, 1863-02-12
FROM WASHINGTON,
Important from the State De-
partment, !,

New YORK, Feb. 11.-Thc Express prints
Washington dispatch, stating that it is report
cd today that Secretary Seward Inns rejcct;A
the proposition Of the French Emperor, far
the North to appoint commissioners to col
suit in Montreal or Mexico.
: WASHINGTON, Feb. 10-Thc Senate passld
to-day lengthy postal bill, drawn up by tM
postal system Of the country. ]
Postnastcrs arc hereafter to be paid fixed
salaries, instead of by commissions as atprcS
ent, aud all fees and perquisites are abolished
The Postmaster General is to have the ar
pointment Of all postmasters, whose yearlf
saslarY is les than t1,ooQ: There e vii be tly,
receive not more than 81 ,000 nor less than
5000; those Of the second class less thai
5000 and not less than s., 600; those of tn,
third class less than $2 600 and not less thai
81 600; those of the fourth class less thai
$1,0oganl not less than 500; those OF the fifth
be adjusted according to the compensation Of
the several offices for the four years next pre-:
ccding July LIST, 1865. This plan will do aTaf
with the practice, prevailing under the pres
cnt laws, Of allowing commissions to post.
masters.
Postage rates on printed and miscellaneous
matter are greatly simplifcd, and regulated
by weight, four ounces being tho standard for
the single rate, and the postage thereupon for
all distances established ut two cents, which,
for single paper is MI increase Of hundred
Icr cent. Books are to pay double rates.
Prepayment is required in all cases, except on
newspapers mud other publications sent to
regular Subscribers, the postage on which Is
payable ut either Office for the quarter year;
and is five cents a quarter for d weekly, ten
for selnsWeekly, aud ut proportional rates
for tri.weckly and daily: These rates are both
reduction from the old, aHd change from
the old continental to the decimal currency.
the half ounce, throughout tho United States
tho Pacific coast included. Partiallyspre-
paid letters may be forwarded, but ore charg-
cd with double rates, as if wholly unpaid
which strikes us as ncedlcssly oppressive.
The bill proposes to make the registration
OF money letters compulsory.
Section sixteenth Of the bill requires all
post1nastcrs to furnish quarterly an account
Of all sums received by them from box rent
and other sources Of revenue, and forbids
them to receive more than the amount of
their salary. The section concerning adver-
tising letters, restoring dead letters to their
owners and disposing Of uncalled for printed
they are we'll conceived.
Ono Of tho most important features of the
new bill is TINT concerning lctter-carrfers.
Section tWeqty-onc provides That letter-cor-
rieEs be employed ata salary not exceeding
six hundred dollars year, but those who hare
shown diligence, fidelity md experience may
hnye their sa1aricS Increased from time to
time to any sum notexceeding one thousand
dollars, at Offices where tbs income from
postages on the local letters shnu yield more
fhan sufficient to pay oil tho expenses of ths
carrier system. The carriers are to give bonds
for the faithful performance Of their duty.
This will do away with the present plan Of
paying one cent for each drop letter on its
delivery. It is similar to the system that las
been IN successful operation for many years
in England, France und other countries. In a
subsequent section tho rate Of postage on
local letters is fixed at two cents, to be pro
1,aid by stamps. This makes the cost for the
delivery Of such letters precisely the same rs
it ie now, but it is simpler, inasmuch as the
whole postage is prepaid, whereas now ona
cent is prepaid md the other Is collected By
tho carrier.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.-THE following COM
m,,ntcation was transmitted to the Senate to-.
day:
10 Tho. President Of the U,.itod States: The
Secretary Of state, to whom was referred 4
rcFolution Of the Senate, passed tic 9th OF
February, In these words, viz:
i9sNted, That tho frostdout Of lhc .Cnited