daily or other lists furnished by the agent of the Department, together with all other blanks required to be inclosed with the official stamps; also, all blanks for daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly returns, relating to the number, kinds, and denominatioas of official stamps manufactured and stock on hand and in process of manufacture. Seventh. To safely keep all dies, rolls, and plates from which official stamps are printed, which are now or may hereafter be placed in the custody of the party of the second part, the same to be subject to the order and control of the Postmaster-General; also, to keep in repair all dies, rolls, and plates from which the official stamps may be printed, and to renew the same whenever required; and should new designs be required at any time to take the place of the present series of official stamps, or of any of them, or for denominations of official stamps not now in use, the same shall be engraved and furnished, subject to the approval of the Postmaster-General, upon his request, within a reasonable time; all of which shall be done and executed in the best style of steelengraving by and at the expense of the party of the second part without cost to the Government. All dies, rolls, and plates made or used at any time in filling this contract shall be the absolute property of the United States, and shall be delivered, in good working-order, to the Postmaster-General, or his authorized agent, whenever demanded. Eighth. The party of the second part further agrees not to prepare, or permit to be prepared, in the stamp manufactory, or in the Continental Bank-Note Company's establishment, any dies, rolls, plates, or engravings, from which printed stamps resembling those prepared for the official use of the Executive Departments can be made or produced; and further, to use every possible means to prevent the issue by any one of official postage-stamps from the dies, rolls, and plates engraved for the official stamps, or any other stamps resembling them. Ninth. To secure and keep during the existence of this contract a strictly fire-proof building in the city of New York, which shall contain suitable apartments for manufacturing said official postage-stamps, and a fire and burglar proof safe or vault for storing the same; said apartments and safe or vault to be at all times subject to the inspection of an agent of the Department, and to be used solely for the manufacture and storage of postage-stamps for the United States, separate and distinct from any other work done by said party of the second part. Tenth. To report to the Department weekly, under oath, the number of official stamps manufactured, (finished, unfinished, and spoiled,) the number issued during the week, and the number available for issue; all spoiled stamps to be counted and destroyed in the presence of an agent of the Departinent and a representative of the party of the second part. Eleventh. To furnish the agent of the Department and his clerks suitable office and desk room at the place of manufacture for the transaction of the business of his agency, without cost to the United States; and to conformn in all respects to such regulations as the Department or its agent may, from time to time, adopt for the security of the Government. Twelfth. That, in case of a failure on the part of the said Continental Bank-Note Company, of the city and State of New York, to do and perform all or any of the covenants, stipulations, and agreements of this contract, on its part to be performed as herein set forth, the said parties of the second part shall forfeit and pay to the United States of America the sum of fifty thousand dollars, for which said forfeiture the said parties of the second part shall be jointly and severally liable as liquidated damages, to be sued for in the name of the United States in any court having jurisdiction thereof. And the said party of the first part contracts and agrees to pay the said Continental Bank-Note Company, of the city and State of New York, for the official postage-stamps accepted and delivered in pursuance of this agreement, at the rate of eighty (80) cents for each one thousand (1,000) stamps, which shall be full compensation for everything required to be done or furnished under this contract; payments to be made quarterly, that is to say, in July, October, January, and April of each year, after proper examination and verification of accounts. It is further mutually stipulated and agreed, by and between the contracting parties, as follows: First. That an agent of the Department shall have supervision of the manufacture, storage, and issue of the official postage-stamps, who shall at all times have full and free access to the apartments, safes, and vaults where the stamps are manufactured and stored, for the purpose of inspecting the same, and whose duty it will be to require the stipulations of this contract to be faithfully observed. Second. That the Postmaster-General shall have the right to annul this contract if, in his opinion, there shall be a failure at any time to perform any of its covenants, stipulations, or agreements, or in case of an attempt to knowingly furnish to the Department official stamps inferior to those now in use. Third. That if, at any time during the continuance of this contract, the sureties therein, or any or either of them, shall die, or become irresponsible for the entire amount of the forfeiture herein named, the Postmaster-General shall have the right to require new, additional, and sufficient sureties, which the party of the second part shall furnish to the acceptance of the Postmaster-General, in manner and form as he shall direct, within ten (10) days after notice, and in default thereof the contract may be annulled. Fourth. That should the interests of the Government require it, this contract may be extended beyond the time named, not exceeding three months, by order of the Postmaster-General, and the contract-prices and all conditions herein set forth shall govern in such extended contract. Fifth. That if, at any time previous to the thirtieth day of April, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven, the use of official postage-stamps shall be discontinued by reason of act of Congress, or otherwise, then this contract shall cease and determine with the discontinuance of the official stamps, and all dies, rolls, plates, &c., as hereinbefore set forth, shall be delivered to the Postmaster-General, or his duly-authorized agent. And for the faithful performance of this contract, and each and every of the covenants, agreements, and stipulations therein on their part to be performed, the said parties of the second part bind themselves, and each of them, their and each of their heirs, executors, and administrators. In witness