THE JOURNAL.
OORRIOT PINCIPLZS-••SVPPORTZD BY TRUTH.]
HUNTINGDON, TUESDAY, DEC. 11, 1849.
TERMS
The "Ilusvrecinis Jots, t." is publiihedilt
the following rates, viz $1,75 a year, if paid
in advance ; $2,80 if paid during the year, and
$2,50 if not paid until after the expiration of
the year. The above fertryir to be adhered to in
all eases:
taken for
PTO sidisetiption taken for loos than six months,
aid no papor discontinued until all arrearages
are paid, unless at the option of the publisher.
[l:r We invite attention to the card of Mr. J.
74. Cuss INGUAM, in another column. His Oys
ter Saloon is well fitted up, and his rooms are
admirably adapted to the accommodation of La
dies and Chntlemen. Mr. C. is an obliging and
very ekver man, and deserves to be enemiraged.
Give him a call, ye lovers of ‘• shell-fish" and
fixin's."
Et:7" Many of our new advertisements were
placed on the outside of our paper this week,
with the view of making room on the inside for
the President's Message.
[cr . See fourth page for an exciting sketch of
a "Coward's Conversion, or, Life is Arkansas."
Bosroy TRAOIDT.—An account of the mur
der of Dr. NIEMAN by Prof. WEBSTER, which
now seems settled by the most convincing cir
cumstantial evidence, will be found on our first
page. This case very much resembice in its
details, the butchery of Colt in New York,
some yours ago. And the only motive in each
ease seems to have been to avoid the payment
of a small sum of money. In Boston, both the
victim and his murderer occupied the highest
social position, and this circumstance adds to
the overwhelming interest of the tragedy.
The Presidents Message.
We had hoped to lay the first annual message
of President Taylor before our readers this
week. The failure of the House to organize,
however, after balloting a whale week, pre
vents our doing so. How long this disorganiza
tion may continue, we are tillable to say. No
Speaker can be elected without a comprom'se.
The Locofcces have been boa sting for some
lime back, that Their party had the ascendancy
in the House, but the balloting thus far for Speak
er does not seem to confirm the boast. Indeed,
neither party, counting the Free Soilers as a
distinct party, has a clear majority in the House.
The Washington Republic in speaking of the
elate of parties in the House, says:
Whatever may be the final organization of
the House, we are well persuaded that it cannot
fall into the hands of the late Administration.. , -
The majority of the House, we doubt not, re
gent the House in its trot eoestituttoiiat charac
teras the grand inquest of the nation. It will
be en inquiring House ; and a reforming House t
ai House solicitous to facilitate rather than to
suppress investigation, & to communicate to the
people all that it is the right and interest of the
people to know. This, at all events, will be a
triumph of the Wino party, that representatives
have been elected, prepared to vindicate their
constitutional relations to the Executive, and to
transfer the seat of the sovereignty from the
White House to the Capitol-e.from the bureaus
of the departments to the committee-rooms Of
Congress--from the hands of the President to
the hands of the people. This for twenty years
has been the great object of Whig conflict—and
if it is to be attained only at the expense of a
Willa President, it is some consolation that at
all events it has been attained."
Washington Hotel.
We invite attention to the card of Col. SA N•
DIMS, of the Washirigtou Hotel, Harrisburg, Pa.
The House is delightfully located, well fitted
up, and under the present proprietor, kept in
superior style. As a Landlord, Col. Sanders
cannot be surpassed. He is attentive, polite,
and gentlemanly, and exerts all his powers to
render those whostop at his house comfortable.
Members and others visiting Harrisburg, would
do well to give the Washington House a call.
Good Advice.
Every Whig who can afford it, should at least
take one Whig paper. Thu interests of the
press he should take warmly to heart, and should
promote its welfare by his own subscription,
promptly paid—by his influence and his exer
tions among his friends and neighbors. It is
this sort of support that makes a party press in
return, efficient and energetic, and stimulates it
to renewed exertions. Them's our sentiments
exactly.
