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THE CONSTITUTION All ST. JAMES GARDNER, JR. TEHSK3. idly, por annum ~. $3 00 Tri-Weekly, per a- nura G 00 if paid in advance ...5 00 W My, per annum 300 I. paid in advance 2 50 To Clubs, remitting $lO is advance, FIVE j 'COPIES are sent. This will put our Weekly pa- I per in the redch of new subscribers at TWO DOLLARS A YEAR. BySubscribers who will pay up arrearages, and j send four new subscribers, with the money, can get | the paper at 00. O*All new subscriptions mast bo paid in ad ranee. fyPostage must be paid on all communications and letters of business. »■"■■■ "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.,