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NEW YORK, _November 28, 1854_.
SIR: The undersigned would respectfully call your attention to their
contract of the 3d of March, 1852, with the department, for the
transportation of the United States mails between Vera Cruz, in Mexico,
and Acapulco, San Diego, Monterey, and San Francisco. By this contract it
was stipulated and intended to transport the mails semi-monthly between
New Orleans and San Francisco in sixteen days, (consecutively,) and
surety for a large amount was given for the faithful performance of the
service. By the terms of this contract it was subject to the approval of
Congress, and also to an appropriation by the same.
The undersigned immediately prepared to perform the service in order
to satisfy the requirements of the department, and also to save their
surety harmless from their heavy obligation. Steamers were provided for
the service on the Pacific ocean, and one of the undersigned proceeded
to Mexico to take charge of the line between Vera Cruz and Acapulco.
Horses, mules, harness, stages, wagons, and other materiel, were rapidly
collected to furnish all that was required for the 384 miles of land
conveyance across Mexico. At the same time a small letter mail was
established, which commenced operations in July of the same year. By
this method it was designed to transmit, rapidly, intelligence between
the Atlantic and Pacific cities of the Union until the stages and
other materiel, were properly placed on the line. Under this temporary
arrangement, newspapers and letters were carried between California and
New Orleans in fourteen, thirteen, and twelve-and-a-half days. Had the
arrangement been completed for connecting with the steamers at Vera
Cruz and Acapulco, in no instance would the time have exceeded thirteen
days, as the distance by land across Mexico, from sea to sea, was
performed with great ease and security in less than three days. Frequent
experiments were made on parts of the Mexican road to test the time
required for the transportation of the mails when the stages were placed
on the route, and it was found that as soon as the mails were transported
in the vehicles prepared for that purpose, the time would not exceed
forty-eight consecutive hours between Vera Cruz and Acapulco.
It was the intention of the undersigned to have commenced with the mail
stages in the month of December, as they were all ready prepared and on
the ground for that purpose. The expenses incurred under the contract
at that time, amounted to the sum of ninety-eight thousand dollars,
($98,000,) of which $56,000 have been paid, and the balance remains
unliquidated. But the department having at this time expressed, in an
annual report to Congress, a disapprobation of the contract on the ground
of the impolicy of conditional contracts, the undersigned ceased their
operations, and, consequently, have sustained serious damages from the
action of the department. It is to be regretted that the department
should have interposed to break up this enterprise, which, by the terms
of the contract, was to be exclusively in the power of Congress. It is
also to be regretted that this route, the shortest and best for the rapid
transmission of the mails, should thus remain unoccupied at the present
time. The undersigned are still ready and willing to perform the service
in the time and mode specified, and would further suggest that if they
were not required to touch at Monterey and San Diego, they would further
stipulate to carry the mails, at all times, so as to make each trip
between San Francisco and New Orleans in less than thirteen days. By the
other routes the time now required is some nine or ten days more. Thus an
important saving of time would be effected, and a corresponding benefit
to the public.
Very respectfully, your obedient servants,
ALBERT C. RAMSEY.
EDWARD H. CARMICK.
Hon. JAMES CAMPBELL, _Postmaster General_.
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POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT,
_November 30, 1854_.
GENTLEMEN: Your letter of the 28th instant has been received. The
conditional contract for service between San Francisco and Vera Cruz, to
which you refer, was executed on the 3d of March, 1853, just before I
came into office. My attention was called to the subject of Mr. Rankin’s
letter of the 16th of June, 1853. In my letter of the 9th July following,
I gave my views at length in regard to this contract; and if sums of
money were expended by you after that time, it was done with a full
knowledge of my views, which remain unchanged.