The Cincinnati Inquirer saw a man on
Monday, with a large waving beard, anda heavy
moustache, which he vowed he would never cut
off until HENRY CLAY was elected President of
the United States. That beard will come off in
November 1832 l—Saippeusburg ?Vetos.
All fully. The fewer of the above specimens
of gammon we have, the better. Our opinion
is the Cincinnati man will be a hairy individual
the remainder of his days.
Mr The reception of Mr. MN ca by the
French Government will be received with pro
found satisfaction by the people of this country,
though it disappoints the malignancy of the
meaner and more widely prominent portion of
the Locofoco press. The address of President
Bonaparte to him is not wanting in a certain el
evation of sentiment which should be generous.
ly reciprocated on our side. Now is the time
for us to take the most liberal position in res
pect of the points in dispute. A better oppor
tunity was never offered.
Cot. TAMES WATSON WCITI, Charge to Aus
tria, sailed from New York on Saturday in the
packet ship Yorkshire. He is accompanied by
his oewly married wife and daughter.
12:7 - JAS. W. JOHNSTON, 01 this State, has
bean appointed Consul at Glasgow. Mr. J. is a
fine scholar and a perfect gentleman. The ap
pointment is a ;out on..
Revenue from the Public Works.
Amount of tons received from the public
works at the State Treasury, from December
1, 1818, to NoVemller 30,1849, 81,028,860 13
Ain't received preceeding year, 1,550,555 03
EJecesi present year, $78,36.5 101
This is the largest receipt of revenue from
tatt ptiblic wortis ever received in any one year,
and is an encouraging 'indication of their future
usefulness and worth to the State. A more hon
est and economical administration of affairs on
'theke Works, would have made them profitable
to the State long ago. For the two past years
some show of economy has prevailed, and the'
works have shown what they are capable of do
ing, end if the public agents are hereafter held ,
to a Strict accoiintabilifY for the faithful and
honest perfOrrnante of tiheii dirties, haie no'
doubt the revenues will increase from year to
year, until they can be made to pay the interest
on the entire State debt, and gradually to re
duce the principal. The secret of their success
is economy in their management, and a faithful
and honest discharge of the duties of the public
officers who have then, in charge.
North Branch Canal—Allotment of
Work.
The following are the names of the contrac
tors to whom we leant the work on the North
Branch Canal has been allotted:
Sections. Sections.
11 Jacob Seiler & Co. 113 Mead & Carrigan
12 Dykens & Wendel 114 Francis Blair & Co.
21 John M'Cord 131 Jackson MTadden
27 Patrick Burke 119 John Sturdirant
67 Patrick Burke 162 George Leibrick
69 Sturdivant& Little 173 Cochran & M'Lane
75 Jacob Seiler & Co. 174 John M'Mahon
98 J. &J. Lamm 182 Rody M'Gee & Co.
11 Jahn Snodgrass 183 Edward Kerns &Co
12 John Snodgrass 184 Wm. Phelan & Co.
We hope that these lettings were fairly made;
but it strikes us as a little singular, that every
one of the successful bidders as given above ii
a Locofoco of the deepest dye. We do not, of
course, wish to be understood as insinuating the
belief that there was any proscription for opin
ion's sake in this matter. Not at all. The re
sult only shows, we presume, the important
fact, that however well Whig contractors may
know how to comply with their honest estimates'
and to fulfil their contracts when made, they
have no knowledge whatever of the art and mys
tery of putting in successful bids before a Loco.'
foco Board of Canal Commissioners.—Pennsyl-'
vienia Telegraph.
117 - ottr ftiend of the Hollidaysburg Register
strips his story (about a country editor not a
hundred miles from HUntingdon informing a
friend in Hollidaysburg, whom he was trusting
to the amount of $5, "that he was in no hurry
about the pay,") of all ambiguity, and says that
he was the man trusted, and his "brother Clark,
of the Huntingdon Journal," the man who trust
ed him. And in reply to our decision, appeals
to the fraternity at large. He contends that our
trusting him, with the remark—"in no hurry
for the pay," is strong proof of our being crazy,
and that our defence, that the "note was sent to
a country Printer, is no defence at all, but an
aggravation," and hence calls on the brethren
of the fratetnity for a verdict against as.
