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THE CONSTITUTION All ST.
JAMES GARDNER, JR.
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»■"■■■ "L 11 " J_. ■■■■-!""-1™”"
Report of the Postmaster General-
Post OmcE Department, Dec. 6,1817.
Sir: On the 30th of June last, the post
routes in operation in the United States were j
153,818 miles in extent, and the annual trans
portation of the mails over them was 33,887,899
miles, as follows :
On railroads, 4,170,413 miles, at a cost of $597,475
On steamboat*, 3,914,519 “ “ 246,745
In coaches, 15,299,006 “ «* 9jo 45.3
By other modes of ) ~ .
inferior grade, \ 15.593.97 i “ “ 639,166 j
. . $2,416,843
Ihe increase in the extent of the routes since |
the Ist ot July. 184-5, Is 9.57 S miles, and of 1
transportation 3,253,630 miles.
Since the Ist of July last, new routes have !
been put in operation miles in extent, at !
an additional cost of $42,943 per annum.
The number of mail contractors in the ser
vice, during the last year, was 3,359; of route j
agents, local agents, and mail messengers con- i
nectcd with the mail service on railroads and i
Steamboats, 183.
At the lettings in the Southern section dur- |
ing the last Spring, in the States of Virginia,
North and Carolina, Georgia and Fieri- j
da, the service was taken at greatly reduced
prices, llicre will be saved in that section j
about $103,697 per annum—a reduction of j
about 19 por cent, from the former prices.— j
This result has been produced by that provl- -
sion of the act of 1545 which directs that the I
lowest bidder shall be accepted, without re
gard to the former contractor, or the stock ;
which he may have had employed upon the i
road. The service in that section has been I
increased.
A detail oi this branch of the service will be i
found in the tables of the First Assistant Post
master General, which accompany this report,
marked A and B, 1 to 7.
The number of post offices in the United
iStates on the Ist of July last, was 1-5,146,
showing an increase since the Ist of July,
1345, of 933. Tnc number established during
the y<~ar was 829, and 284 discontinued.
The changes of postmasters during the year
were 3450, Os this number, 2,153 were ap
pointed in consequent e of the death or resig
nation of the former postmasters; 249 in con
sequence of changing the sites of the offices;
829 by the establishment of new offices; 216
were removed; and of 3 whose terms of ser
vice had expired, the commissions were not
renewed. The report of the Second Assistant
Postmaster General, marked C, accompanies
this. Resignations have been less frequent
since the passage of the act of the Ist of March,
1347, which directed an allowance of increas
ed rates of commissions, and restored to the
postmasters in the smaller offices the franking !
privilege, although the actual increase of com- !
pensation is not so great as was expected, or '
probably intended by Congress, at the time of
its passage, or as the increased business of the
offices, under the reduced rates of postage, 1
■would have justified.
The 14th section of the act of 182.5 author
ised the alio w r anee of commissions, not exceed- )
ing the rates therein specified, “on the amount
received in any one quarter.” The act of 1817
directed their allowance “on the amount re
ceived in any one year,” at the higher rates, j
This change in the mode of computing the
commissions has had the effect of slightly in
creasing the compensation of the postmasters, j
■whose offices yielded less than $1,133 25, the
increase being gradual up to S3OO, and on that
sum the increase is only $lO, whilst there is a
gradual decrease from that sum of about 7A
per cent., until the sum of $1,133 25 is attain- j
cd; and upon offices yielding that sum, the
compensation to postmasters, under both laws,
is the same.
In the offices yielding from the sum of sl,-
133 25 to $4,511 25, the compensation allow
ed by the act of 1825 exceeds that allowed bv
the late law; making a gradual decrease until
the sum of $2,400 is reached, when the loss of
compensation amounts to $95. The loss of
compensation is gradually diminished until
the sum of $4,511 25 is reached, and, at that
point, the compensation under both laws is
the same. At offices yielding over that sum,
the compensation to the postmasters is regu
larly increased four and a half per cent.
It is believed that, if the mode of computing
the commissions by the quarter, as prescribed
by the act of 1825, had been retained in the
act of 1847, the increased rates would have
been satisfactory, and would not have afforded
a larger compensation than the additional du
ties ot the postmasters, or the increased busi
ness in their offices would require. It the
commissions were computed by the quarter,
the increase of compensation to the postmas
ters in offices yielding $lO would ba $1 00
100 would be 9 00
1,000 would be 95 00
10.000 would be 577 00
40.000 would be 1,927 00
From the best estimates which can be made,
the number of letters and papers passing
through the United States mail during the
last year may be stated as follows :
Paid and un paid single rates of 5
cents 36,152,556
Paid and unpaid single rates of 10
cents 12,851,532
Ship and steamboat letters at 6 cts 427,800
Ship and steamboat letters for
warded in the mails from for
eign countries, two cents added
to the regular postage 850,980
Dropped letters .< 885,308
Printed circular letters 1,025,304
52,1 / 3,480 i
The free letter* sent by persons entitled to
the franking privilege, and those sent free to
the army, cannot be ascertained with any de
gree of accuracy, but is believed would not fall
short of 5,000,000.
