Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1868-12-10


be erations and condition of the postal s
re vice. The ordinary postal re-
he nue. for the fiscal year endi
D. June 30, 1868, was $16,292, 500, a
ar the total expenditures, embracing all [
ty service for which special appropriate
q have been made by Congress, amount
n to 500, $50, 592, showing an excess of e
m penditures of s. 437, 99i. Dedueti
N from the expenditures the sum
,e Sl,S96, 525, the amount of appropriation
of for ocean steamship, and other spec
d service, the excess of expenditures, W
; S4,54, 466. By using all unexpend,
v balances in the treasury, $500, 600 Il
actual SUM for which special appropril
!. ton is required to meet the deficiency
|. S761 ,266. The causes which produce
9 this large excess Of expenditures oYt
q revenue, were the restoration of serVic
Q in the late insurgent States and the pu
ting into operation of the new service es
tablished by acts Of Congress, whic
D amounted within the last two years an
, half to about 45, zoo, miles, equal t
} | more than one-third Of the whole amour
of the service at the close of the war.
The new Postal Convention with Grea
Britain, North Germany, Belgium, tn
J Netherlands, Switzerland and Italy, re
spectively, have been carried into effect
Under their provisions slight improve
ments have resulted in reduced rates o
international postage and enlarged facili
ties with European countries. The cost
of the United States transatlantic ocear
mail service since January l, 1868, has
been largely reduced under the operation
of these new conventions, reduction of
over ons-half having been effected under
the new arrangement for ocean mail
steamship service which went into effect
on that date. The attention of Congress
is invited to the practical suggestions and
recommendations made in this report by
| the Postmaster General
No important question has occurred
during the last year in our accustomed
cordial and friendly intercourse with
Costa RIGA, Guatemala, Honduras, San
Salvador, France, Austria, Belgium,
Switzerland, Portugal, the Netherlands,
Denmark, Sweden and Norway, Rome,
Greece, Turkey, Persia, Egypt, Liberia,
Morocco, Tripoli, Tunis, Muscat, Siam,
Borneos and Madagascar. Cordial re-
lstions have also been maintained with
the Argentine and the Oriental Republics.
The expressed wish Of Congress that our
national good offices might be rendered
to these republics, and also to Brazil and
Paraguay, for bringing to an end the
calamitious wars which have been so long
raging in the valley OF the La Plata, has
been sssiduously complied with, and
kindly acknowledged by all the belIiger-
ents. That important negotiation, how
ever, has thus far been without results.
Charles A. Washburne, late United
States Minister to Paraguay, having re-
signed, and being DESTROYS to return
to the United States, the Rear Ad-
miral commanding the south Atlantic
squadron was early directed to send
ship of war to Assumcion, the capital Of
Paraguay, to receive Mr. Washburns and
his family, and remove them from stu
alton which was represented to be en-
dangered by faction and foreign war. The
Brazilian commander of the allied in
vsding forces refused permission to the
Wasp TO pass through the blockading
forces, and that vessel returned to its ac-
customed anchorage. Remonstrance
having been made against this refusal, it
was promptly overruled, and the Wasp
therefore resumed her errand, and re-
ceived Mr.. Washburne and his family,
and conveyed them to safe and conYe-
nient seaport.
In the meantime an excited contrO4
versy had arisen bstween the President
Of Paraguay and the late United States
Minister, which it is understood grew
out Of his proceedings in giving
asylum in the United States Legation
to alleged enemies of that republic The
question of the right to give asylum is
one always difficult and often productive
CT great embarrassment in States well
organized and established Foreign
powers refuse either to concede or ex,
ercise that right except as to persons
actually belonging to the di plomatic
service On the other hand all such
powers insist upon exercising the right
of asylum in States whore the laws
of nations ere not fully acknowledged,
respected and obeyed The President
of Paraguay is understood to have aps
piled TO Mr.. Washburne's proceeding, the
Injurious and very improbable charge of
personal completely in insurreetion and
treason. The correspondence however,
has not reached the United States. Mr.
Washburne in connection with this con-
trOYersy represents that two United
States citizens attached to the Legation |
were arbitrarily seized at his side when
leaving the capital of Paraguay, CONS
mitted to prison, and there submitted to
torture for the purpose Of procuring con-
fessions Of their own criminality and
testimony to support the Presidents al |
legation against the United States
Minister
While the United States have on all |
occasions professed decided unwilling |
ness that any part of this continent or Of |
it's adjacent islands, shall be made a
theater for new establishment OF mon
archial power, too little has been done
by the United States on the other hand |
to attach the communities by which we
are surrounded to our own country, or |
to lend even q moral support to the ef-
forts they are so resolutely and so earn
eStly making to secure republican insti> |
tutions for themselves. 1t is indeed a
question of grave consideration whether |
our recent and present example is not |
calculated to check the growth and ex-
pansion of free principles and make those
distrust ifnot decide against /
our government, which while it consignst to
military dominion States that are inte-
gral parts ofour Federal Union, and while
ready to resist any attempts by other ma
tons to extend to this hemisphere the |
monarchial institutions Of Europe, as
sumes to establish over large portion
Of its people rule more absolutely harsh
and tyrannieal than any known to civil
zed powers.
The acquisition of Alaska was made
with the view of extending the national
Jurisdiction and republican principles in
The American hemisphere. Believing
hat further step could be taken in the
same direction, last year entered into
treaty with the King of Denmark for the
purchase of the islands of St. Thomas
md st. John on the best terms then OBJ
ainable, with the express consent of the
people of those Islands. This treaty still
'emains under consideration in the SEN
tie. A new convention has been entered
nto with Denmark enlarging the time
liked for final ratification of the original
reaty. Comprehensive national policy
would seem to sanction the acquisition
md incorporation into our Federal Union
# the several adjacent continental and
nsular communities as speedily rs it can
oe done peacefully, lawfully, and without