We think, howeiret, one or t*o remarks will
satisfy the fraternity of our sanity In relation to
this affair, and determine the case in our favor.
At the time the note was sent, containing the
extraordinary remark alluded to, we had just
ascertained that a $5 note on the Susquehanna
Bank, which we had laid aside, was good fot
nothing. This discovery, Or course, made sad
havoc with our arrangements for purchasing a
winter supply of pork, [rather a greasy idea,]
and fearing that our friend of the Register would
send us something that would not hold out to
the day of need, we rather discouraged imme
diate payment, knowing well that we could
press payment at the important juncture. For
he it known that in addition to being the proprie
tor of one of the most flourishing country papers
in the interior, brother JONES is the Treasurer of
the rich and flourishing county of Blair. And
hence we preferred trusting him for a week or
two to trusting the banks. And the best part
of our story is we have received our pay, and
this week we get the Pork ! The whole affair
has turned out just as we wished and expected.
NOW, brethren, what eay you: Sane or crazy 1
Religious Revivals.
The Hollidaysburg Register says : "The revi
val in the Methodist Chtlrch in this place still
continues. Meeting has been held every night
for the lest nine or ten weeks, and quite a num.;
ber have heed added to the rhUrch, In the Hap
fist Church the revival else continues. On
Sabbath last five converts were immersed in
,the river.
A Financier in Trouble,
A Washington correspondent of the New York
Commercial advertiser writes
“The passage through the little State of Del
aware, on the great route between the North
and the South, has become more perilous to a
certain class of travellers than the terrors of
Sylla and Charybdis. Delaware still retains in
het civil code that most unpopular and unamia
ble feature, imprisonment for debt. A few
days since Mc. Walker, late Secretary of the
Treasury, was returning from a visiting tour at
the North. He had last been on a visit to the
fammts Pottsville coal region. He was accom
panied by his family. On his arrival at Wil
mington he was arrested for a debt of $6OOO, and
was threatened with actual imprisonment in
tiastleton jail. His friends Capt. Swift, Pres
ident of the Philadelphia and Baltimore Railroad
Company, and the President of the Reading
Railroad Company, who had accompanied him
upon his visit to the mines, were informed by
telegraph of his situation, and promptly had an
engine for a special train got in readiness, with
which they proceeded to Wilmington from Phil
adelphia, and had him released by giving bail.
I have heard of many recent incidents of the like
kind.
The Wilmington Gazette states that Henty
Hicks, Esq., and the Hon. A. Porter were lirf r.
Walker's bail.
Cr7"The Crown of Hungary has not been dis
covered by the Austrians. Kossuth concealed
it, no one knows where. It was received by
the first King of the Magyars from Pope Syl
vester 1., in the year 1000.
Something New.
A number of capitalists in New York city are
buying a large tract of land fifteen miles from
New York, near the BUilson river railroad,
where they intend to erect a new city, for the
laboring classes. TWo millions of dollgrs to b'e
the capital. The company are to build 5,000
brick houses at $5OO each, including the lot of
SO by 200 feet. The houses are to be let at $52
each to mechanics, ifir $1 a week, which will pay
10 per cent. on the capital, All the houses to
be dniform. tach occupant to have the right
to purchase his houte by paying $2 a week, and
keeping up the interest of 7 per cent. In this
way he gets a title to his homestead in about
sit years.
A negotiation is going en with the litufs'on
river railroad, that the occupants of thesehouses
shall have the priVitege to commute with the
railroad company foi their passage to New York
and back again, at a price not to exceed six
cents a day for going and coming; the distance
each way will not be far from fifteen miles. at
three cents a, ead . In this way they can reach
the city in bfall hour. If 10,000 laborers re
side there, it would give the company $6OO a
day or $187,000 a year.—Penneyln'auia Tele
graph.
