Year: 1861

iSfoauv uoW iost Will ue SaVsu W uoP~ eiASHs.


NAVAL LETTERS


II is suggested for the consideration OF Congress
whether the privilege by the act Of the late session. con
fered upon soldiers send letters without prepayment
POSTAGE should not be extended to sailors and marines 10
the actual OF the United States under such regu
lations as the department shall provide.


MAIL CARRIERS FEE.


By the act approved March g. 1925 (scction 2O) IL Is
provided that mail carrier shall receive and deliver for
mailing tho next Office any letter delivered him for
that purpose than mile from such Office He Is
entitled for such carriage to demand and receive
cent from the postmaster for this service Under the
prepayment system now adopted, this provision should
be amended to allow him to demand this fee of the
writer, in money and Of tho postmaster only when tho
letter snail Dear prepaid stamp for cne cent additional
to the postage.


NEWSPAPERS


BY the existing law section 10 of act approved March
g. 1845) newspapers declared to embrace printed
matter issued by numbers and published monthly, and
are entitled TO the same privilege Of free exchanges ana
low rates Of postage daily and weekly newspapers on
joy IL s ascetanod that this classification is abused
by the publication Of monthly issues OF printed matter
chiefly designed advertising circular or 70 procure
free exchanges for the propretor and they are often sent
gratuitousy.


given by that act be amended by substituting the words
published at short stated intervals Of not than
week, for the words, published at short stated inter-
walls Of not more than month"; Also that the privi
ege OF free exchange Of publications be limited to
papers as thus Defined and literary, educational rel
gous periodicals published not less frequently than
o month.


It is found that considerable frauds are perpetrated
upon the Of the department by publishers Of





70 their regular subscribers, numbers OF their issues
which not sent to their regular subscribers, and
which are, therefore, subject to postage transient
matter.


To remedy this evil recommend that discretion be
given the head of this department to exclude tempo
rary from the mails any news rapeT periodical whose
profrictors agents shall send any Of their with
ont prepayment Of postage to other than bono fde sub
scrbers or, otherwise that express penalty be In
posed for such act


CONGRESSIONAL POST ROUTES.


1t frequently found expedient in connection with the
progress Of railroad communications or changes Of prEc
pal transportation routes 10 change the termn Of Con
gressiona mail routes intersecting them.


suggest, for the consideration Of Congress, the pro-
priey OF expressly authorizing this department change
ermin and lines Of Congressional mail routes inter
scctng principal routes which the mails carried
daily whenever the postal service can be thereby i'm
proved.


ADDITIONAL AVAILABLE NATTER


The twelfth section of the act of 1851 declares sundry
additions which may be through the mails
Various applications have been made TO include other
like NATTER not expressly named therein maiable
matter.


1t is suggested whether it would not be expedielt
TO invest the department with the discretion to allow
such other matter to be transmitted through
the mails at corresponding rates of postage the Post
master General shall by order designate and allow The
public convenience and the Of the department
would derive benefit from such discretionary power.


CARRIERS FEE.


renew the recommendation Of my predecessor that
power be given to tho department to regulate tho
riers fee exceeding the amount Of tho
delivery OF each letter II cannot be sustained in
of the cities and districts without increased rate So
discretionary Win the party addressed to
employ the services Of the not just reason
is perceived why the former discretion should not be
given for tho purpose Of facilitating important
branch Of the postal service.


BRANCH OFFICES


Requests have been made from several otics for tho
establishment Of branch Offices for tho receipt aud de-
livery O letters auxiliary to the city Pos. Office have
been unwilling establish them without some provision
being the additional expense for which he
same foe allowed 70 carriers one cent would be suI
chapter 63 10Y no charge is permitted for this addi
tiona service. Respectfully suggest for the considera
tion OF Congress- the propety OF amending that law and
Of granting this authority and also Of investing this
parmen with the authority to erect IN any city boxpl
collected by carriers for which the fee Of each
letter shall be prepaid by stamps


copFcAroN POSTAL LAWS.


revised code Of the postal laws bringing together in
proper arrangement the various statutes gathered
only by the examination Of the legislation Of many years.
would greatly facilitate the performance Of their duties
by the officers and agents attached 10 this de-
partmen This subject is respectfully commended to the
attention OF Congress


In the last annual report OF my predecessor mention
made of the refusal neglect Of large number Of rail
road companies engaged IL the conveyance Of mails to
execute the contracts required by law of all contractors
for the performance of their duties This abuse continues
When railroad is constructed through district Of
country, competition in the conveyance of passengers
mails and merchandise the route Demand is
Immediately made for the mails, and without reference to
the Importance of the Offices to be supplied at compen
sation much above that previously paid for coach and
vantage which the service gains, although with
respect to private business this is invariably accom-
panied with a great reduction of cost. The
subject demands attention from Congress and that mea
be adopted to enable the government
fair terms with these companies The existing rates Of
compensation in my judgment too high and even
such the government is at the mercy Of the
panies The government has the power to compel them
TO carry the mails fair rates. has the right tho
Of all private property necessary for its purposes
upon making just compensation and provision should be
made resort to this power when fair arrangements
cannot be made by cont act 1hiS would enable
the department to deal with the companies equal
terms.


CHANGE CONTRACTS FOR pIs1oYA1rY.


Soon after the commencement OF my term Of Office the
country felt the shock of inernecinc In view of
the great crime attempted against the existence Of the
nation, 1t became the duty Of this, in common with tho
other departments OF the government put forth all
energies prevent the consummston Of that crime BY
the existing laws all posnasters and mail carriers and
all other persons engaged in handling the mails Of the
United States, or in clerical service, required to
take the usual oath OF allegiance to this government
well for the faithful performance of their duties
Whenever it was made apparent by their declarations
or by their conduct, that there was a practical re-
as was oa n or h postal %a
deprivation Of contract in the other Not only II
unsafe to nrust the transportation Of the mails to per-
who refused failed to recognise the sanctions an
oath but to continue payment Of public money the
enemies of the government and their allies to give
direct aid and comfort to treason in arms could not
thus permit this branch OF government to contribute to
its overthrow. No other could have reasona
bly, been expected by such contractors The bona iae
observance Of that oath, and the duty of aleg
itself, entered into and became q condition, a
part Of tho consideration, Of the contract itself.
This failing, the department cQuitably and
legally discharged from its literal obligations
Protection the part of government and aegcnce
che part Of the citizen correlave and conditions
mutually dependent in every contract and the highest
public interest demanded the rigid enforcement OF this
rule of action Occasional local and transient incon.
venencc resulted of necessity but far less than would
reasonably have been expected. Loyal men, everywhere
sustained this action and speedily furnished the requisite
means for continuing the service without increased ex.
pepse. These changes were mainly called for in parts
Of Virginia and Maryland, and in Kentucky and Missouri
IL the and in neighboring districts, the duties
of the appointment ofico have been very onerous
from the great number Of changes required in post
Offices according TO changing phases Of public senti-
mcnt, individual action aud military occupancy. 1t is
believed that these positions, with exceptions are
held by men Of unluestoned loyalty. Where such
could not be found, the Offices have been discon-
tnued rather than they should be held by repudators
public faith, and used for purposes hostile TO the per-
peluty of our national institutions.


DlsLoYAL PUBLICATIONS EXCLUDED FROM THE MAILS


This department also called upon to act upon
newspapers, having less influence within
be- and in fact devoting their columns to the fur
efforts persstentiy directed the advancement of
hostile interests to thwart the efforts to preserve
the integrity of the Union and accomplish the results
of open without ncurrng judicial penalties To
await the results of slow judicial prosecution was to allow
ntn1