Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1862-01-15
RICHMOND WHIG.
REPORT or TaE PosrNAsrGR GENERAL

Of the Postmaster General, dated "Post Office Depart.
uent Richmond, Nov 27.h, 1861" lis length precludes
the insertion Of the report in full but make room for
the subjonad extracts which will only p'ove inter
eging to the publis but indicate the comprehensive
ness aud ability Of the report
RECEIPTS AND kIPESDITURLs.
The total cost of the mail service in the eleven States
which compose the Conedsrl'e States, for the 6s.
cal year. ending june 30.h, 1860 uuder the Govern
ment of the UlEed States, Tour millions, two hun
dred aud nReysx thousand, two huudrei aud forty six
dollars aud seventy eight cents, s4 296 2f6 IS The
total receipts from the postal service tOr the year
milor, FIVE hundred and seventeen thousand,
hTe hundred aud forty dollars and fy6ye cents, ISL,
5l7 $40 5j The excess Of expenditures over the
ceips for the tune, two millions, seven hun
dred and seyentyegh thousand seven hundred and six
del,ars aud tNenty-thfee cents, (S27IS7G6 23)
The report Of the Auditor OF the Treasury the Post
Office Department. OF tho receipts aud expenditures for
the fractional qlarer, of one month, eudpg the SOsh,
Of June Bs ths Tor the Subsequent quarter,
ending September SOth, not being sufficiently complete
70 bls hin g,plrt or that quarcr show total Of
e1pend of two hundred thousand Lile hundred aud
hr,seyen dollars and ninety seven cents 2OO 937 97
and total OF receipts Of ninetytwo thou and, thr
hundred and egttyseyel dolIrs aid sixty cents
92 SS 81 y leaving AL excess OF expenditures over re-
sepl OF oae hundred aud eight thousand i've hnudred
iy- tates dollars and thirty cents, (lOS,553 3O)
These ,urts, fos The month OF June made up OF
20 meagre I'd imperfect material, shown by tho
port Of the Auditor account of the absence OF return
nom portion Of the POsimasters, aud from the fact
hat the service OF many contractors has not yet been
recognized aud remains unpaid, for reasons which will
lppsas in suos, quel portions o; this report give
relabll data for determining or estimating the
cepts and expenditures OF the Department. Tor the
nander of the current fiscal year.
NAIL IEaEGULARITIEs.
Among the many difficulties whon the Department
las euosuutsTyd in efforts TO secure efficient postal
-ervice, the ilIoEing most prominent clues may be
enumerated l. qusuce OF the failure the
Congress O the United States make the u,u. eppro
priapoas for the postal service Tor the year ending
June 3Jth 1860 and for tie deficiency il the applo-
lrations aud oT the precedAg year. msuY coz
tractors unpNa for period Of more tlan fiX
uonhs and had completely exhausted their credit for
obtaining supplies necessary for their stock AID in pro-
curing coaches ami d-ivers, and compelled eli her
abApdon theic perform impsrttcs and partial
service thereon. During the period which interyeaed
between the Of the several States and the
.uupIon ty the Genie! !eritc States GOycrnment ot ts
postal III i,s tie eu,i,e seyee became demoraz and
partially broken up, contractors foucd no certain
provision made io The plymeu, Of their services during
EAg p.rOl; aad there Sas TO greet extent, so-
g sense Of responsibility N the performance Of
hc dudes OF both contractors and postmls'ess they
lid not recognise tho authority Of the U.iied States
ioveI nmeuJ and the Colfeier Government had 10
,outrcl OF the service prior TO the Is; Of jane.
Alter the i.sce OF NY proc amadCn provosgg 20 con-
uuo a contractors 10 the service OF the 0OI.tdsrate
Government, many oi.them seemed 70 be a1IiOus to De
rsgsTuot as cOntr actors, without executing new con-
rcts with the Confederate Government rcserying 70
themselves the gh. TO lb ,rdon the scrvicr ut their
pleasure but demanding pay, aud in numerous nstan.