Fire in Cincinnati.
A fire broke out in Cincinnati, on the 7th
inst., which entirely destroyed the extensive
pork packing establishments of Messrs. Pugh &
Co., and Stagg & Shay. The former had on
hand a large quantity of provisions, including
3000 dressed hogs, and all destroyed : the latter
a heavy stock of hams, which were also de
stroyed. The loss iv very heavy. The loss of
the latter is entirely covered by insurance, that
of the former but partially.
DEArn OF AN ARMY OFFICER.-Information
has been received at the War Department of the
death of Lieut. Montgomery P. Harrison, a
grandson of the late President of that name.—
He was killed by the Indians, near the Colora
do river, in Texas, on the 7th of October last,
while riding a short distance from the camp, tot
the purpose of ascertaining the proper road.—
No Indian signs had previously been seen, and
no Indians were supposed tote near. His body
was pierced with arrows; and shot, as it is sup
posed, with his own pistol.
The news was brought to Fort Washita, on
the 6th of November last, by Capt. Marcy, of
the sth Infantry, who arrived there a little in
advance of his command, which had escorted to
Santa Fe a party of Arkansas emigrants, eu
route to California.
State Line.
The Commissioners appointed by the States of
Delaware, Maryland and Pennsylvania, to fix
the point cf junction between those States, have
accomplished that duty, by the aid of dis
tinguished typographical engineers appointed by
the War Department of the U. S. The narrow
strip of Land, between the States of Delaware
and Maryland, heretofore under the jurisdiction
of Delaware, including Mechanicsville, has
been ascertained to be in Pennsylvania. Hence
forth it will be free soil.
Horrible Fratricide.
On the 19th ult., Benjamin Bender, of Pfoulz's
Valley, Perry county, was committed to Bloom
field jail, on the charge of murdering his broth
er, Wm. Bender. 'rile prisoner had an alter
cation with his slater, and the deceased inc.,
fering in her behalf, was stabbed with a knife
in his body in four different places, which in a
short time proved fatal. The prisoner is /
years of age, and ttie deceased 18.
Mail Robbery.
A young man named Charles M. Gearhatt,of
Northumberland county, who was cleric in the
Post Office at Danville, Pa., has been arrested
at Mount Vernon, Ohio, (by C. Garretson,
t.q., Whd Went in pursuit of him) on the
charge of having stolen large sums of money
from letters mailed and received at the Danville
Post Office. the sum of $3,861 in cash and
checks was found in his possession.
Another New County,
The citizens of Johnstown recently'held a
meeting, with the object of adopting some pre
paratory measures towards the formation of a
new county, out of harts of Cumbria, Somer
set, Westmoreland and Indiana counties, with
Johnstown as the seat of justice. The name of
the new county is to be Conemaugh.
Col. W. R. King and Hon J. Clemens are
elected to the Senate of the United States, froth
the State of Alabama. JUdge Clemens is a
Taylor Democrat, and was chosen over the reg
ular Locofoco nominee by nine majority.
LIBET. ON T/LE PULPIT.-The manager of the
Troy museum has brought an action against a
clergyman for libel, and laid his damages at
$lO,OOO. It appears that the clergyman, in a
pulpit discourse, pronounced the museum a vile.
immoral pit—its performances evil in their in
fluence, and dangerous to the moral welfare of
the community. Two-thirds of his congrega
lion, it is said ) were in the habit of visiting it.
13 .- The Cincinnati Commercial of the 23d
ult., says that there Were, at that date, up
wards of two thousand cases of small pox and
varidloid in that city. The deaths, however,
were not numerous.
