Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-09-26
Resignation of post Master General

ReRiguaffon Of Post Master OeAefiu
When the Baltimore Convention passed
the resolution to the effect that it was adeem-
cd essential to the general welfarethat har-
mony should prevail in the National OOun-
ell, &C." Mr.. Blair applied the resolution
himself and, with a magnanimity that
reflects the highest honor on him, prompt
" rendered his resignation to the President
70 be accepted whenever ne, the President.
should see ft. After nearly Eve months
lad passed, the President signihed his &C
ceptanee Of Mr.. Blair's offer to resign. The
correspondence which passed bstween those
gentlemen shows conclusively that their
official connections was dissolved in the
most friendly spirit.
The New York Herald understands that
Mr. Blair has taken this step in order to
be at liberty to stump the border States for
Lincoln and johnson.
It will not be out of place, in this con-
nection, to make few remarks in regard
to Mr.. Blairs management of the Post
Office Department, the great reforms he
has succeeded in bringing about and the
many improvements be has introduced, all
of which will go to show that in him the
country loses the most efficient and ener-
getic Postmaster General that ever filed
the chair of that Department.
Mr.. Blair entered upon the discharge of
the duties Of his Office March 4th, 1861.
At that time several of the Southern States
had already seeded, although the mail
was still being carried in those States at
the expense of the Government. When.
the Post Master Generals draft on the diff
ferent post Offices in the seeded States
were refused payment he very promptly
ordered al the mail services in those
States to be discontinued. The result
of this step has been TO make the
department nearly selfsupporting, for the,
first time since the adoption of the low.
postage rates, ss the receipts of the South
ern postofices were far less than the cost
of carrying the mails in that section.
Inls62 and SO the increase of the postal
business was so great that the total re-
ceipts of the department were nearly the
sans as before the South seeded; and
were It not for the depreciation of the
currency, the department would have pro
duced handsome revenue 10 the natioaal
treasury thing formerly unheard Of
In 1862, IA order to be enabled to bring
our postal system up to the English and
French standard Of excellence, Mr.. Blair
commissioned the Hon. John A Kasson,
formerly first Assistant Post Master Gen
eral, 70 visit Europe for the purpose Of in
vestigating the different postal systems
there, and 70 attend the European Postal
Convention held during that year in Paris.
The result of Mr.. Kssson's report deter
mined Mr.. Blair to recommend the doing
away Of the system. Of post bills and keep
ing account of all matter mailed at the
different post Offices, also to recommend
the introduction Of the system of free de-
livery OF letters by carriers in the cities,
the adoption Of the money order
System, and the system of travelling post
Offices. These recommendations were
adopted by Congress, and laws were pass
ed to carry them out The doing away Of
the post bills and keeping account of all
letters mailed, and substituting fixed sal
ary for each Postmaster, instead Of allowing
him q commission on the epostags on matter
passing through his Office, alone will effect
a saving Of several hundred thousand
dollars yearly. The system of Free De-
livery of letters, in this city alone, will speak
for the convenience of that system-a sys-
TEN by which letters are delivered at a
saving Of ninetsen-twentieths OF the
time consumed by the public in going
after their mail matter The money
order system viii be started on the
1as Of October. It will do away with the
necessity of sending money through the
mail his feature speaks IFS own praise.
The travelling Post-ofice will expedite
the transmission Of the mail on long
routes on an average twelve hours, by
avoiding the delays at distributing Post
ehices. ~
On Mr.. BIsir's Recommendation, Con
gress passed law altering the rates of
newspaper postage from 81, Is, le, 80 cents,
&c, per quazter, to the convenient sums of
8, 10, Is, 20 cents, and so on. This of it
self was vast reform.
The above are some of the improve
ments introduced by Mr.. Blair into our
great postal system, for which he is enti-
tied to the appreciation of our people
No greater compliment eould be paid Mr..
Blair's administration of his department
than that given him when the President
stated to him in his letter, that he has yet
toreccllect thstany complaint had ever been
made against the management Of the Post
oface Department. b
It is not certain who win succeed Nj.
Blair. It is stated that Ex-Governor Dem
nison was tenderedt the place, and declined
it We hope that this is true that he has
been offered the position, and that it is
not true that be has declined, for he would
make most valuable ddition to the oabi-
net, for which his ripe experience IN the af.
fairs of State 50 pre-eminently fit him Z