The newspapers passing through the mails
annually are estimated at 55,000,000; pamph
let? and magazines at 200,000. The number of
transient newspapers, paying three cents each,
cannot be ascertained with any accuracy, as
the postage is returned with that on letters.
The dead letters passing through the offices
and returned to the department, as near as can
be ascertained, number annually about 1,800,-
000; which, calculated at an intermediate point
between the two rates of postage, would make
an annual loss to the department of $135,000.
The newspapers, circulars, advertisements, and
other printed sheets sent to the offices, and not
taken out or returned to the department, will
not probably fall short of the number of dead
letters returned,
T.h* great labor required of postmasters in
mb—wap—Bß—attpa
the reception and distribution of such a num
ber < f letters and newspapers, in addition to
the reasons before assigned, would make it
just and proper that the former mode of com
puting their commissions should be restored.
The revenue of the department for the year
ending the 30th of June last, including $65,-
555 55 due from the United States treasury
for the postages of the government, appropri
ated by the 12 th section of the act of the 3d of
March, 1847, and not drawn from the treasu
ry, amounted to $3,945,893 31 ; exceeding
those of the preceding year by the sum of
$458,693 93—being an increase of the last
over the preceding year of 13.15 per £ch.tv> and
! falling short of the annual average revenues
[ of the nine years preceding the Ist July, 1845,
i by the sum of $118,731 34.
1 Os thi s sum there was derived from letter
postage, including the sum yet due from the
treasury for the g /eminent postages, the sum
: of $3,2-54,512 98, which exceeds the amount
of letter postage of the preceding year $372,- |
815 2t, making an increase of 12.93 per cent., j
whilst It f ills short of the annual average |
revenues fr om the same source, for the nine j
years preceding the Ist of July, 1815, by the |
| sum of $553,479 91.
In the same time there was derived from the !
: postages on newspapers, pamphlets, &c., $613,- I
160 59, making an increase over the preceding
year of $31,018 10, and an increase over the :
annual average of the nine yea!' a r “ •
$114,181 61. This statement includes the sum I
of $35,609 25 paid by the British government |
for the transportation of her closed mails
from Boston to Canada, part of which prop- |
crly belongs to the revenues of preceding j
I years, \va* not paid until within the lust year. |
The returns for the quarter ending the 30th ]
Sept, lust, have not been received and adjust- j
cd in the Auditor’s office, so as to enable me \
to make a precise statement as to its revenues. |
A comparison of the returns from a number of 1
the larger offices with those from the same j
offices tor the corresponding quarter of the j
preceding year, indicates an increase of about j
17 por cent. The expenses incurred in con- !
ducting the smaller offices are so much more
than the larger ones, in proportion to their
revenues, that the increase should not be esti
mated at more than 11 or 12 per cent.; nor
would it be safe to estimate the revenue of the
current fiscal year by those of the first quar- |
ter, they depend so much upon the activity in
the trade and business of our citizens, which •
is almost more or less affected by the condition |
of other countries, that it would not be safe, i
taking into view the commercial embarrass- !
monts which exist in England and some other .
nations ot Europe, to estimate the increase of j
the present year at so high a rate as that of the ;
last, or to such an amount as the revenues of i
the first quarter would indicate. I therefore
estimate the probable increase of the present |
year at 6 per cent. If this increase is realized, 1
that, together with the $200,000 appropriated i
by the twelfth section of the act of 3d of .
March, 184 7, for the postages of the United
States, will make the revenues of the current
year amount to $4,313,157, which will exceed
the annual average of revenues of the nine
years before the reduction of the postage ssl,
467 65, and only fall short of the annual aver
age expenditures for the same period $185,-
433 88; and will exceed the expenditures of
the last year $333,587. The expenditures for
the year ending the 30th June, 1347, amount
ed to $3,979,570 63—making only $33,677 33
more than the revenues.
The expenditures of the present year will
exceed those of the last by the following
sums;
For the mail steamer Washington, $100,090
For the steamer Hermann for seven
months, 58,333
I For cost of the mail routes establish
ed by the act of the 3d of March,
1847, 50,000
| Add for contingencies, 20,000
$228,333
j From this sum may be deducted the savings
j which were made in the southern section at
i the lettings in the spring, amounting to SIOB,-
I 637.