ITT' The Locofoca papers ate exulting over
the fact that Gen. Taylor commences his ad
ministration with a majority of Congress
against him. Well, how was it with Mr. Polk 7
He commenced with a majority of 60 in his fa
vor, and so odious did his administration be
come, that in the Congress which expired with
his term, instead of a Locofoco majority of 60,
there was a cleat Wisig trtajotity. Keep that in
remembrance.
o:2 — John Price, charged with the murder of
George Washington Campbell, in Baltimore,
has been found guilty of murder in the second
degree, and sentenced to fourteen years and six
months in the penitentiary.
D:7" At the Bourbon, Kentucky, fair, a few
days sinze, Governor Crittenden's daughter re
ceived the prize of a silver cup, valued at $lOO,
for the best quilt exhibited. This is a triumph
far above rank and station.
2 We see that Mr. John Sinoke has mar.
ried Miss Susan. Ann Segni.. Susan is net the
first re gar thut has ended in smoke!
Fatal Street Affray.
ST. LOUIS Dec. 3.
On Saturday night, Mr Newton Wei
mer, brother of the late Postmaster, of
this city, had an altercation in the street
‘vith Janice S. Thomas ; Esq., broker, of
the house of Benoist & Co. Both gen
tlemen were muck excited.. Pistols were
drawn s but through the interference of
the bystanders, were not used. This
afternoon the parties again met iti front
of the Planters' House, where the old
quarrel was renewed. Weimer fired at
Thomas, and the latter gentlemen re
, turned the fire. Nine shots passed be
tween them, one of the shots took effect
in the breast of Thomas• ' the
ball glanced
and passed round to his back—when
Weimer, having exhausted his pistol,
rushed on Thomas and commenced
beating him on the head with a "Colt."
At this juncture Thomas shot Weimer
through the body. The wound is con
sidered mortal.
Mr. Thomas may possibly recover,
though he is dangerously wounded from
the blows which he received about the
head. The cause of the affray origina
ted in the following manner : Mr. Thom
as had, some time since, while Mr. Wei
mer's brother was Postmaster, failed to
receive some large remittances of money
sent by mail, and had charged the Post
Office with fraud. This Mr. Weimer,
who was a clerk in the office, resented,
and spat in the face of Mr. Thotnas.
[SECOND DESPATCH.]
ST. Louts, Dec. 4.
Mr. Weimer, who was shot in the
affray with Mr. Thomas yesterday after
noon, died last night. Facts have come
to light which entirely exonerates Mr.
W. from the charges made by Mr. T.,
and which led to the unfortunate and
fatal quarrel. It is thought Mr. Thom
as will recover.
The Treasury Deficit.
The Republic, in referring to the de
ficit of between fifteen and twenty mil
lions, which it has already been announ
ced will exist in the amount of revenue
requisite to meet the expenditures of
the government for the fiscal years, en
ding the 30th of June, 1850 and 30th
June, 1851, thus explains it from official
documents: Our receipts in 1847 were
$26,346,790; our expenditures in the
same year were $55,929 000. Our re
ceipts in 1848 were $35,436 750; our
disbursements in the same year were
$43,811 970. In the same years 1847
and 1848, therefore, our expenses ex
ceeded our income $36,957 528. By
the law providing for the execution, in
part, of the twelfth article of the treaty
with Mexico, $3,720 000 are appropria
ted to pay the principal and interest due
May 30, 1840; and $8,540 000 to pay
the principal and interest due May 30,
1850. Under the provisions of the fif
teenth article of the same treaty, the
Secretary of the Treasury will be called
upon to pay $8,250 000 of claims of cit
izens of the United States against the
republic of Mexico. Here is a sum of
$47,467 523, over and beyond ail our
receipts. A portion of it has already
been provided for by the issue of treas
ury notes, on which interest is to be
paid and all this cannot be defrayed from
the current revenue. This constitutes
the deficit. It results from the acts of
the last administration with which • the
present has bad nothing whatever to do.
Austria.
It has been gravely suggested, that
our government shall manifest its dis
pleasure at the manner in which Austra
has treated the Hungarians, by refusing
to send a minister to the Austrian court.
