Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1862-01-15

| manner walsh may De iound aVaHAOie. ine IL" IoI-
bids payment until contracts are mada The De-
par.men ia held responsible 10 the public judgment for
tie regularity of the mail and for their speedy and
pfomp. delivery Companies who refuse to contract co
So Il is believed for the purpose OF keeping 1t out oil
the power Of the Department to control their schedules
of arrivals and departures and their running time And
they retain in their hsud the power to control or dc.
feat proper col eues OF service both their ToaCs and
others connected with them.
To to crate such course s to invite perpetual con'u
SION missonnecons, delays and failures OF the mails,
and 20 u ce it 10 the power Of single company TO n-
jure tho public and all other couplnies whose interests
depend in any degree on it, action. When they are
offered reasonable compensation and refuse to accept
it and cootrac as we have no legal means OF eompe-
ing them us liberal ard patriotic course, see no
remedy nut TO refuse 10 deliver the mails 10 them aud
let On Injured public find the meaus, if it can of com
pe'liDg tnem TO a reasonable course OF conduct. IL Is
proper in this conuec lou to say that at the ednc-
ed rate Of compensation allowed to the railroads. oil this
rountry uuder the recent OF Congress- they receSe
higher rate OF compensation than the railroads OF any
other country fer similar service except the railroads OF
| tee United States.
Tae railroad service was designed to be daily
sad hoped, with proper schedules and speed this
would answer the public wants. Bnt the Department
has encountered nnumerAbe difficulties IN try TO &c
proper schedules adoped and has found a. i,ut TO
get them coniormed TO, after being adopted, as TO get
them adop.ed in the first instance.
Ia the meantime the railroads have been, Decessarly
much occupied in Transporting soldiers and supplies, at
munitions OF war which has materially interierCd with
the regularity o. the mails And the War Department
and officers have frequently directed military seized
be by the roada in conflict with the schedules
/ OF the Department.
These ihiGgs with the ordinary cAuses OF delay ard
loss of connections such running fl the track, bresk
ing o bridges. &c. &c have rendered the mails 80 IT,
regular m,ke il accident, now, instead OF the
rule 10 have regular connections between any distant
aud important points.
The DsplrimenJ las been visited with much
on account OF these irregularities, Notwithstanding il
has done everything in its power avoid them and E
10 u.s. ssLs, poasiole for thtm. And the Compi
MES aays been pretty GENERALLY no ID that the Depart
ment will do all il car by way Of fines aud deduciiors
for failures in order TO compel regularity in tie service
Tlc failure of the railroad companies TO enter more
generally into contracts places t out OF the power OF
tle Department. at this time 10 form any reliable est
mate Of the reduction OF the current Co.'S OF the railroad
service.
pRAD LETTERS.
The number Of dead letters received and openSd,
this date, ia sS,6s2. The number OF drop letter.,
5l2 The number OF letters held Tor postage, 1851
g67 dead letters contained ia money S5,75l so, and
1911 contained drafts, bills, Of exchange notes aud
olher valuable papers, amounting to ST. 2SS GiS 81
A large amount OF the foregoing belongs TO persons
not residents OF tho ConieGerae ates aud will be p.ac
d in the hards Of he proper ulcial ctcsrs, 10 be dit
posed Of under the Seques:ra.on Act.
Tho foreCl letters except q oc for the French Gov
erumsut and the Uuiec States have been unopeDcd.-
IN compliance with the ,quet OF The Ffench Consul
have hal the letters from Fancs opened aud those
witch contained money and valuable papers delivered
TO him.
Tn Elcsh letters have been delivered to the English
Consul.
SIX hundred and ninety four dead letters containing
money 20 hr amount OF 81 59S So have been returned
20 the writer's thereof Fifty seven letters containing
1889 o. having been the offices At which they
We're mailed be delivered to the proper persons by
tho p0masters aad have been again returned to The
D ipyr.m'ut unclaimed. Oas hurdred aud hny-.wo let
tec5 ye' ou: for delivery 10 thor writer's
Th-v contain Sal 45. Si1ty-four letters containing
$3.50, belonging to non.residen!s Of the Confederate
StIIcs.
r1.rAdE STAMPS.
To first delivery OF postage stamps by the contract
ora made tho l5h October last, and since hai
date only 43O 700 stamps have been received all Of
wr ID have been ssued by this Bureau to po't Offices
which large bodies of troops have been situated,
with a vcs to their special accommodation.
Tne difficulties which havs been encountered by the
Department ia it, endaiVOs 20 procure postage stamps
and stamped onyeop,s producing great delays IN pro.
curing them in such Qudnutis % meet the demands
of the public have caused much Impotence 20 be mani
tested that account, which induces me to state, at
,cme length, the various Cloris made by the Depart
ment to procure them as well ior the information oc
Congress for the vodicton Of the Department. againlt
charges of neglect Of dgty IL that re- pect
The manifest advantage OF having stamps aud STAMPED
envelopes for the payment Of rosag has been from the
trll fully rcalzl "A by tho Department ard Immediately
Giler my appointment, aud before tho Department
orglnz d, correspondence was commenced with such
parties known TO be able TO manufacture them,
Tor the purpose OF procuring hem a. the e,li day pos
sible. Propositions submitted early in March lslt,
frou parties 10. residing in the Oonedcrlte States
supply theu and the Department led TO bseVe they
might b. obtained b. the lime i could be organized AID
prep red TO take controlof tho aervcc But the politi
cal cinEgcs then going rapidly and the iucEeascg
probabilities OF hcsdltirs between the and the old
Governments soon rendered the fulfmeut OF the ist
proposition to furnish stamps aud stamped envelopes inn
pO' sble
L. Juiy 4 co-f lant;al agent Was employed
BY tie Department TO procure the mtking Of tie reqUr
ed steel di and pai'a postage STAMPS b. end
territory aud furnish them to the Department
G they could be prepared ami also II found praccab e.
10 have the samps made and furnished ready for use
Alter receiving some eac0ur4gcment anu nicer tho
work OF msk,ng seel di's had zen oomncnced cicum.
stances rendered the discOniinuaucs o the work by The
manufacturer necessary. Aud our agent then made
elJrt another point, to procure Autographed Stamps
OF superior style, and after aomc delay IL b,came NC
e8stry abandon that CJrt TO supply the Dp rimant
This brought TO September. Aud in the mainline M
extensive co.respo uce kept up by the DspGr-
ment and has been steadily pors 'vcrel in up to TINS
time with persons in various cities ia :he COrtoderats
States snd indeed with every person who was represcn
g! 10 the d pariment an engraver, who migat Cxt
cute the work desired. Urged by the wants of the pup
lc the Department asinduccd temporary e1p-deHt
20 mak arrangements with lithcgraphic e-iablishmn.
In this city for the Manufacture o! Autographed stamps
Unexpected delay however occurred ia the preparation
Of them and after the pl3on oS the pstes the sup
plies furnished 10 he Dsp4r meEt we're insult ,ent 10
set the demand for them and the prices charged
ofbant as compared with the cost Of the superior st6e
pa.c impressions in use in the United Safes and other
governments tha special agent disp .,casd the
27th 0ctober to Charleston, $ @, and Savannah, Ga
for TIE purpose OF asceranilG the pacoty Of having
-tnmps rnt' here on favorable terms, aud in
orlrt les Su1L 10 the public demand This agent re.