The means of the department of the present
j year are estimated at $4,313,157-
Expenditures, estimated for the
: same time. 4,099,203
• .
Leaving a surplus of $213,951
It is gratifying to find, that within so short
a period after trie great reduction of the rates
of postage, the r r nues of the department
i have increased much beyond the expectation
of the friends of the cheap postage system;
while the expenditures for the same time have
j diminished more that half a million of dollars
I annually; and that the department is in a
condition to sustain Ltselc without farther aid
from the treasury.
These results have been produced, mainly,
by two important provisions adopted in the
I act of 1845:
First, That reduction in the rates of post
age has produced so great an increase in the
business of the offices, that the revenues will
soon equal those received under the former
I high rates.
Second. The direction to the Postmaster
General to contract with the lowest bidder,
without the allowance of any advantage to
I the former contractor, as had been the case
j before its passage, had the effect of enlarging
the field of competition and reducing the price
1 of transportation, except on railroads and in
steamboats, to the lowest amount for which
the service can be performed; and will reduce
! the whole cost of transportation, when the
other section is let to contract under it, but
little less than a million of dollars per annum
| from the former prices.
It is not doubted that these results would
have been still more favorable if the modifica
j tions of the act of 1845, heretofore suggested
! by this department, had been adopted.
First. Private expresses still continue to
| be run between the principal cities, and seri
| ously affect the revenues of the department,
i from the want of adequate powers for their
suppression,
j Second. The privilege of sending sealed
letters “in relation to the cargo,” free, over
mail-routes, is the source of innumerable
frauds upon its revenues.
Third. If the single letter were made the
j quarter or third of an ounce, instead of half,
(except when written on a single sheet of pa
per,) and prepaid, or double postage required
when not prepaid, the revenues of the depart
i ment would have been greatly improved.
Fourth. The postage on newspapers is une
qual and unjust to the public themselves.—
The same postage is charged on each, with
out regard to weight. Many of the larger
class of papers weight over towand a half ounces
each, and pay but one cent and a half for any
distance over 100 miles; and if charged as
| letter postage, would pay, under 300 miles,
15 cents, and over, 30 cents. Other papers
; weigh as low as half an ounce—only onc-tifth
of that weight, and pay the same rates. Some
ot the larger size periodicals weigh over 12£
ounces, and pay 14£ cents over 100 miles;
and if charged with letter postage would pay,
under 309 miles, $1 30, and over, $2 GO. This
inequality of tax on the different publications
1 should be regulated in some way; and no rea
rm is perceived \vhy the postage should not
jbe regulated by weight, as 011 letters. The
weight and bulk of the mails, which add so
greatly to the cost of transportation, and im
pede the.progress of the mail, are attributable
to the mass of printed matter daily forwarded
from the principal cities in tiao Union to e ;ery
part of the country. Justice requires that the
expense of their transportation should be paid
by the postages charged on them; and it is
believed that the present rates would meet
that object, it the postages could be equalized,
and in all cases collected.
Fifth, The payment of postage, or douolc
postage, on all letters passing through the
mails for delivery within the United States,
and prepayment on letters destined for foreign
countries not having'postal arrangements with
the United States, and on all printed matter.
Sixth. The abolition or modification of the
franking prviliege, so as to cover only official
correspondence, tor which payment is made
to the*department by the 12th section of the
act of 184?.
These suggestions for the modification ot
the act of 1845, have been presented in former
reports of this depart ment, and the reasons
therefor given more at large. To them I
may now add, that since the introduction of
postage stamps, as directed by the 11th sec
tion of the act of the 3d of March. 1817, the
prepayment of letters would be less felt as an
inconvenience to the people than formerly.
The favorable operation of the act of IS4-5
I upon the finances of the department leads to |
i the conclusion, that by the adoption of such
i modifications us have been suggested by this
department for the improvement of its revenues
j an q the suppression of abuses practised under j
1 it, the present low rates of postage will not i
| only produce revenue enough 1“ meet the
! expenditures, but leave a considerable sur-
I pirn* annually, to be applied to the extension
| of the mail service to the new and rapidly in
i creasing sections of our country, or would
I justify a still further reduction of the ratespf
! postage. In the opinion of the undersigned,
: with such modifications of the act of 1815, as
; have been suggested, a uniform less rate might
I in a few years be made to cover the expenses
1 of the department; but by its adoption, the
i department would be compelled to rely upon j
i the treasury for some years. At this time, |
j during the existence of a foreign war, imposing
j such heavy burdens upon the treasury, it :
! might not be wise or prudent to increase them, I
| or to do anything which would tend to im- |
: pair the public credit; and, on this account
| alone, recommendation for such a reduction is
! not made.