However we may sympathize with the
unfortunate patriots of Hungary, and
desert the barbarous and cruel policy
adopted towards them by Austria, we do
not think that it would be judicious or
proper for our government to deviate in
its intercorse with Austria, from the ci
vility and courtscy which are usual
amongst civilized nations. And we
humbly conceive, that the friends of
freedom throughout the world have at
least as much cause of complaint against
Russia as against Austria. The latter
was fighting for a supremacy to which
she considered herself entitled—the for
mer was a volunteer in the war against
Hungary. If Austria put the patriots
of Hungary to death, it was Russia that
enabled her to do it; for, without the
interference of Russia the Hungarians
might have achieved their independence.
If, then, our government should under
take to treat Austria with disrespect,
the same measure should be meted to
Russia—but, we should not intermeddle
at all in the local affairs of European
powers, or mix ourselves up in any way
in European politics. We are not to
redress the wrongs of mankind or to dic
tate to other nations in regard to their
internal policy.—Clipper.
O Some of the New Orleans boys have been
rendering night hideous by serenading a citizen
who has performed the remarkable feat of mar
rying three wives in thirteen months. On
which the Delta remarks, that the man who
fan do that can stand a great many tin pans and
broken horns.
Tug LAST or s2o,ooo.=—On the back of a
$3 bill of the Fairfield County (Conn.) Bank,
which passed through our hands the other day,
were written the following words :
"A little while ye have been mine,
No longer can rkeep ye,
I fear ye'll near be mine again,
Nor any other like ye.
The last of a Legacy of $2.0,000.
FROM WASHINGTON.
Monday, the 3d inst ~ being the day appoint
ed by the Constitution for the meeting of Con
gress, both Houses assembled in Washington.—
On the Saturday evening previous, the Locofoco
members of the House made the following cau
cus nominations :
For Speaker—Hon. Howell Cobb, of Georgia.
Clerk—John W. Forney, of Pennsylvania.
Sergeant-at-arms—Newton Lane.
Doorkeeper—B. F. Brown, of Ohio.
Postmaster—J. M. Johnson, of Virginia.
The Whig members also met in caucus, and
after nominating the Hon. Robert C. Winthrop,
of Massachusetts, adjourned over to Monday
morning, to complete their nominations.
There Wall a pretty general attendance of the
members on Monday, and the balloting for
Speaker of the Hottke pfoceede4 With mirth an
imation, but wit . houl effecting an election, al
follows:
hitST BAT.L6T,
Hon. 11. Cobb, of Ga.' revolved; AS
li
• on. R. d. Winthrop, of Mass., 06
Hob. M. P. Gentry, of Tenn., 6
Hon.. David Wilmot, of Penn'a,, a
Scattering, 13
Three other ballots were had, with but little
difterencein'the fesult:
Tuesday, Dec. 4.
The excitement in regard to the organization
of the House increases--both parties being equal
ly confident of success.
The clerk having read the Jou'rnal; the House
resumed the balloting for speaker.
The first ballot resulted as follows
For Cobb, Democrat, 202
Winthrop, Whig, 96
Scattering,
Several other ballots were had with nearly
the same result, when the House adjourned.
The only members now absent are the follow
ing, viz Hon. T. B. King, Whig, of Georgia ;
Hon. G. W. Julian, Free Soil, Indiana ; and
Hon. J. Morton, Whig, Va. One vacancy,
Palfrey's district, Mass.
The Free Boilers, 10 in number, voted for Mr.
Wilmot. of Pennsylvania, and 6 Southern Whigs
for Gentry of Tennessee. The other scattering
votes were divided among a number.
WeDNESDAY, Dec. 3.
