Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1866-02-08
USIoS nES" IN THE SOUTH.

Certain parties having been deputed
by the Post Office Department at Wash
ington, to hunt up acceptable people IN
the South, upon whom to bestow the
emoluments Of postal Offices, the follow
ing deplorable accounts Of the search
have been sent in
Prom ". l. Kelly, Special Agent Tor Miss
LAS instructed, I called upon GoV;
Humphreys and stated my business, ana
received from him the dlseouraglng pre-
diction thar no citizen Of the state, az 70
hsudIa msiI. could be found il Mtssis-
sIpni Who could OF would take the oath
nj Once. &c was pleased, however 10
give notice 70 the General Assembly,
fben in session, Of the Department. DO
sire 70 extend nail facilities 70 the state
T-fs o1-uIoa Of the Governor, 1 m salts
49, IS OF waS q part Of the programme
rf-.e makers Of political opinions Of the
south % keep every msn N line, and al
zach 20 the acceptance Of Office under the
United states, with the present OATH
z.nst1ing OF ~dishonor. some seemed 70
asr g. though the cours would compel
he Colgrts, 10 modify the oath.
an satisfied that but for the pesu-
lent spirit more than two-thIrds Cft-e
..-4-CE EalA-a -aHH aA--A AAAA- 49, -----
As El was. / soon became satisfied that
10 one could 1e -sfzly recommended FOR
llcas which had small salaries at
tacled. for though to-day q willingness
% take the oath might be evinced, TO-
morrow, inundated BY public opinion
IL would be declined. As e was, 1 for
varded 10 the Appointment Once pet-
tons and recCmmeuCauOns Tor p1stm2s-
ts-s 81 over hundred offices, emcra-
cling nesrly every county scat il the
5laUs.n
Er51P z woodward Special Ags-; to- Ca
Ar-AsrA, GA jar -lAa
N forwarding nominations for post
masters % the Appointment ONCE, I
have used increased care 70 name only
such candidates as 7 was assured could
lake the oath. Some having received
appointments, decline % take the PIE
scr-hed cath on grounds apparently nv
rL.u-ss the feeding sud =LelterIng OF
Confederate soldiers without pay. Others
Union men-deeiDe because unwilling
% acknowledge 20 their neIghbOrs the
unpopular fact that they gave 10 yOlun-
rsry aid 70 the rebellion. While we
have secured many excellent men for
postmasters IN this state, the stringency
Of the oath Is depEving the Department
Of Others, whose services would Be iuval-
uable.'
Prom .. 3. Parker. Special Agent for-va-
PosT OFFICE DEPARTMENT.
EIcHNoSD, Jan !, Is5d
EC-. G. ". Mcclellan, second Assistant Post
mas.e--GeDersl:
ST. have the honor to make the FOL
loving report Of operations during the
month Of December, eighteen hundred
and siEry-nve:
a considerable portion OF my time has
been spent in travelling over the differ
e1t mail routes in the State, and indoing
whEtL could 70 systematic mail matters
upon those routes, as well as 70 induce
the people living upon the line OF routes
now under contract 70 apply for the re-
opening Of their post Offices, and the re-
Communication Of suitable persons for
postmssters. But il this the people see,
IN many cases, the 10 them insUrmoUnt-
able obstacle Of the testoath. or iron
clad, - as many are pleased 70 term it.
In this connection, il may be proper
for ne 10 state, as the result Of my %
~servation, that there are persons in
nearly every neighb0rhoOd who could
take the oath prescribed, but such per
sons are frequently so scorned and des-
pissed for their sentiments that they
WOlQ lhfl4g De Akely 70 ne recon-
meuded for the position Of postmaster.
! do not wish % Dc understood as apply
ing this s.GJe Of feelings 70 all cases, and
10 every Eeighborhood, for I think II
rather the exception 70 the rule.
IN the spErsely settled portions Of the
State, I find thst many Of the smaller
Offices WIS established for the eonve-
nience Of q OF more families only.
Seemingly there was no rule correspond
ing with that observed in other sections
OF the country, which governed the es-
Enlistment OF postofhces.
The railroad lileso Of communication in
the STATE sre still lsboring under many
Disadvantages, but have al shown 8
laudaols desire 70 render every possible
facility for the transportation OF the
mails.
2 3 PARKER. Special Agent