Postage is a tax not only on the business of
' the country, but upon the intelligence, knowl
edge, and the exercise of the friendly and social
feelings; and, in the opinion of the undersign
; ed, should be reduced to the lowest point
! which would enable the department to sustain
: itself. That principle has been uniformly !
acted on in the United States as the true stan
dard for the regulation of postage; and the
cheaper it can be made, consistency with that
1 rule, the better.
As our country expands, and its circle of
I business and correspondence enlarges, as civil- j
ization progresses, it becomes more important
to maintain between the different sections of
i our country a speedy, safe, and cheap inter
course. By so doing, energy is infused into
the trade of the country; the business of the
people enlarged and made more active, and an <
irresistible impulse given to industry of every j
i kind; by it, wealth is created and diffused in !
numberless ways throughout the community,
and the most noble and generous feelings of
; our nature, between distant friends, are cher- !
ished and preserved, and the Union itself more
I closely bound together.
I After presenting the condition of the finan
j ces, 1 thought it would not he unacceptable
; to submit statements of the operations of
j those branches of the department having con
i trol of them, as well as their organization, and
requested the Third Assistant Postmaster Gen- j
1 eral, John Matron, Esq., and the Auditor for j
the Department, P. U. Washington, Jikqi, to |
i report to me tiie detailed operations of their
: officers for the last two year*—the latter being
i charged, by provision of law. with the adjust
; ment of the accounts, as well as with the col
lection of debts; and the former, by regulation,
with keeping summary cash accounts in al
vance of the official settlements, so as to be pre- !
I pared for the timely issue Os drafts and war
rants in payment of the balances certified by
the Auditor tube due from the department,
i These reports, marked E. an d V, exhibit the
I duties assigned to each, the great amount of
j labor performed by them, and the zeal, punc- ;
tuality, and fidelity with which their duties
arc discharged, a- well as those of other officers |
connected with the collection and disburse- ;
1 ment of the revenues. It is with pleasure 1
state that, of the 15,148 postra .sterS in the U.
I States, whose accounts have to be rendered
I and settled quarterly, there were only 154
I delinquent in making their returns at the
j close of the last year, and most of those cases
arose from an inability to supply some of the
offices with mails, for the transportation of
which contracts could not be obtained on the
new routes.
In other cases postmasters had just entered
upon the duties of their officers; whilst some
of the offices were vacant from inability to
procure persons to discharge the duties.
The returns of dead letters are believed to ,
exceed 450,000 eacb quarter.
Iu the year ending the 30th of June, 1848
there were sent out from the department 2,340
j dead letters, containing $17,822. Os this
; number, 2,021 were received by the owners,
j containing $16,189; and 310 were returned to
; the department, containing $1,653 49, of which
$254 was worthless.
In the year ending the 30th of June, 1817,
there were sent out 2,782 dead letters, con
taining $21,055. Os these 2,365 were delivered
to the owners, containing $19,474; and 417
returned, containing $1,580 93. Os this gum
$147 was worthless. During the two years,
$1,911 54, were added from this source to the
funds of the department. Since the reorgan
ization of the department in 1838, there has
been added to its funds from the dead-letter
office the sum of $10,32 28.
The exhibit E likewise shows the number
of letters containing other articles of value, and
the dispoaition made of them.
The mass of dead letters coming into the
office, for the transportion of which the de
partment receives no pay, is taken, except
those containing articles of value, and, under
the supervision of one of the clerks of the de
partment, burnt. If this immense number
of letters could be returned to the writers, it
is not doubted that a large portion of them
would be taken out, and the postage paid.
This would have been ordered; but the num- j
her of clerks now authorized by law would be I
unable to perform such additional duties.
A large number of those dead letters is from
foreign countries addressed to emigrant citizens
resident in the United States, in a foreign
language, and, from misdirection, or the mis
understanding of the direction by the Post
masters, never reach their destination. If
those letters were advertised, under the direc
tion of the Postmaster General, after they
come into the dead-letters office, it is believed
that many of them would finally reach the
persons addressed; and the postage upon them
would probably equal any expenditure that
would be requir ’d to meet that, object.
The table of the Auditor exhibits the im
portant fact that revenues for the two years
preceding the Ist of July, 1847, amounting to
about $7,300,000, has been collected, except
$21,948 34; being less than one third of one
per cent, on the w hole amount. The balance
is believed to be good; as, iu most cases, in
dulgence has been given to the representatives
of deceased postmasters, or their sureties;
whilst the whole amount has been disbursed
without the loss of a dollar, or is now in the
treasury ready for use —thus showing that the
■ large revenues of the department, collected by
over fifteen thousand postmasters throughout
our widely extended country, in small sums
from almost every citizen in the community,
under the immediate supervision of those
energetic, faithful, and indefatigable officers
and their subordinates, arc at once made ap
plicable to the expenditures of the department,
and that, in practice, there is no difference be
tween the accruing revenue of the depart
ment and its available funds.
