The adhesive postage stamps adopted by my predecessor in 1869, having failed to give satisfaction to the public, on account of their small size, their unshapely form, the inappropriations of their designs, the difficulty of cancelling them effectually, and the inferior quality of gum used in their manufacture, I found it necessary in April last, to issue new stamps of larger size, superior quality of gum and new designs. As the contract then in force contained a provision that the stamps should be changed, and new designs and plates furnished at the pleasure of the Postmaster General, without additional cost to the department, I decided to substitute an entire new series, one-third larger in size, and to adopt for designs the heads, in profile, of distinguished deceased Americans. This style was deemed the most eligible, because it not only afforded the best opportunity for the exercise of the highest grade of artistic skill in composition and execution, but also appeared to be the most difficult to counterfeit. The designs were selected from marble busts of acknowledged excellence, as follows: One cent, Franklin, after Rubricht; two cents, Jackson, after Powers; three cents, Washington, after Houdon; six cents, Lincoln, after Volk; ten cents, Jefferson, after Powers' statue; twelve cents, Clay, after Hart; fifteen cents, Webster, after Clevenger; twenty-four cents, Scott, after Coffee; thirty cents, Hamilton, after Cerrachi; ninety cents, Commodore O. H. Perry, profile bust, after Walcott's statue. The stamps were completed and issues of them began in April last. The superior gum with which they are coated is not the least of the advantages derived from the change. Upon the conclusion of the postal treaty with the North German Confederation, fixing the single letter rate by direct steamers at seven cents, to take effect the 1st of July last, a stamp of that denomination was adopted, and the profile bust of the late Edwin M. Stanton selected for the design. This has been completed in a satisfactory manner, but owing to the temporary discontinuance of the direct mail steamship service to North Germany, it has not yet been issued to postmasters. It may not be uninteresting to remark that the following stamps were adapted among other uses, to the payment of the rates under postal treaties as follows; 6 cents, England, Dec. 3d, 1869; Sandwich Islands, May 5th, 1870; British Columbia, July 15th, 1870; Germany, March 31st, 1871. 7 cents, Germany, April 7th, 1870; Denmark, Dec. 1st 1871. 10 cent, Italy, Feb. 8th, 1870; Belgium, March 1st, 1870; Switzerland, April 13, 1870; Salvador, Oct. 5th, 1870. 12 cents, British Honduras, August 11th. 1869; New Zealand, Oct. 5th, 1870.