dpkg: error processing postfix (--configure)

[Thufir]

I've been mucking about with Apache James, but have since removed that 
directory (it's just a tar.gz which unpacks as a self-contained folder).

However, I'm thinking that postfix probably will do the trick, so I tried 
to re-install as so:

thufir at dur:~$ 
thufir at dur:~$ sudo aptitude install mailutils
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  mailutils postfix{a} 
0 packages upgraded, 2 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 0 B/1,670 kB of archives. After unpacking 4,319 kB will be 
used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n/?] y
Preconfiguring packages ...              
Selecting previously unselected package postfix.
(Reading database ... 224111 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking postfix (from .../postfix_2.9.1-4_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously unselected package mailutils.
Unpacking mailutils (from .../mailutils_1%3a2.2+dfsg1-5_i386.deb) ...
Processing triggers for man-db ...
Processing triggers for ureadahead ...
ureadahead will be reprofiled on next reboot
Processing triggers for ufw ...
Setting up postfix (2.9.1-4) ...

Postfix configuration was not changed.  If you need to make changes, edit
/etc/postfix/main.cf (and others) as needed.  To view Postfix 
configuration
values, see postconf(1).

After modifying main.cf, be sure to run '/etc/init.d/postfix reload'.

Running newaliases
postalias: fatal: open /etc/postfix/aliases: No such file or directory
dpkg: error processing postfix (--configure):
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 
1
No apport report written because MaxReports is reached already
                                                              dpkg: 
dependency problems prevent configuration of mailutils:
 mailutils depends on default-mta | mail-transport-agent; however:
  Package default-mta is not installed.
  Package postfix which provides default-mta is not configured yet.
  Package mail-transport-agent is not installed.
  Package ssmtp which provides mail-transport-agent is not installed.
  Package postfix which provides mail-transport-agent is not configured 
yet.
dpkg: error processing mailutils (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Processing triggers for libc-bin ...
No apport report written because MaxReports is reached already
                                                              ldconfig 
deferred processing now taking place
Errors were encountered while processing:
 postfix
 mailutils
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)
A package failed to install.  Trying to recover:
Setting up postfix (2.9.1-4) ...

Postfix configuration was not changed.  If you need to make changes, edit
/etc/postfix/main.cf (and others) as needed.  To view Postfix 
configuration
values, see postconf(1).

After modifying main.cf, be sure to run '/etc/init.d/postfix reload'.

Running newaliases
postalias: fatal: open /etc/postfix/aliases: No such file or directory
dpkg: error processing postfix (--configure):
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 
1
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of mailutils:
 mailutils depends on default-mta | mail-transport-agent; however:
  Package default-mta is not installed.
  Package postfix which provides default-mta is not configured yet.
  Package mail-transport-agent is not installed.
  Package ssmtp which provides mail-transport-agent is not installed.
  Package postfix which provides mail-transport-agent is not configured 
yet.
dpkg: error processing mailutils (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Processing triggers for libc-bin ...
ldconfig deferred processing now taking place
Errors were encountered while processing:
 postfix
 mailutils
                                         
thufir at dur:~$ 


Presumably usage of James changed something, because, previously, postfix 
was installed and was actually used.

postfixconf output: https://gist.github.com/3470603


thanks,

Thufir