The other Assistant Postmasters General,
He ars. Hoflii and Brown, and other officers
connected with the department, have not been
less vigilant, active and energetic in the dis
charge of the duties assigned them.
The regulations adapted by you early in the
year 1845, providing for the due attendance of
the officers in the several departments, and for
the punctual discharge of their duties, have
been strictly complied with iu this, and have
infused great vigor into the regular business
of the bureaus, including that of the Auditor.
It may not be amiss here to state, that in the
regulation of the salaries of the bureau of
ficers in the city, and the three Assistant Post
masters General, whose duties are as impor
tant to the country and require as much talent
and labor as any other, have been left much
less than other officers performing similar ser
vices ; and justice requires that they should
be placed upon a footing of equality. *
The expenditures of the department for the
year ending the 30th of June* last, amounted
to $3,979,670 63, which is less than those of
the preceding year by the sum of $93,466, and j
less than the annual average expenditure of
the nine years preceding the Ist of July, 1845, :
by the sum of $520,022. The principal item |
of expenditure is the sum paid the contrac- |
tors for transporting the mails. In the last ■
rear there was paid for transportation $2,- 1
476,455 63.
The compensation paid to railroads of the i
first class is much more than that paid for the |
inferior grades of service, in proportion to the !
length of routes or the amount of service per- ;
formed, which induced me in a former report 1
to recommend a reduction of the maximum
allowed for that class of service.
The principal routes of the first class are
those extending from New York, by Philadel
phia, Washington, and Charleston, to Athens,
in Georgia, and to Montgomery, in Alabama,
over which the great southern mail is trans
ported ; and from Baltimore to Cumberland,
over which the principal western mail is ta- j
ken, and they are paid the maximun sums al- '
lowed by law—for single daily service, at the i
rate of $237 50 per mile ; and for more than j
one daily trip, at the rate of S3OO per mile.— I
it has been found useless to attempt to con- \
tract with railroads for a less amount than the
maximum allowed by law r . They are gene
rally without competition for th? mail service ;
and the contention with the department seems
to have been, from the passage of the act of
1838, to obtain, under one pretence or anoth
er, more than the amount prescribed in that
act. The phraseology of that act, and of the
subsequent acts, is of a character to admit of
controversy as to the meaning of Congress ;
and it has been the fruithful source of annoy
| ance to the department, and, occasionally, of
: much public inconvenience.
The 2d section of the act of the 7th July,
1838, made all railroads post routes, and di
rected the Postmaster General to have the
mails transported over them “provided he can
have it done upon reasonable terms, and not
paying therefor, in any instance, more than
25 per cent, over and above what similar trans
i portation would cost in post coaches.’' What
Congress meant by “similar transportation” be
came an important as well as difficult ques
tion. The Postmaster General finally decided
; it by taking an average of the cost per mile of
■ the coach service between Baltimore and Cin
cinnati —the most important and rapid, as
well as the most expensive, in the U. States at
the time. That was found t) cost $199 per
mile, to which 25 per cent, was added, ma- 1
king the sum of $237 50 per mile as the max
, imum for railroad service. This decision gave
great dissatisfaction to the company whose
road lies between this city and Richmond; nor
■ was it satisfactory to some other companies
who performed more than one trip daily ; and
the Postmaster General reported the facts in
his annual report of the 3d of December, 1838,
and invited Congress “to correct the construc
, tion given the law of the last session, if too
liberal or too strict; or to resort to such furth
tr enactments as the public interests may seem
i to require.”
j On the 22d of January, 1839, Congress again
took up the subject, and another act passed,
| prohibiting the Postmaster General from al
lowing more than S3OO per annum “for the
conveyance of one er more daily mails” upon
any Rail Road; “provided that nothing in
this act shall be so construed as in any w ay to
j remove or impair the limitations upon the
power of the Postmaster General imposed by
that section,” (the 2d section of the act of
1338.) If the words “one or more daily mails.”
be construed to authorize the payment of S3OO
per mile for a single daily trip, it is in direct
conflict with the proviso in the same section,
•which expressly saves the restrictions in the
act of 1833. The restriction was to $237
50 iu the act, as construed in the department
! and communicated to Congress, and hence it
was settled in the department at the time,
that $237 50 was the limitation for a single
daily service, and S3OO per mile the limita
tion for more than one trip daily; and this
construction has been uniform since in the de
partment.
