I have examined the memorial of the citizens of East Tennessee, which you handed me upon the supposition that I had authority to grant their request without an application to Congress. The P M Gen^l has the authority to employ that kind of service which is necessary for the transportation of the mails. The act of 1845 reducing the rates of post, is very emphetic, that the service shall be limited to the transportation of the mails ^alone.^, and I have endeavored to carry out the law fully and justly as one of the means necessary to keep up ^sustain^ the cheap postage system, when this route was advertised for service, the ^lowest^ bid for 4 h p coaches was $8.500. whilst the bid to take all the mails as the contractor pleased was only $3875. It became my duty to decide between these bids. The principal part of the mail that formerly passed over this route, nearly all west of the Cumberland mountains, was now sent down the Ohio River by Louisville or by the Georgia Rail Road, so that the importance of the route was greatly diminished, indeed it can only now be regarded as a route for local supply. I did not then doubt, that the contractor would be enabled to take the mail in two horse coaches if not on horse back.

---

The contractor actually performed the service for a long time by runing two horse coaches on the Jonesborough & on horse back on the other line upon which it is now urged that 4 h. p coaches should be placed.

When the Georgia Rail Road had been extended so far toward Knoxville & a mail sent [6 t.?] a week to that place & the East Tennessee mails ordered over that route, I thought it probable that the mails would be so increased as to require on both lines two horse coaches and made an arrangement with the contractor for that purpose and paid & agreed to pay him at the rate of $5.675 p annum for the increased service

Since that time there has been no evidence furnished the Department shewing that the size of the mails requires a higher grade of service, nor do I suppose the fact to be so. there is not enough revenue arising from the offices on the route to justify a belief that even two horse coaches are necessary. I could not therefore comply with the request of the citizens without a direct violation of the letter as well as the spirit of the act of 1845. Your citizens are mistaken in the statement that 4 h: p. coach service is employed on all the routes from Abingdon to Memphis, except that part between Blountsville & Knoxville

From Knoxville to Nashville & from Nashville to Bolivar the contracts are only for two horse coaches, tho. the contractors generally run 4 horses. whether the service is in 4 horse coaches or in two depends very much upon the bids. many contractors bid as low or nearly so for 4 h. coach service as two & of course the department would take the best service but where there is such a difference in the cost as on the routes from Blountsville to Knoxville, I do not see the slightest excuse for taking the 4 h. coaches. If the service is not well performed, as suggested by you, then proper means will be taken to have the contract fulfilled and I have directed notice to the contractors & reports from the Post Masters as to the service; & when they come in, proper steps will be taken to enforce the contract.

I return you the petition, supposing that the petitioners intended an application to Congress for a change of the law. If Congress shall determine upon such a change, it will afford me great pleasure to comply with the wishes of the petitioners