In presenting the claim of Capt W^m P. Lamothe for transporting the US Mail from St Louis to Alton, I would State, That the P.O. Department gave Capt Lamothe the Contract for carrying a daily mail between Alton & St Louis commencing on the 1^st of April 1845. Which Contract they abrogated on the 17^th of May following, & established Tri Weekly mail coach Service between said Cities. Such was the necessity for a daily mail between these Cities, That the Citizens of both, urged upon Capt Lamothe the necessity of his continuing the mail, as under his contract with PM Gen^l, Col Consoul then mail Boat Agent at St Louis, also urged Capt L. to carry, the mail & promised to make him Some compensation therefor. I personally know this fact. Capt Lamothe did transport the mail most of the time from the 17^th of May 1845 until the 4^th of Jan. 1847

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I would also State that there is on file in the Office of the 1^st Asst PM Gen^l a recommendation from Brown Esq of Springfield Special Mail Agent urging upon the Dept to establish daily service (Sundays perhaps excepted) between Alton & St Louis. I State with great confidence that Capt Lamothe carried more than ³/4th of all mail matter passing from one of these cities to the other, & nearly all of which would have been carried on Cap^t Lamothes Boat by the passengers travelling between these Cities, And & the Government would have rec^d nothing, had not Capt L carried a daily mail on his boat. Capt Lamothe is a generous noble hearted gentleman, and I did not stop to Examine the Laws in relation to the power conferred upon Government Mail Boat Agents to Contract for carrying the mail. He knew that he was performing a necessary Service for the Government & the people and he relied implicitly upon the integrity of the Government to do him justiceHe is clearly entitled to compensation for his Services, and I feel confident that the Committee upon an examination

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the case ^will^ report a Bill for his relief.