The 19th section of the act of 3d of March,
1845, made it the duty of the Postmaster Gen
eral “to arrange and divide” the railroad routes,
including those on which the service was per
formed partly by railroads and partly by steam
boats, into three classes, and authorized him
“to contract for conveying the mails with any
such railroad company,” either with or with
out advertisement, “provided that, for the
conveyance of the mail on any railroad of the
first class, he shall pay no higher rate of com
pensation than is now alio we-i by law,” and
fix the maximum for the second class of rail
roads at SIOO per mile, and for the third class
at $50 —an inequality in their compensation
that cannot be easily or satisfactorily explain
ed. After the passage of this act, the subject
was again taken up in the department, and
considered with great care. The act of 1845,
limiting the power to pay on the first class
i routes to the amount “now allowed by law,”
' was regarded as adopting the maximum set
tied and prescribed in the department from the
time of the passage of the acts of 1838 and
1839 for that class of service, with as much
I certainty as if the precise sums had been set
I down in the law in so many words or figures.
The act did not specify the maximum for
steamboat service when connected with a rail
road, though necessarily implied in. the lan
guage used; and the power to contract for the
service of either, without advertisement, was
given. As steamboat service had always been
treated in the department, and justly so, as an
inferior grade of service to that of railroad,
being much less expensive and less expedi
tious, and superior to that of coaches ; and as
the law had settled the maximum of railroad
service at twenty-five per cent above coach
j service, an intermediate point between the
two was believed to be fair, just, and liberal
for that class of service; and twelve and a
half per cent less than the allowance to rail
roads was adopted as the maximum for that
kind of service when connected with railroads.
The classification as well as the prices have
given rise to occasional complaints among the
companies owning railroads and steamboats,
i though the service has been generally well
in °
' and satisfactorily performed, and paid for at
the prices above stated.
Some of the companies performing single
daily service insist that the maximum of S3OO
per mile for “one or more” daily trips autho
rizes the payment of more than $237 50 per
mile, and demand a larger sum. Others con
tend that the performance of the service in
the night will justify the payment of 25 per
cent, upon the maximum. Others insist that
there is no limit upon the price for steamboat
service when connected with a railroad; and
claim enough on the steamboat part of the
route to make what they allege to bean “ado- i
quate compensation” for the service on the
railroads. Iu other cases, railroads connect- |
I ing and performing portions of the trip over '
; the Same road, but in different cars, claim dou
| P a y over part of the same road. In other !
! cases, roads running parallel with each other, !
i serving the same offices, and under the con
trol ot the same directors, claim the maximum
; tor service on each road.
| {To bo concluded in our yiext.')
~i ustts t a , ©ecr 3 i a .
| THUR3DAT MORNING-, DEC. 23-
The Mails-
Ail the Hails due, we believe, came to 1 and
j last evening at a lute hour, and a goodly num
ber of bags were they. It was impossible to
j get off all their contents in time for the Great
; \\ estern Mail, but all that could be distribut
ed up to 10 o’clock were sent off.
i
We were enabled to obtain a few of our ex
changes of the latest dates, from which wo
| have taken the most important items of news.
There had been no intelligence received at
New York of either the British or French
1 steamers, both of which are now past due.
We give in another column the jiroceeJings
of Congress on the 18th inst. The Senate
was not in session on the 17 th, and in the
House but little business was done in conse
quence of the announcement of the death of
Mr. Dromgoole, of Virginia.
Quitman Dinner-
In our notice of the dinner given yesterday
| to this distinguished officer, we said that song,
| story and toast, were alternately given. On
‘ the removal of the cloth, his honor the Mayor, ■
j rose, and after delivering a very appropriate 1
! address, gave a sentiment, which we regret
we arc unable to published, not having been
furnished with a copy.
To the address of the Mayor, Gen. Quit
man made a prompt and happy reply, and con
cluded by giving the following sentiment:
By Maj. Gen. Quitman. — The first Georgia
Regiment —Worthy to represent upon the bat
i tic field the chivalry of this Great State.
After the reply and sentiment of General
Quitmann, the followihg, among a number of
other toasts; were given :
By W. T. Gould, Esq.— Our Troops in
Mexico —
Be every harp and vial strung.
Till all the woodlands quiver !
To many a band your bards have sung,
But never hailed a braver.
By W. M. D’Antignac-— The Citizen Sol
die) —The defender of his country in war—its
ornament in peace.
By James T. Gray, Esq. — The Volunteer Ar- j
mg of the United States — Its valorous deeds
upon the battle fields of Mexico, have taught I
nations to view the citizen soldier as a suffi- |
cient guard to the liberties of a country —the ;
record will b? proved in the spontaneous out
pourings of the hearts of a grateful people. 1
By W. E- Evans. — The achievements of the \
i armies of the United States in Mexico — Unpar
| alleled in the history of the world.
