Page:American Historical Review, Volume 12.djvu/82

72 IV. F. Mc Caleb "Peaceably effected " ! With red war gleaming on the horizon, these doctrinaire secessionists went on their way blindly parting hair from hair; and indeed in measures of infinitely more con- sequence than the regulation of the Post-Office Department. Under the provision of the first section of the act of Congress of May 9, 1861, " to amend an act vesting certain powers in the Postmaster-General, approved March 15, 1861 ", the Judge was granted the requisite authority to fix, by proclamation, the date of the Confederacy's assumption of the control of the postal service within her borders. So on May 13 a famous paper was promul- gated, fixing the first of June as the day for taking over the reins. Also it dealt with the formalities and modes of transferring the funds, postage-stamps, envelopes, and property, except mail-bags, locks, and keys — a measure which was necessary if any adjustment of accounts was to follow the termination of hostilities, " and was also necessary in order that there should be no time when these civil officials were not responsible to one or the other government ". Some other matters discussed in this proclamation are important : Whereas, by the provision of' an act, approved March 15, 1861, and amended by the first section of an act approved May 9th, 1861, the Postmaster-General is authorized on and after a day named by him for that purpose, to take entire charge and direction of the postal service of the Confederate States ; and all conveyance of mails within their limits from and after such day, except by the authority of the Postmaster- General, is hereby prohibited: Now, therefore, I, John H. Reagan, Postmaster-General of the Con- federate States of America, do issue this proclamation, notifying all postmasters, contractors and special route agents, in the service of the Postoffice Department, and engaged in the transmission and delivery of mails, or otherwise in any manner connected with the service, within the limits of the Confederate States of America, that on and after the first day of June next, I shall assume the entire control and direction of the postal service therein. And I hereby direct all postmasters, route agents and special agents within these States, and acting under the authority and direction of the Postmaster-General of the United States, to continue in the discbarge of their respective duties, under the au- thority invested in me by the Congress of the Confederate States, in strict conformity with such existing laws and regulations as are not inconsistent with the laws and Constitution of the Confederate States of America, and such further instructions as may hereafter be issued by my direction. And the said postmasters, route agents and special agents are also required to forward to this department, without delay, their names with the names of tlie offices of which they are postmasters (giving the State and county) to be directed to the chief of the appoint- ment bureau, in order that the new commissions may be issued under the authority of this Government. And all postmasters are required to render to the Postoffice Department at Washington, D. C. their final