It had
never occurred to any one to whom I spoke on the subject, that a
President in the bestowing of such places was bound to look for
efficient work in return for the public money which was to be paid.
Before I end this chapter I must insert a few details respecting the
post-office of the States, which, though they may not be specially
interesting to the general reader, will give some idea of the extent
of the department. The total number of post-offices in the States
on June 30th, 1861, was 28,586. With us the number in England,
Scotland, and Ireland, at the same period, was about 11,400. The
population served may be regarded as nearly the same. Our lowest
salary is 3l. per annum. In the States the remuneration is often
much lower. It consist in a commission on the letters, and is
sometimes less than ten shillings. The difficulty of obtaining
persons to hold these offices, and the amount of work which must
thereby be thrown on what is called the "appointment branch," may be
judged by the fact that 9235 of these offices were filled up by new
nominations during the last year. When the patronage is of such a
nature it is difficult to say which give most trouble, the places
which nobody wishes to have, or those which everybody wishes to
have.
The total amount of postage on European letters, i.e. letters
passing between the States and Europe, in the last year, as to which
accounts were kept between Washington and the European post-offices,
was 275,000l. Of this over 150,000l. was on letters for the United
Kingdom; and 130,000l. was on letters carried by the Cunard packets.
According to the accounts kept by the Washington office, the letters
passing from the States to Europe and from Europe to the States are
very nearly equal in number, about 101 going to Europe for every 100
received from Europe. But the number of newspapers sent from the
States is more than double the number received in the States from
Europe.
On June 30th, 1861, mails were carried through the then loyal States
of the Union over 140,400 miles daily. Up to 31st May preceding, at
which time the government mails were running all through the united
States, 96,000 miles were covered in those States which had then
virtually seceded, and which in the following month were taken out
from the post-office accounts - making a total of 236,400 miles
daily.