By Hugh O’Neal. — The American Volunteers 1
—Like the ancient Romans, t ley are ia\inei-
I bl» with their “Shields.”
By the Rev. Dr. Barr}". — Patrick Leonard, of j
j the S. C. Regiment, and h : s Flag —He proudly
; carried it through battle on his bosom —may a
! stout Irish heart ever be near to sustain it.
j By Wm. O. Price. — Our Country— May she
; never command her victorious array to retreat j
i from an enemy’s country until every soldier I
| cries quit, with a Qt«*;-man to back them.
Bv Dr. L. A. Dugas —The United States Ma
-1 rines —Hitherto known to be invincible as Sea,
' they must now be recognized as equally effi
; cient on Land.
By W. T. Gould, Esq.— The memory of
\ Major Levi Twiggs*
By Mr. Gliddon. —(Pointing to one of his
tableaux on the wall) —There stands the Great
Pyramid, about which Napoleon had said to
the French army before their victory over the
Mandates, “Soldiers! from the summit of
the Great Pyramid forty centuries look down !
on you.”—May the union of these Republican I
States be as firm as the cement, and may their
duration equal that of the Great Pyramid.
By Win. 11. Maharry.— The Volunteer Citi
zen Soldiers in Mexico. —To them belongs the
honor of planting the stars and striqies on the
Halls of the Montezuraas.
By Thos. W. Fleming. —Our Guest —The
first American Governor of the State and City
of Mexico —may his successors imitate his ex
ample.
By J. M. Clark, of So. Ca.—The Palmetto
Regiment—worthy to be commanded by our
guest.
By J. S. Pulsifer.—Old Rough and Ready—
A Taylor that always gives the Mexicans fits,
and never takes cabbage.
By A. G. Willis. — Gen. Quitman. —
His martial fame has spread from shore to shore,
As ancient Coesar’s did in days of yore :
The bloody battles he has fought o«a -»uu,
Gives him the title, Mississippi’s gallant Son.
By Col. G. F. Parish.— Our County man Gen.
D. E. Twiggs —He is one whom Georgia will
ever cherish.
By John Hill, Esq.— Gen. Z. Taylor— The
\ Idol of the American army and pride of the
nation, may our people raise him to the high
est pinnacle of glory.
By P. McGran, Esq.— To the memory of our
soldiery who fell upon the plains oj Mexico.
By Mr. Twiggs. —General Quitman —Under
whose command the American Banner has
never been furled.
By Mr. D. Mixer.—Gen. Quitman did not
quit Mexico until he showed them that his
Iron power had taught them submission.
By Captain Daniel W. Dill. —Our Guest—
„ Those who know him best, love him most.
> By Gen. Quitman. — Georgia —Although the
l youngest of the thirteen original States, she
i ! is not behind any in gallantry.
. j Bv W. T. Rowland, Esq.— Our Gallant Na
■ | V y. —They have guarded the gates, while our
5 | victorious army did service in the fields of
I Mexico.
1 By R. S. Jackson. — The American Arms. —
[ Renowned in valor—yet in the hour of victo
ry their steel is ever tempered with mercy
i
By Geo. W. Morgan. — The Old Dominion
I ami the Empire State. —When their Scotts and
. their Taylors, their Worths and their Quit
j mans, are in the field, in truth may it be said
; that our countrymen fear no rivals from for
, ! eign lands.
I j By Capt. James Adam. — The Sword of the
: United &«/<•*.—Always ready to be drawn
defence of the national hoAor. at the same
| time having its point tipt wi;h mercy.'
m. t> 7 * Northern Wail
• j Ihe Baltimore Sun of 21st inst. say*—Tlie
I mail from the north and east, contrary to tren
j f al expectation, including the extensive mail
| * rom south, and the western mail, which
; late on Saturday night, laid in our
post-office all day yesterday. It appears that
the railroad company have not yet acceded
! to the desires of the Postmaster 'General to
run a morning train on Sunday to Philadel
| pliia. The mails were made up at the post
! office, in accordance with orders received, but
| no preparations had been made by the compa
j ny to carry them.
the following notice, which we
find in the Charleston Courier of vesterdav,
there is every prospect of our citizens being
disappointed in the rich musical treat, antici
pated in the concerts amounted by Messrs.
Ilerz and Sivori :
“We arc requested to state that Messrs. Ilerz
and Sivori will be unable to give a Concert in
this city, in consequence of other pressing
engagements.”
Death of the Koa E- S. Gamble.