- increased pay for the service performed.
Others claimed the night to 'iOrm ilfcrior service
Instead OF he agher Grade OF service Wach they had
contracted vi;h the Uuiled GovcrIncst u pcr.
FORM, aud demanded the pay due Tor the higher grade
, service Tht travel over mlHy Of the Stage routes
sAs greatly iutgrcrcd with b. tae condition OF the
country sod these routes ceased to be- pref able and
many led themselves Of the opportunity
,resen ted by the that wilhou. executing new con.
tracts they were fres from liability, end abardlncd
their routes entirely and th's- rou'cs generally
constituted tru'k n"s which supplied The inferior
throughout thc country with their Elil matter Of
great and widespread en- rt'smsn; produced and
continued uu new scrv,c, could bc prcc1rtd by aiycr-
Using or by eprcal contracts In Cls's aivcrs,
ncns for proposals have met with no respon7e or It r.
.ponded TO- f by bids exirlvegn. and unrcason.
able A. % prNclie On r acceptance. II In
Stances contractors, luenced by sp''i, OF patriotic
devotion to the common oluso connected thems Ives
si;h IA army (l'bOugh BY iay cKemps from military
service wherc thcy discharged their duties in person.
and left the Performance, tacr service carriers ui
the nils IN tue bands OF cl.atss Incompetent agpnb
aud II the service IL continued, great delay is
pefieuced in obtaining contracts 70 ensure it, faithful
perform ancs by reason cl th.r abscnca.
Ia humorous inst tho Department has not been
lppized Of the Abandonment. OF roucs, ulGl long nj
ter bad occurred and then no. by is proper ogeGts
but by sOm1 citizen ncNtpAper Communicating the In.
formation 20 the Department; aud when iuye'igGiion
been had II has frequently bsen found tia: the
Ir5c.oss and POSTMASTER were IN TIE army.
Ir some cases " aba UdOHmcut Of service, the poet,
rnlster and citizens have ob.lGet I'm Iofsry services by
he patfo;ie o. IN P:vlJf means. without notice
tue Department, aud the s,r'ice, 1o beag 5ur to
ts control Is Irregular aud imperfect
But the failures and de'ss IN the receipt fetters and
newspaper. notsways .sly cha geab to delnqueu
lss OI tue D.pss.neut aui il sgeuts is Jhe p-ac
ice of the m3-s extensive newspaper offices tho large
,'ips no; cny 10 dc, teir packages % the Offices II
delivery bu. also b.c thcm IN pouch supplied by The
Department aud label the bags to the several route
agents upon the r-reut railroads.
repcr recently made to the u 'plrment by two Of
ia specs, agents who had been direct 10 visit several
OF the important newspaper ollces ard obtain tie
consent Of the editors 60 aud revse their mai
ug books" states tiat hee hook very imperfect
and In cons qgeucs thereof slcks Of noF-plpeF9
rCqlentlg sent ront0 agent line of railroad
winch ttould Ety, been scus q another nEea On road
trayersing entirely different section OF country, but
connecting some remote point; thus product great
delay and irrecuari'y in their livery R,u.e agents
nave frequently reported to the department that the
pers IN these SACKS in ilstauG eg5lT
dreced tha; Il impossibls sort aud deliver them,
aud Ia others they are entirely without direction
IN regard letters many Of them fail 70 reach their
destination 10 consequence Of msdrecon or lllesibc
and careless direction aud vast number Of letters ad
dressed to persons in be army delivered because
tue writer's thereof fail 10 gtate In the direc0D the
name OF the company and regiment which the party
addressed bspngs aud, in the various aCd rapid
charges Of companies and regiments from point to
suchT there bcirg nothing IN the supcr,crpton 10 ad
the pcs master 10 dtermi1nc towhat pos oo' tho let
should be forwarded h. 10 obliged to retain them
lha ddp ,i letter.