The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1863-02-27
Letter of Maj. Campbell Wallace,
President E. It. g. Ga. r. R.
OFFICE EAST TENN. & GA. X. X. Co.,
Knoxville. Feb. 10, 1868.

President E. IT. g. Ga. r. R.
OFFICE EAST Tenn. & GA. X. r. Co.,
Knoxville, Feb. 10, 1868.
Hon. Jony II. REAGAN. Postmaster General,
{. S. A., Richmond, Va:
DEAR SiR-ln view of the difficulties in
the way of Congress making approprla-
tions out OF the Confederate Treasury for
the support of the Post Office Depart
ment after March. and aware OF the great
reduction of mail facilities that must
take place after that time, in order TO
make that department self sustaining, as
REQUIRED by the Constitution ] suggest
that it would be proper for Congress to
limit the price to be paid TO railroad com
panes for carrying the mails to hity dol
lars per mile, commencing the flrst oil
April, and to continue until the end OF
the year and no longer.
am satisfied that the railroad compa-
MES of the Confederate States would
.cheeriully Goquiesce in such law father
than the people should be restricted in
their postal facilities would make the
rate uniform-giving to all the roads the
fifty dollars per mile, as it is not so much
the ,ceight of the mails carried that en-
ters into the cost OF the transportation as
it is the preparation for the work, and
that expense is about the same per mile,
to the I'd and Sd class roads, as 1T is to the
first For instance, this company, under
your classification, is receiving one hun
dred and fifty dollars per mile. while
some other roads, carrying lighter mails,
but at an equal expense, receive only
one-third of that sum. do not wish to
be understood as intimating that the
price now paid frst-class roads for mail
service is too much. On the contrary,
my experience in many years OF railroad
management, has been that often would
gladly have given up the mail contract
rather than adopt schedules which were
necessary for mail facilities, when knew
that such schedules would lose the com
papy in local travel five dollars for every
one received from the Government for
carrying the mail
But our Government is now in its in
fancy. This is the day OF our trial, and
from many years intercourse with the
gentlemen who control the railways IN
the Confederate States do not feel that
am hazarding much when say that
YOU will find them, without exception,
acuuescing in such q law, not grudglngly,
but cheerlully. The result to the finan-
ces of the Post Office Department, while
not bearing heavily on the roads, would,
according to the figures in your report,
be saving of not less than halt million
of dollars per annum on your present
contracts. which saving will be mucn
greater when the Confederate States will
have reclaimed her railroads and extend
ed her mail facilities in territory now
overrun by the Fedora Is.
In this connection, would respectful
" suggest that you withdraw your recon-
mendation to increase the rate OF news
paper postage, and the suggestion to tax
printing establishments with postage on
their exchanges. ] cannot well CONCEIVE
of any one thing that would be more dis
astrous to the prosperity of our young
Republic than any action OF Congress
lessening the facilities Tor furnishing the
people with information, or trammelhng
the operations Of those engaged in pre-
narina in suitable form, that information
tor the people. The press has been eve,
rything to us in this crisis, and should
not, in my opinion, be placed alongside
with the ordinary industrial pursuits oi
the country. Its mission is to elevate
man-its work is with the intellect, ana
in proportion as you foster virtuous'
free press, you build ups virtuous Tree
| people, and make them strong 10 de'en',
that freedom. The history OF the woriu
does not furnish evidence that ever be-
fore has the press been more Tree from
personality and a tendency to licentlouS
ness. in times Of either peace or war
than il has been in the Confederate States
for the last two years, and never oeiore;
has government been more ably and
patrotically sustained by the press
Give the publishers them eve
ry needed facility for cheap transpor'a
ton. They have not advanced their PR
ces in proportion to their increased eN
pendtures. Newspapers to circulate Tree
iv and widely must be cheap-cheap II
price-cheap in postage-like salt, th'
consumption is in proportion to the cost
cheap salt creates large consumption
and hogs, horses, cattle, sheep and ba
| con always give unmistakable evidence
of the advantages of cheap salt. SO will
the mind-the man. Give communitie
the advantages of cheap books-cheal
newspapers-cheap mail facilities ant
YOU will always reap rich reward II
good morals and highly cultivated peo
ple-willing to sacrifice all else than th'
right to govern themselves, and herei'
lies the strength and power and success
of the Confederate States in this unnat
ural and terrible war.
Truly your friend,
G.. WALLACE.