vt, but was
brought here in his childhood by his father
became, in the year 1900, a member
Of the first class which was
formed in the University Of Vermont,
then going into operation under the Presi-
dency Of DR.. Saunders, and was one Of the
first graduating class in 1904 After his
graduation he entered the profession Of law.
IN the practice Of which he continued in this
place uninterruptedly till very lately. For
the last five or SIX years, from failing health
he withdrew himself almost entirely from
the labors Of the bar and occupied himself in
agrlculture-an employment in which, as a
relief from professional toll, he had always
greatly delighted. He was a man Of deep
study, Of signal ability and untiring in1ustrv
in his profession; of ardent TEN permanent gen
erous to an extreme, ever ready to give Of his
labor and his influence and his means to
promote every good public object, lov-rof
his fellow man and Of his country ia the
largest and modest sense Of the term. In
1923 he became member OF the Corro-a-
ton Of the University OF Vermont. 4 con-
nection which he held and zealousIy labored
IN till 1854, when, having participated at
that time in the great occasion Of the semi.
centennial Commencement Anniversary Of the
University mot having failed to be present
at any commencement from the first to the
fftieth), he withdrew from the responsible
tiles which pe.tained to a member Of the
but lost none Of the profound
interest which he had so long taken in the
Institution.
Enfeebled from declining years, Mr.. Adj /
ans system was not able TO bear up under /
an attack Of what seemed at frs, and carly
ID The season to be only q severe cold but
which gradually assumed the form of 4tal
attack on the lungs. For some weeks pre-
7i0us to his deceasa he had become aware
hat his last illness was upon him and await
ID with Christian patience and hope the
final summons. He was ready to depart, he
aid, when God should call, in hone Of q
blessed immortality.
The funeral will take place on Friday at
10 O'Clock, A. NJ, from the residence Of his
on, j. S. Adams, ESQ.