whereof the said Postmaster-General has caused the seal of the Post-Office Department of the United States of America to be hereunto affixed, and has attested the same by his signature; and the said parties of the second part have hereunto set their hands and seals on the day and date first above written. Homer H. Stuart, one of the sureties in the annexed contract, being duly sworn by me, upon oath says that he is a resident and freeholder of said State, and is worth the sum of $100,000 over all his debts and liabilities and exclusive of property exempt from execution. HOMER H. STUART, 37 West 42d Street, New York City. Subscribed and sworn to before me, a notary public in and for the city, county, and State of New York, this twenth-seventh day of August, 1874. [NOTARIAL SEAL] STATE OF NEW YORK, FRANCIS B. ANTZ, Notary Public, City and County of New York. City and County of New York, 88: Touro Robertson, one of the sureties in the annexed contract, being duly sworn by me, upon oath says that he is a resident and freeholder of said State, and is worth the sum of $100,000 over all his debts and liabilities and exclusive of property exempt from execution. TOURO ROBERTSON, Subscribed and sworn to before me, a notary public in and for the city, county, and State of New York, this twenty-seventh day of August, 1874. [NOTARIAL SEAL.] FRANCIS B. ANTZ, Notary Public, City and County of New York. Official copy. [SEAL OF THE P. O. DEP'T.] H. Mis. 43-3 2d Session. No. 44. OHIO RIVER IMPROVEMENT AND TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILWAYS. MEMORIAL OF THE CITIZENS OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA, RELATIVE TO The Ohio River improvement and transcontinental railways, and indorsement of same by the Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce. JANUARY 21, 1875.-Referred to the Committee on Commerce and ordered to be printed. PITTSBURGH, PA., January 15, 1875. At a meeting of the citizens of Pittsburgh aud Allegheny County, without reference to party, convened in La Fayette Hall, Pittsburgh, Wednesday evening, January 6, in pursuance to a call, (the original of which is attached,) the following memorial was adopted unanimously, and, in accordance with the resolution passed, is forwarded to your hon orable body. JOS. D. WEEKS, Secretary. THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF PITTSBURGH, At a regular meeting of the Chamber of Commerce of Pittsburgh, held at their rooms Tuesday, January 12, 1875, the following resolution was unanimously adopted: "Resolved, That this Chamber of Commerce heartily indorse the proceedings and resolutions of the citizens' meeting held in La Fayette Hall on the 6th instant, in favor of the improvement of the Ohio River and the national indorsement of transcontinental lines of railroads, and we urgently request our legislature, now in session, to take such action as will commend these measures to the immediate attention of Congress." JOS. D. WEEKS, Secretary Chamber of Commerce. To the honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled : Believing that at times of great financial and industrial depressions like the present the views of the people as to the best methods of affording relief may not be unacceptable to Congress, we, citizens of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County, respectfully present our views in the following memorial. The panic of 1873, at first regarded as temporary, has resulted in wide-spread and long-continued disaster; industry has been prostrated, manufacturing crippled, and in many instances broken; capital is idle and labor unemployed, and, worst of all, from this stagnation of business an amount of privation and suffering to the laboring classes has followed of which words can convey no adequate idea. As one of the first effects of this panic (and one which in its reaction has intensified and continued it) was the stoppage of work on the great transcontinental lines of railway, we desire to direct your attention to their completion as a means of affording the desired relief. We believe that the framers of our Constitution spoke wisely when in its preamble they declared one of its chief functions to be "to promote the general welfare;" and believing this, we urge that both Government and people are interested in any measure or measures that will revive the dormant industries of the country, and especially where the occupancy and cultivation of its unoccupied land will follow, wealth be developed, and its income largely increased. Therefore, as labor develops wealth and idleness consumes it unproductively, and as the increase of the wealth of the people strengthens the resources of the Government, we claim that the Government is alike interested with its people in reviving the work of building the great transcontinental railroads-the Texas Pacific and Northern Pacific-as a means of setting in motion the many forms of industry in the country, thus affording employment to the people and increasing the wealth of the nation. In granting this aid, in the form of a guarantee of the interest only on the bonds of these roads, the Government being secured by the return in trust of the lands of these corporations and by a first mortgage on all their franchises and property, we do not consider that a subsidy will, in any sense, bave been conferred. It is merely the loan of an interest indorsement on the basis of ample security to the indorser. The advantages of the early completion of the Texas and Pacific Railroad, in part, will be in the protection it will afford our southern frontier, as well as against Indian raids on the settlers and miners in the Southern Territories, and will save the Government millions yearly in the cost of transporting supplies to troops and garrisons operating against Indians in that region; it will secure competition in transcoutinental traffic, which will reduce rates and draw to the overland route a large share of traffic between Europe and Eastern Asia. Moreover, it is but just to the South, since the present line leaves to the southwest the capitals and centers of population of a majority of the States; it will also stimulate the production of cotton, thus affording material for export that will aid to pay interest on the debt abroad; it will greatly in ́crease the supply of cattle, thus equalizing the cost of a very important 'article of food in all parts of the country; it will develop the sheepculture of New Mexico, thus avoiding the necessity for importing large quantities of wool from abroad; it will develop the vast mineral regions of this country and Mexico, thus adding vastly to our production of the precious metals, and attracting a great tide of immigration, thus promot ing immeasurably the wealth of the country; especially it will create a |