The balloting for Speaker was resumed, and
on the first ballot the vote stood as follows :
Cobb, Dem., 97
Winthrop, Whig, 97
Gentry, Southern Whig 3
Wilmot, Free Soil, 4
Richardson, Dem. of 111., 4
Potter, Dem., of Ohio,
4
11. Mann,Whig, of :Mass., 3
Cleveland, Dem., of Conn., 2
Root, F. S., of Ohio, 4
Allen, F. S., of Mass.,
Stanton, Dem., of Tennessee, 1
Venable, Dem., of N. C., 1
Total, 223
Necessary to a choice, 112.
Several other ballots were had with nearly
the same result, when a discussion arose on
several propositions to change the manner of
proceeding in the election of Speaker, all of
which were voted down, and the House procee
ded to the fourteenth ballot with the following
result :
Cobb, 89
Winthrop, 99
Root, 7
Potter s 10
Richardson, 8
Cleveland. 3
Gentry, 5
Allen, 1
Kauffman, 1
223
Necessary to a choice, 112.
It being apparent that no choice could be
effected, on motion of Hon. Jacob Thompson,
the House adjourned at a quarter before three
o'clock.
An attempt will be made, it is thought, this
evening, to effect some kind of a compromise,
but with what success, to-morrow will show.
Up to this time nothing of interest has trans
pired in the Senate. The lion. Henry Clay
appeared on the first day of the session, and
took his seat in the Senate.
Tutingnar, bee. di
The House met as usual, and the whole day--
, after various unsuceessful expedients to elect a
Ichairman, with power to preserve order until
a presiding officer shall be elected—was spent
by the House of Representatives, as had been
the preceeding days, in ineffectual efforts to
choose a Speaker. Four ballotings were had,
in addition to the fourteen which had already
taken place, and show a steady decline in the
strength of Mr. Cobb, and a gradual concentra
tion of his tote upon Mr. Richardson, an old
line Locofoco of Illinois, who will probably be
come the declared candidate of the opposition.
The ballotings Were as follows:
15th. 165 h. 17th. 18th.
Winthrop, W. 101 100 100 100
Cobb, L. F 89 73 66 63
Richardson, L. F. 9 19 25 26
Potter, L. F. 10 16 17 18
Tuck, F. S. 7 8 8 9
Gentry, W. 5 5 5 5
Scattering, 4 4 4 4
Total vote, 225 225 225 225
Necessary to a choke, 113 votes.
The House then adjourned.
FRIDAY, Dee. 1.
Horse—The House met at 1.1 o'clock. The
journal of yesterday was read by the clerk.
On motion of Mr. Bayly, of Va., the House
proceeddd fo vote for a Speaker. The following
are the ballots
19th. 20. h. 91st. 22,L
Cobb, 63 62 66 65
Winthrop, 102 102 102 102
Richardson, 29 2S 23 28
Potter, 15 18 19 18
Wilmot, 8 7 7 7
Gentry, 5 5 5 5
McClernand, 1 1 1 1
Booth, 1 1 1 1
BBowden,l
Featherstone, 1
Hall, 1
Strong, 2
Morse, 1
223 223 223 225
Necessary to a choice, 113.
On the fourth ballot to-day, there being nc
election, the House acljourned till to-morrow.
Report of the Postmaster General.
The report of the Post M aster
. General, ow
ing to the Most contemptible meanness and bad
faith On' the part of sort, Mitnl;ers of the pleas,
has been pbblished in advance of the President's
message. It appears that Mr. Collamer gave"
permAdiOn to the reporters to take a copy of his
report, but with the solemn pledge l'iOm all that
it Wee nof,to be used until the President's Mes
sage yeas delivered. Good faith Was observed'
by all except the Philadelphia Ledger and Bal
timore Sun, both of *Mill papers published the
report on Tuesday morning, knowing that the'
document had not yet been transmitted to Con-
gress.
We make the following etfracts from' the:
report :
The number of post offices in the Uni.
ted States at the close of the year ending
June 30th, 1849, was 16,747, there hay.
ing been 921 established and 338 dill.'
continued within the year, making an'
increase within the year of 588.
The number of Postmasters appoint:
ed within the , year ending June 30th,
1849, was 6338.
