Year: 1860

MIR. CoLFAx.--I ask to have letter read from
the Postmaster General, in regard to the mails to
Pike Peak.


The letter was read as follows:


PosT OFFICE DEPARTMENT April 6.


SfR:--Referring to our conversation OF this morn
ing in regard to lack of mail facilities in the Pixies
Peak region, would state that, there never having
been any post routes in that region till the act OF
March 27, 1850, il has been impossible for the De
partment to supply that section with mails. Nor
is it possible now, until Congress furnishes an APP
preparation for that purpose. If, however, your
committee should recommend that the appropria-
tion for this service, now Incorporated in the gen
erl Post Office appropriation bill, should be pass
ed at once, as the post routes in that region
in a special bill, and If Congress should concur
therein, the Department would at once furnish tenn
porary service under the act of &c. IL it can be OBJ
tanned reasonable terms, and advertise for regu
lar contracts there, to take effect in July next.


Respectfully, your ob't sery't,


HoRsrro KING,


Acting Postmaster General.
Hon. Schuyler Colfax, Chairman Committee on the


Post Office and Post Roads, House of Represen-


tatives.


Mr.. CorrAx.-I am instructed BY the Committee
the Post Office and Post Roads, unanimously
to report the act to furnish additional mail facili
ties; and will move TO suspend the rules for the
purpose of having it put upon its passage.


Mr. CRAWFORD OF ofGeorgia. / gave notice to the
gentleman from Indiana, when the question was up
before, that should oppose the passage of the bill
unless it shall be amended


Mr.. CoLFAx--I have no objection to the gentle
man from Georgia speaking, if the rules not
enforced against me, and | am allowed few mo-
meDts in reply.


The SrEAKER-The bill will now receive its first
reading.


Mr. CRawroRp--I desire, before the bill is read.
to state to ths House the condition ofthe question.
This bill has been brought forward for the purpose
of authorizing the Post Office Department 10 put
mail service on the Pixies Peak routes which have
bee passed at this session of Congress. object to
the bill being passed at this particular time, for
this reason: no service has been put upon the new
post routes embraced in the bill of 85S for the
States. for the reason that Congress failed to pass
the annual Post Office appr propriaton bill.


Now, feel it my duty-being one of the gentle
men who had post routes inserted in the bill of
1858, on which no service has been put-to object
to giving these people OF Pixies Peak advantage
over citizens Of the old States who have had mail
routes established for more than two years, and
still have not had service put them, because of
the fact of no appropriation having been made at
the last session. can see no reason myself why
the people of Pixies Peak should have mail service
in advance of the people of the old States. do
not see why they should be placed in better con-
dition than the people who had new mail routes
given them two years ago. Ii would be an act of



injustice to the latter.


state to the gentleman from Indiana. that while


shall for the present oppose the suspension of the
rules which he desires, for the purpose of allowing
him TO get his bill before the House, Yet if the
rules be suspended, l shall move to amend by add
ing to II Sl1U,UUU-a sum recommended by the
Committee OF Ways and Mcans--for the purpose of
putting In operation the new post routes embraced
in the post route bill of 1853; and, as matter of
course. shall expect that the members who have
had new routes on which no service has been put,
to vote for my amendment so that our people may
be put on the same footing those of Pixies Peak.


Mr. CoLrAx.--ln making the motion to suspend
the rules for the purpose of introducing this bill,
simply performed a duty dcvolred upon me by the
House. IL is the duty Of the committee of which
have the honor to be the representative on this
casion, to promote. as far possible, the mail ia
cilities OF the country; and assure the gentleman
from Georgia that, if he can point me to any part
of the State of Georgia, where, by any omission
heretofore, there were post routes put in opera
! ton where the people have thus been deprived of
mail facilities, and have been subjected to the ex-
tortions ofexprcss companies--paying from twenty
five cents to one dollar for the messages Of afec-
ton and business between themseyes es and their alb
sent families and triends-I would stand here to-
day moving bill for the benefit of his constituents
J just cheerfully as do now for the people of
Fixes Peak. think the course of the Commit
tee on the Post Office and Post Roads heretofore
has proven that We do regard with mpartiality the
Just claims OF all sections of the Union. The pco-
pie of Pixies Peak are four. five, or six hundred
miles from the frontier. They have post Offices,
bu. have no post roatcs-at least none in opera
tion-and consequently m mail connection with
the States. The people there have been drawn
from all sections of the country in their anxiety to
extract gold from the mountains. They have left
their families and business and friends at home and
4Svx1o~ ~f
cept through express companies. II Is duty
which the Government of the United States owe,
to them that they have mail facilities in common
with the other millions of people thro the land
! The argument OF the gentleman from Georgia i.
fallacious in this particular also: that those new
post routes embraced in the act of June, 1858, or
which services has not yet been placed By the Post
master General, account of the lack of appropri
atons. nearly all in the od well settled States
where they already have post routes These would
increase their mail facilities be sure; but still
they have some service now, unlike these Pixies
Peak people, who have no mail facilities whatever
except such proposed to be given in this bill
| The Fost Office Department cannot give them
any; and we simply ask that the amount which has
been reported by the Committee of WAYS and
Means in the general Post Office appropriation bill
which, as every one knows, will pass finally on the
last day of the session. shall be appropriated now
so that. if the Senate concur, they may have the
benefit of our postal system Immediately. The
object OF this bill is. therefore, to give the people
at Pixies Peak the benefit of a mail service during
the present session, instead of waiting until JULY
for the bill 20 pass, and then, perhaps until August
before the service is established. It is certainly
reasonable proposition and is only carrying out ths
legislation of Congress during the present ses
sion establishing these post routes,i and carrying
out the recommendation of the Committee of w ay:
and Means, rs reported to them in one Of the gen
eral appropriation bills. which, as have stated
will not be passed until at the close of the session
while our object is to provide these mail facilitie
now.


Now, sir, I will state to The gentleman from
Georgia, (Mr. Crawford,) who has intimated tha
he would object to this bill unless he may have tn
opportunity Of proposing an amendment. that if th
rules be suspended and the bill brought before th
) House, will give him the opportunity, befor,
J moving the previous question on its passage, o
proposing an amendment and having vote Of th
House upon 1t. will say furthermore TO the gen
tleman from Georgia, that, for one, was in favor
j in the last Congress. of appropriating the amour
necessary to place service on all the post route
established by law For Ibelieve no expenditure
, made by us are wiser and more benc6cen
>, than those which furnished improved mail facil
: tiles for the people-the only direct manner, in
deed, in which the blessings of Government ar
dispensed to all its citizens i am willing. there
fore, that the gentleman may have the opportunit
TO introduce his amendment, and, as 1t appropr
ates only for those nev routes which the Postmas
|, ter General may deem advisable to put servic
upon, it is certainly sufficiently guarded, and wi