New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-09-10
WlSHING ron NOTES.

WAsuISGTOS. Sept Q, 1877.
A case of peculiar interest to mail contract
ors just been officially decided TIC iacts briefly
these: certain mail contract in Texas would have
pred the Goth OF June 1851, Dut Congress passed an
act on February IS 1851 extending this contract until
the Both of June. 1863 The Texas Convention passed
the ordinance OF Secession, February IL, 1851 and sub
mitcd it 10 the people for ratification February %
On the 31s May 1861 the PosmasterGenera ordered
the mail service the route referred to to DO sus-
pended" until it could be safely restored This
order was issued under the Act OF Congress
Of February 49, 1861. Aftcrward, on August
Q 1861 the Postmaster-GeneIal issued another
order discontinumg" The service and annullng" the
contract This under the express terms Of the con
tract, which allowed one months extra pay for suspen-
and annument, IN pursuance of the general postal
laws This extra pay never having been allowed, appl-
Posmaster-G neral having decided adversely to tho
claim, the case was referred 70 the Acknowledgement Tor
his opinion ana ny MN decided 10 iaNor Of inc claimant:
The merits OF this not affected by the act or
Congress passed. last sessou making appropriations for
States postal service known As tue antc-bclun CLAIMS
The Secretary of the Treasury received yes
erday afternoon the report Of the Commissioners di-
Iected - examine the organization aud working OF the
Custom House at Philadelphia That portion OF the Re-
port relating the Secretary instruction in regard to
duties the existing statute the Commission says,
will be prepared aud submitted at an early dag. Tho
port shows that for a series OF years the affairs Of the
Philadelphia Custom House have not been much better
managed than those Of the same institution at New
York. The condition OF the Appraisers office seems to
have been satisfactory than that OF the Coectorand
Surveyor The excessive s1mphng Of sugar ana other
articles Is shown TO have been source Of much com
plant by aud loss TO impo ters. The Secretary % th3
Treasury viii that portion OF the report submitted
to HIM yesterday MS immediate atteltou ~ Is NOT im
probable hat the rule applied iO the Wy rk custom
House Of appointing officers 10 out any necea
sary reforms viii be adopted for Philadelphia
The present is the second year since the
establishment OF the money order system, during which
there has been any decrease III the amount OF money
orders issued by the P0stoice Department Last year
the decrease was comparatively slight beng little less
than 100000 During The fiscal year ending III Jann.Ip'
1877 the decrease considerably IN excess Of 9ioOV
900.
Neither Secretary schurz Commissioner Smith now
feels az liberty to say anything definite concerning the
contemplated change III the Commssionership day
two only will cap-c before the facts will be made known
IL b. Certain however mat M smith VIII lose nothing
by his trauser'tO another position.
The sailing Of the schooner Tom Williams, heretofore
announced SAIL from Eew-York, on Saturday with
United States mail matter for Para, Brazil, has been
postponed until the I0fh inst. The schooner Maggie
Abbott all sail from NeW-lOrk with mails fOr Marail
AaO. Brazil, the day.