Of that number, 2782 were appointed ,
in consequence of resignation ; 183 were/
appointed ih consequence of death ;
Were appointed in eotisequena of cban ,
ges of sites of offices 1 XlO3 were ap ,
pointed in conserfuence of removals ; 11
were appointed in consequence of corn.'
missions expired and not renewed ; 26'
were appointed in consequence of corn= .
missions renewed ; 23 were appointed'
in consequence of becoming Presiden..
tibl by income exceeding $1000; 921
Were' d'ppeinted in consequence of new
oflkeos.
number of Mail routes in the
United States on the Ist day of July,
1849, wag 4,943, and the number of con
fractors 4090. The length of these
routes was 167,703 mile's.
The gross revenue for the year, end
ing June 30, 1849, amounted to $4, 9 05,-
176 28, derived from the following
sources :
From letter postage, including
stamps sold, $3,882,762 62
From newspaper and pamphlet
- - -
postage,
From miscellaneous items,
From fines,.
From dead letter money sold,
$4,705,176 28
From the appropriation made by
the 12th section of the act of
3d March 18.17, for mail servi-
ces to the government, 200,000 00'
THE EXPENDITURES DURING THE TEAR WERE POE
Transportation of mailsi $2,377,409 71
Compensation to Postmasters, 1,320,931 34
Ship, steamboat and way-letters, 80,174 45
Wrapping paper, 23,936 03
Office furniture, 4,219 69
Advertising, 61,813 32
Mail bags, 20,802 38
Blanks, 10,276 71
Mail locks keys and stamps, 4,586 50
Mail depredations and special ag'ts, 21,228 00
Clerks for post offices, 317,218 36
Miscellaneous payments, 70,437 89
Post office laws and regulatiol7o, -81 76
$1,179,019 13
Excess of gross revenue for the
year,
The whole number of letters charged
with postage passing through the mails
the past year, reckoned on the postage
received, agreeably to a basis heretofore
approved amounted to sixty-two mil ,
lions.
It has been said that the newspaper
and pamphlet postage is not in prom-
Lion to the cost of their transportation ;
but it is not to be therefore understood
that any increase of that postage is pro
posed. It has long been regarded as
sound public policy to promote the cir
culation of these publications by cheap
postage, and it may be advisable to pro.
ceed further in this policy, especially in
promoting their circulation in the vicin
ity of their places of publication, provi ,
ded no decided injustice be done to the
postmasters within that same vicinity.
The most obvious and prominent fea
ture now in our postage is the double
price, ten cents, charged on all single
letters carried over three hundred miles.
The reduction of this ten cent postage,
and charging all single letters at five
cents each, would simplify the manner
of accounting, and render the same both
more facile and perfect—would remove
the dissatisfaction arising from the great
difference in the postage in different of
' flees, even in the same vicinity, but sep
arated by this arbitrary line ; and would
promote and encourage the correspon
dence and intercourse by mail, between
the most distant parts of the country,
which most need and demand it, in pre
cise proportion as their other means of
intercommunication are slow and unfre
(pent._
In the last year there were received
2,100,000 dead letters, all of which have
been opened and examined. Of these
4964 contained money to the amount of
$32,069, have been registgred and the
same sent out for delivery to the ow
nars, and 993 letters containing other
enclosures of value,
To show the great increase of service,
and the consequent demand for the in
crease of the force in the Department,
the following comparative statement is•
made :
In 1837, the number of post offices
was 11,767--now 17,164—.417 having
been established since Juno last. Num
ber of dead letters in 1837, 900,000
now 2,100,000. Number of quarterly
returns in 1837, 48,000—now 73,000.
Number of mail contractors in 1837,.
1682—now 4190. Length of routes in
1837, 141,242—n0w 167,703. Annunt
mail transportation in 1837, 32,597,006
—now 42,544,069.
The number of communications re
ceived at the department annually can
not be less than 370,000.
819,018 20'
3,254 21
43 75
90 58
$.126,127 15