Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1863-02-13


tires Qf ne United Sdfes gf dHerca m Congress as-
seHebied That the President be- and he Is hereby
,honaed to enroll arm equip, and receive into The land
volunteers Of African descent be may deem useful TO
suppress the present rebellion, for such term Of service
may prescribe, not exceeding Eve years. The said
volunteers be organized according TO the regulations
Of the branch Of service in which they may be enlisted
TO receive the same raons clothing and equipments
other volunteers, and monthly pay not to exceed that
Of other volunteers TO be ofrered BY persons appoint
ed aud commissioned BY the President, and TO be gov
erned by the rules and articles of and such other
rules and regulations may be prescribed by the Pres
ident,
Prov,ded That nothing herein contained, or in The
rules and Articles Of war shall be construed
thcr1e or permit any officer Of African descent TO be ap
pp tod 10 tank 70 exercise military naval author
ity over white officers soldiers or men In the military
OF naval service Of the United States shall any
greater pay than ten dollars per month, with The usual
allowance of clothing and faons, be allowed paid TO
pryates or lahOrers Of African descent which may
be IN the military or naval service Of the United States
Pr0ctded further That the slaves u loyal citizens in
The States esemp, BY the Presidents proclamation Of
January 1st 1863 shall not be received into the armed
service of the United States shall there recruit
ing Offices opened in either Of the States Of Delaware,
uaryiand, Ncstern Virginia. Kentucky, Tennessee,
Missouri without the consent Of the Of said
etetes having bern hrst ootsined
Post OGce Department
Senator Collamer has reported very i'm
portant bill, providing for postal reforms in
sundry particulars. This bill empowers the
Postmaster General to appoint all postmas-
ters whose annual salary is less than 81 900 /;
requires posimasters, mail agents and persons
employed in the general post-oihces to make
oath Of their fidelity and loyalty; awards
compensation in FIVE classes--the fret be-
tween $4,000 anl $4,000, the ID between
81, 900 and 81 900, the third between 81, 900
and 81 600, the fourth between 81 900 and
sl0O, the fifth, less than 500; the salaries
to be assigned by the Postmaster General
from a comparison Of average salaries Of the
four preceding years, and may be readjusted
not oltener than once in two, these salaries
to take effect in July next In the Offices Of
the first and second classes it is proposed to
allow a just and reasonable sum for the cost
Of rent, fuel, lights, clerks. &c, and also to
the offices Of other classes which are distrib-
uting Offices for clerk hirei ali box rents and
other perquisites to be accounted for by the
postmaster, the box rents and postage always
prepaid oath made to quarterly returns on
penalty Of perjury; tie Postmaster General
to regulate the periods during which dead
letters shall remain in any post office; those
containing valuable enclosures to be register
ed in the department, and when not returna-
bic TO writers or persons written TO shall be
included in receipts and be subject to recla-
nation; letter carriers to be appointed, and
receiving Offices and boxes 10 be established
and provisions made for carrying local news
papers and small packages ; the rate Of half
ounce letters, three cents; drop letters, two
cents, and no carriers fees allowed register
ed letters to pay fee Of twenty cen,s ne~s
paper postage on weekles, per quarter five
cents seIni-weeklies. ten cents tri-weeklies
fifteen cents dailies six issues thirty cents;
-four ounces to be the standard weight of pc
riodicals; small papers sent in package to
one address charged at the same rate.
| have omitted TO record the fact that no
appropriation from the treasury is required
for the Post Office Department for the year
1868 -4,-the funds of the Department, with
the unexpended balance of appropriation for
1923, being amply sufficient. This is the
first time, | believe, since Judge Collamer
was at the head Of the Department, that an
appropriation to cover deficiencies in postal
revenue has been unnecessary. Judge Cola
mer made the Department pay expenses -
Subsequently, postage was reduced and the
expenses have exceeded the rec, ipts Again
the Department is getting into paying con
diton.