Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-12-07

ton if 1t can be done.
Some of the provisions of this bill are
very good, but it will doubtless bs r,Odiaed
before being reported to Congress.
The Postmaster Generals Report.
We have not space for the full report Of
Postmaster General Blair, bat c5ndense all
that viii be of interest 70 the general read
er. he states that the whole nanber Of
postof6ces in the United States is 2e, 5Ss I;
and that the entire number oS cases acted
upon during the same period was 10, ,e3s,
including appointments made By the Presi-
dent of the United States. The whole num-
Der OF appointments made by the Fostoas-
ter General vas 9,2s5, and the number by
the President during the same period, 337.
The aggregate earnings of the di9erent
transatlantic steamship lines during the
year ending June 30, 1861, were 1891, ,Ss7, SO.
The receipts of the department in the Escal
year ending Juhe 30, 1861, amounted to
SIS, SOC, 1911. The expenditures were
SI4,s74,7 ,7T2 80, showing q decrease in le6
of 81, ,268, ,OI3,7s.
The gross revenue for the year 1881, in
cluding receipts from letter carriers, and
from foreign postages, ameunted to
So, ,349 ,296,4O. The decrease Of 1861 COM
pared with 1850, is only $l6s,77l. The
act,GI decrease falls below the estiElate6 de-
crease, as presented in the last report by
81, ,436,457. The estimate of tAs tctsl eX-
penditures for 1862 is somewhat less than
those ofprevious yesrs heretofore submitted.
The difference arises from the fact that only
partial estimates are made for ths cost OF
postal service in States where it i5 roU sus-
pended.
The whole number of ordinary deed let
tiers received and examined during the year
was about Z, $50, 900. The number Of these
letters containing money which were regis
tered and sent out during the year ending
June 30, 1861, was 10, $50. The namher OF
dead letters returned unopened to foreign
countries during the fiscal year was IL, TAT,
which added to the number of domestic let
ters, 1O3, ,sse) sent ont as above, gives the
whole number sent out from the dead letter
Office for the year, 2l5,033.
The result of successful investigation in
1900 cases, confirms the past experience Of
| the Department, that the failure of letter 70
reach its destination is, in the vast majority
| Oh lublAuCu11 buu AnuAt uA0hO VI b-AC WAAsSA N-
sender. Out of the above 1850 valuable
dead letters, 3,O95 were directed to tho wrong
office; 467 were imperiectly addressed; 6l2
we're directed to transient persons; 257 tc
parties who had changed their residences
/ Sal were addressed TO fictitious persons OF
firms SO were uncalled for; 10 without any
| directions; 2,l36 were not mailed fo= wan
of postage stamps; 79 were missent: and foI
the failure Of postmssters to deliver 133, nc
satisfactory reason was assigned. Tbs De
partment therefore, can justly be held re-
sponsible for the nOn-delivery Of bct 2l2 o
these letters.
Much other valuable data is given on thil
subject, and it is worthy Of remark that ou
Of &c, 76e letters before alluded to, originating
/ in the loyal States, and addressed TO resi-
dent. of disloyal States, 10000 could not bt
returned, either because the signature Of tht
writer was incomplete, or because the lettel
contained no clue to his residence. The eX
perience of the Department proves that 8
large proportion Of domestic letters written
by educated persons, and particularly women
are deficient in one or both these respects.
The Posmaster-Generalg gives ct length hii
reason for the change of contracts for dis
loyalty. Not only was it unsafe, hs says, tC
entrust the transportation of the mails to 6
person who refused or failed to recognize the
ssnctity Of an oath, but to continue payment
of public money to the enc miss Of 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 biz
reasons for excluding disloyal publications
from the mails, To await the results Of sloV
/ judicial prosecution was to allow crime to bC
consummated, with the expectation Of sub
sequent punishment instead o. preventing
its accomplishment by prompt and direct in,
reference. OF the cases presented for hf
action, upon the principles which he names
be has, By order, excluded from the mail
| twelve Of these reasonable publications, o
which several had been previously presente'
to the grand jury as incendisTy snd hostil'
to constitutional authority.
In view Of these and other facts the Post
master General suggests that valuable dest
letters, when returned to their owners, shoult
be charged with treble the ordinary rate O
postage, comprising one rate fo- return trans
portation to the dead letter once, one rat
for registration there, and one rate for trans
portation to the writers or owners. Tn
Postmaster General has accepted the offe
made in 1857 by Great British for reduo
ton Of the International rate between th
two countries on letters from t9enty-Sour {
twelve cents, which, however; hes not ye
gone into operation, as it awaits the respons
Of the British Office.
While the Postmaster General did no
claim the authority to suppress any news
paper, however disloysl and reasonable il
contents, the department conld not be GALE
upon to give them circulation. HIt cOul
not and would not interfere with the free
dom secured by Law, but it could and di
obstruet the dissemination oe that hcens
which was without the pale Of the cOnstitu
ton and law. The mails established By th
United States Government could not. upoi
any known principles Of law or public riqhi
be used for its destruction.
tlAs well could the common carrier b
legally required to transport a machine de
signed for the destruction Of the vehicl
conveying it, or an innkeepee be oompslle
= to entertain traveller whom he knew to b
! intending to commit robbery in his house.
BE finds these views supported By the hig
J authority Of the late Chief Justice Story, (
? the Supreme Court Of the United State
whose opinion be quotes.