Sir: When we entered into contract with you to run two daily mails between Philadelphia and Pittsburg, one with unexampled rapidity, and the other in three and one-half days, we had no idea whatever of carrying the newspaper mail in our most rapid line, nor do we suppose it was ever contemplated by the department. It was our intention and we so expressed it in all our conversation with you, and with the superintendent of mail contracts, to carry the principal letter mail only in the most rapid line, not believing it practicable to carry the heavy load of newspapers sent to the West with sufficient rapidity to reach Pittsburg in the shortest time specified. Indeed, if we could have supposed that it would ever become necessary to carry the newspapers with that rapidity, we should not have undertaken it for less that fifteen thousand dollars a year beyond what we now receive; but experience soon taught us that great complaints were made against the department and ourselves when the newspapers were not received as soon as the letters, and that these complaints were not confined to Pittsburg, but extended all over the West. To satisfy the public, and sustain the credit of both the department and ourselves as its servant, we made the experiment of trying to carry the newspapers with our most rapid line. We have partially succeeded, but with very great loss. For three days in the week we are compelled to exclude all passengers, to the loss of not less than one hundred dollars a day. We are willing to perform our contract to the full extent of its meaning, but we must relinquish carrying the newspaper mails by our most rapid line, unless we can in part be remunerated for it. If, however, the Postmaster General is willing to silence the public clamor, which is so great when we carry them in our slow line, we will carry all the newspaper mails, together with the letter mail, in our most rapid line to Pittsburg and Wheeling, in the shortest time specified in our contract, and so arrange the connection of the Baltimore mail at Chambersburg with our swift line, as to carry the newspapers as well as letter mail, from Baltimore to Pittsburg in two days, for the additional allowance of ten thousand dollars per year, from the first of April last. The increased expense to us will not be less than fifteen thousand dollars a year, and for our own credit and for the credit of the department, we will make one-third of the sacrifice and perform the service for ten thousand dollars a year. We would gladly do it for a less sum if we could afford it, but we cannot, and at that rate our sacrifice will be as much as we can bear. It would be much more gratifying to us if the public would be satisfied without it, but they will not, and our own feelings will not suffer us to perform a service in which we cannot give satisfaction to the public.
Very respectfully, your obedient servants,
JAS. REESIDE,
SAM’L R. SLAYMAKER.
To the Hon. W. T. Barry,
Postmaster General.
A true copy from the original on file in the General Postoffice.
(The above letter is marked “Granted.”)
MW. ST. CLAIR CLARKE, Secretary.
MR. REESIDE DEFIES ALL COMPETITORS.
Philadelphia, January 25, 1833.
Dear Sir: Your favor dated the 22d inst. has just come to hand, which I have examined with much care, but must confess myself at a loss to come to the exact meaning it is extended to convey.