Evening star., 1912-07-07

service. even in the seeded states-an
anomalous condition Of affairs. due doubt
less to the fact that every one was hop
ing a settlement of the slavery question
might bring the states back into the
Union or that, If they did stay out they
might go upon peaceable understanding
and settlement with the old Union:
This state of affairs continued until the
first of June, 1851, when the Confederate
government was preparing to remove
from Montgomery to Richmond. The en-
try stating this contemplated removal was
made on May II. On the 1st Of June, ac-
13, 1851, the Confederate government as
sumed full control Of all southern post
offices. that day relinquished by the
United States That these men who
ment were devoting themselves to their
work during this infancy Of the Con-
federacy more through love Of their
southern country than through any de-
entry dated May %. 1t is reauisition
made by Postmaster General Reagan
upon the Secretary Of the Treasury for
$2,67S. being, as the entry states, ION ac-
count Of compensation Of the Postmaster
General, clerks, messengers and laborers,
for the quarter ending June 80, 1897
In q word nearly all Of these men had
given up the certainty OF employment
and semi-monthly salary In the Federal
Post Office Department to work for this
more than two months, without a penny
Of compensation. 1t Is light upon the
intense feeling that actuated men in
those days.
Having removed to Richmond. this
young department Immediately became
very busy. Coincident with this re-
moval, McDowelrs army had prepared for
it's advance to Bull Run-and that i'm
mediately put an absolute end to all Fed
eral postal service south Of the Potomac
river. excepting officers upon the river
itself. One must believe that Reagan
and his little force worked night and day
for the next two months. for In that time.
according to the entries in the records,
they removed about 5000 postmasters and
made new appointments. Many postmas-
ters. however, were merely formally re-
moved to be Immediately reappointed in
the southern service.
1t was during this busy time that
Reagan had a conflict with the postal
authorities of Uncle Sam. There was a
man who had the contract for carrying
the mails from San Antonio to Ell Paso,
both In Texas. 1t was no doubt lucra-
tive job. for one Giddings, the man who
held 1t, was loath to give it up and in
sisted upon fulfilling his part of the con-
tract and look for his pay to the authog1-
ties at Washington who told him to go
ahead. But when he went to the San
Antonio post Office to get his mail he
was denied possession of the sacks by
the postmaster under authority OF q
most peremptory order from Reagan,
which Is set out In these records. The
postmasters at both ends Of the route
are thereby strictly ordered to have
nothing to do with anything that savors
OF dealing with the Federal government.
Evidently. however. the desire for
regular mail service was stronger than
their patriotism in the bosoms Of the
citizens of these two towns and they
must have said some plain things by tele-
graph to Reagan. for the very next
entry. made the very next day. is an
order to advertise for bids to carry this
mail. and very shortly afterward tho
shifty Gsddings appears as the contractor