The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1861-12-24

Excess Of expenditures over
receipts .....................S2,45 ,457 $50 4:
Amount alleged to be due to
contractors for transportation. 2, 35, ,537 Il
Amount actually paid for trans
portation....... ................2,3 ,06l 81
Leaving amoust alleged 10 be
due and unpaid......... =. ....$Sl2, ,595, 4s
The estimate Of the total expenditures 70
1868 is somewhat less than those of previous
years heretofore submitted. This difference
arises from the fact that only partial esti
mates are made for the cost of postal service
in States where it is now suspended.
The appropriation for deficiencies in 1862
was $5, ,39l, $50 SO while tho amount estima-
ted to be required from the Treasury for 1868
is So, las, 900.
The whole number Of ordinary dead letters
received and examined during the year was
about 2,55O,OOO.
The number of these letters containing
money, which was registered and sent out
during the year ending June 80, 1861, was
! lO,5SO.
The number Of dead letters returned un-
year was Ill, ,l47, which added to the NUN
Der of domestic letters (l03, SsO) sent out,
gives the whole number seut out from the
dead letter Office for the year, 2l5,OS3.
The result Of successful investigation 10
1860 cases confirms the past experience Of
the Department, that the failure of letter to
reach the destination is, in the vast majority
OF instances, the fault alone Of the writer or
sender. Out Of the above 1850 valuable
dead letters, 3,035 were directed to the wrong
office; 467 were imperfectly addressed; 6l2
were directed to transient persons; 257 to
parties who had changed their residences; s2l
wore addressed to fictitious persons or firms;
"a were uncaled for; 10 without any direc
tions; 2,lS3 were not mailed for want of pos
tage stamps; 70 we're mssent; and for the
failure Of postmasters to deliver 1873 no salts.
foctory reason was assigned. The Depart.
ment, therefore, can justly be held response
bic for the non delivery Of but 2l2 of these
letters.
Much other valuable data is given on this
subject, and it is worthy Of remark that out
of 76,769 letters, before alluded TO, orgina-
ting in the loyal States and addressed to resi-.
dents Of disloys, States, &C, 900 could not be
returned, either because the signature Of the
writer was incomplete or because the letter
contained no clue to his residence. The ex.
perience Of the Department shows that large
proportion Of domestic letters written by edu
Gated persons, and particularly women, are
deficient in one or both of these respects.
In view of these and other facts the Post
master General suggest that valuable dead
letters. when returned ~ their owners should |
be charged with treble the ordinary rate of
postage, comprising one rate for return trans
portstion TO tho dead letter office one rate for
registration there, and one rate for return
Lrans portatIon to the writers or owners.
A treaty with Mexico has been concluded,
Awaiting the ratification by Mexico, establish.
ng common international rate of twenty.
i've cents on letters, with other useful provi.
ions,
The Postmaster: General has accepted the
,ffsr msde in 1857 by Great Britain for 20.
duction Of the international rate between the
wo counties On letters from twenty. -four to
welve cents, which however, has not yet gone
n operation, as il wants the response Of the
British officer.
ue EOsltnhsttf Oenerhi gives NJ ieugtn
lis reason for the change Of contracts, for dis.
Quality. Not only was il unsafe, he says TO ,
ntrust the transportation Of the mails TO
,erson who refused or failed to recognise the {
ancity Of an oath, but TO continue payment
4 public money tn the enemies OF the Gov
rnment and their allies was to give direct aid
nd comfort TO treason in arms. We could ,
ot thus permit this branch Of Government TO
TO its own overthrow. .
The Postmaster General also give. hi. rea-
ons for excluding dsloyal publications. from .
hc mails. To await Tie results OF slow JUDI :
ial prosecution was 10 allow crime TO be cou- .
umated, with the expectation OF subsequent {
punishment, instead of preventing lis 9
by prompt and direct iu- I
erference. OF the case, presented Tor has ne. a
ion. upon the principles which he names, he C
as by order, excluded from the mails twelve 9
{ these reasonable publications, OF which 9
sveral lad been previously presented by the
rand jury ~ iucendary and hostile to consti- 8
ntionsl authority. s
While the Postmaster General did not 9
Il