M e have heard with profound regret of the
death of this estimable and worthy citizen. He
died on the 20th inst. at his residence in Jeffer
son country, of apoplexy. Beared in humble
circumstances, he had by his high integrity and
untiring industry and perseverance, attained a
commanding position in the Stale —having long
represented the county of Jefferson in the Le
gislature. He subsequently occupied for several
years a seat in Congress, and more recently on
the bench of the Superior Court, which latter
office he resigned in consequence of ill health.
Universally beloved and respected wherever
known, his death will be much regretted—
Chronicl* of Yesterday.
South Western Hail Head-
At a meeting of the stockholders of the
Central Bail Boad, held in Savannah on the
loth inst. a resolution was passed almost un
animously, authorizing a subscription of $250,-
C'OO to the South Western Bail Boad, and at a
public meeting of the citizens of Savannah, the
same amount was voted by a large majority to
he subscribed by the city of Savannah, parable
; in Central Bail Boad stock, the stock not to
. be transferred until $500,000 shall have been
subscribed, and one half thereof expended on
the Boad, and also that the said Boad shall
connect with the Central Road at Macon.
Major Gen- Quitman-
The Charleston Mercury of ths 23d inst,,
| says —His Excellenc)' Governor Johnson, hav
ing received information that Gen. Quitman,
who was the first General commmding the
Palmetto Rcg'mcnt in Mexico, is on his way
to the city of Washington and may be ex
-1 pected to arrive in the city this day. Adjutant
General Cantcy and , Aid-de-C maps C lonel
B ice and B ee, and a de mta ion fro n the
City Council, will be despatched in an extra
car to meet him and his family at Summerville.
General Cantey will invite General Quitman
to the Governor’s Quart.rs, as the Guest cf
the State, and on the arrival of the cars at the
Railroad depot an appropriate military escoit
under the command of Brig. Gen. Cruickshanks,
will be prepared to conduct him to the Gov- *
ernor’s quarters. The procession will pas*
down Iving-st to B madary-street, thence to
Meetlng-st, and thence to Stewart’s Hotel in
Brbad-st. The General will to? received by
his Excellency in person, in accordance with
the res dutions of the Legislature, and greeted
as the guest of the State.
lie will then be introduced to his Honor the
Mayor, who will tender him the hospitalities
of the City. An appropriate apartment will
be furnished General Quitman, to receive the
visits of those desirous to pay their respect*
to the soldier who has so gallantly sustained
•
the honor of the American arms on the battle
fields of Mexico.
[Reportedfor the Baltimore tSun.j
THIRTIETH CONGRESS.-lst Session.
Washington, Dec. 18th, 1847.
The Senate did not sit to-day.
House of Beprbskntatitb*.
The Speaker announced that the first busi
ness in order was the report of the select com
mittee upon the rules of the House.
The question being upon agreeing to the
substitute reported by the committee for the
one hour rule, [which substitute extends the
time which each member may occupy in de
bating any question in the House or commit
tee to one hour and a half, and gives the mem
ber who reported the measure under consid
eration fro i. any committee, the privilege of
opening and closing the debate; and also al
lows any member five minutes to explain the
object, nature and effect of any amendment
which he may offer.] Mr. Pollock, of Pa.,
moved to amend the substitute by reducing
the time to one hour, as allowed under the
former rule.
Mr. Pollock briefly supported his amend
ment, and expressed a hope that a Whig Con
gress would not abolish a rule which had been
adopted by the Whig majority in the 27th
Congress, "for the purpose of expediting the
bu«iucfls of the House.
Mr. Truman Smith spoke in opposition to
limiting the time to one hour, upon the ground,
principally, that there were many very impor
tant subjects which no member could proper
ly discuss within so short a time.
' Mr. Henley, of Indiana, supported the a
mendment of the gentleman from Pennsylva
nia, (Mr. Pollock.) The rule had been adopted,
as the honorable member had stated, by the ma-
Whig jority in the 27th Cangress, and though
the Democratic minority had opposed it at
that time, It was found to work so well that
the Democratic majority in the 2S»-h Congress
had adopted it as one of the rules of the House,
and had continued it in the succeeding C on
gr Mr. Woodward, of S. C., spoke briefly in
favor of the one hour rule, which, he contend
ed, did notin the least abridge the freedom of
g in ith advocated the substitute
. reported from the committee, and thought its
practical operation would afford satisfaction to
. Vfctoa thought that debates of the
: House had lost character by the
the one hour rule; and that the House nad &
lost eourtesv by it as it sometimes mdncea
’ members to refuse to give way tor expbnatmn*
' in order that they might lose no;porti Qf
their alio ted time. He thought thc hber
> debate should be unrestricted.
: emergency; and that for
the rule allowing the House to -a
I when the debate upon any measure
terminate. in b v
The debate was also participated
, Messrs. Collamcr, Cobb, of Ga.,