The Sun.
London, England, 1839-12-12 00:00:00

EVENING EDITION.

Three or their official papers—the Chartist, the Ope? a.
tire, and the Loudon Dispatch—are dead, and the two
which remain exhibit many symptoms of approaciiiiii
dissolution, Yet, like the Jews who cut each others
throats while their city was on the point of being stormed,
the Chartists cannot abstain from abusing their own
party with quite as much virulence as they attack the
authorities. Feargus O'Connor seems to have lost tl!e r
confidence, and we think not without reason, ion no
man has talked more familiarly of physical force, n!id
none has been more abstemious from personal d.e cer.
The other day he told the people at Huddersfield that
" he would have Universal Suffrage, or die in o'utain-
ing it !" on which the Champion sensibly advis.
" Let the men whom Mr. O'Connor persuade, to
think of fighting, wait till he leads them, and they s. iii be
safe." Frost seems to have been the only leader who
came near danger, and he ran away as soon as ise was
convinced that it was real. Chartism in London has
always been a failure. It is swamped here. In the
Bull-ring at Birmingham half a dozen delegates might
excite attention and pick up some food for their indi-
vidual vanity. Here, driven from the open ;it by the
rivalry of Punch and Boatswain Smith, and from one
public house to another by the landlord armed with a
reckoning ; having received several sums from the
subscriptions of the working men, which they had ex-
travagantly spent or fraudulently appropriated ; that
body became ripe for dissolution in Auguit, and
was dissolved accordingly. Something was then said
about another Convention, and advice given in the Lon-
don Dispatch (since deceased) as to the ehoice of candi-
dates. At this we laughed ; but, however absurd the
scheme, it appears that some persons still entertain
the expectation of a new election. The Shoreditch
Charter Association met at Bethnal Green, and
elected Mr. Beniowsky, we believe a Pole who is cut
by hie own countrymen, who suppose him (with
what justice we know not) to be a Russian spy. ?Jut
there was a division in the camp, and the report
states that " Mr. Beniowsky will represent the
London Democratic Association only, and not the
Tower Hamlets generally ;" and pathetically adds,
" Thus has the district been again split up into faction.
by the conduct of a few individuals." Some atter*:
has been drawn to a letter bearing the siarion
H.
orV, Vincent, eunnt
s, t
aamad pe
dppuabpl e der, w
enh thet teß eof
mei
didly says "is still allowed by the.,6;yerrin,..ilelnteta be
necessaryconetsinsourey ittos mischievoussay
ymoreig catireefe,:ern.cee.
It willof the
Gno ov meat from this imputation, than that the letter
contains a plain recommendation
rre
milsaernaftd:tudaloriregsettiLtahstrsetoas:frortiraaeidisofis,sw7i e such of
its members as participate in the executionoifsoprmfecraFsnoor.rodysiirnta,
if he be
too:ttg atconvicted.fhbuoeserhljei
.tvehee
dangerousas
htahvoct
visiting c
tah nature aabvvytntdee n\t,Gdii ononicaemnnt
o f Pwrittener.
mouth wou'd hardly be so remissiva.essito
yin
.his prison
o t Mon-
confinementbee n f
publishes
sedition
a t re
gtuoi send
intervals
old:sae/cot:
seems
to
; it was printed
such mischievous epistles. The,
in haste a secry . place of puebrinicati
have hitherto escapecl the researches of the police.

E\, EN LNG EMTION.

WORKING OF THE VETO ACT.

PRESBYTERY OF STRATHBOGIE.

r The Presbytery of Strathbogie met at Huntly, on
Wednesday, in the Vestry.
Mr. THORBURN rose, and after going briefly over
tle history of the ease in so far as Mr. Edwards was
concerned, moved that he be now taken on his trials.
Mr. ALLARDYCE then rose and addressed the Pres-
bytery. He said—The various documents in the case
of the parishioners of Marnoch had been read in their
hearing to-day ; documents containing findings the
most complicated and contradictory ; and it would be
admitted by all of both parties in the Church, that the
members of the Presbytery of Strathbogie were now
placed in circumstances the most difficult and em-
barrassing and painful possible. Whether they
took this course or the other they must offend,
and offending must suffer. Here was a presentee
with a decision of the Civil Court requesting
them to take him on trials ; and there was a de-
cision of the General Assembly, threatening them
with the most serious consequences should they proceed
to do. If they refused to give effect to the decision of
the Church, the Church would doubtless give effect to
her threatenings ; and if they refused to take the pre-
sentee on trials, they would doubtless be taken to the
Civil Court, and there answer for their conduct. In
these most distressing circumstances, what were they to
do—what course should they take ? Perhaps some
light-might be thrown on this point—some encourage-
ment given to go on, if the three brethren who had hi-
therto opposed them (the minority) would give them an
,nest answer to a question he would now put. No
~nubt they would give a candid one. The question
”is simply this, " Do they really in sincerity wish that
the Presbytery should now refuse to take Mr. Edwards
on trials ?"

Mr. ROBERTSON—That question is a mere figure.—
, (A laugh.)
Mr. ALLARDYCE—There being no answer to my
question, I take it that, in such a case as this, silence is
a negation.
Mr. ROBERTSON—Take care you are not disap-
pointed.
Mr. AL LARDY CE—I sympathize with you, for I deem
the penalty which would fall on you by refusing to take
the presentee on trials would be a heavy one ; but 1
will point out a more excellent way . When they were
admitted to the Church, they took the oath of allegi-
ance, and bound themselves to conform to the standards
of the Church in all things. Now, the first duty of
faithful subjects was to oby the law. The interpreta-
tion of the law was committed to the Judges of the
laud ; and the standards of the Chureh enjoined them
all to be subject to the civil magistrates, and to obey
their lawful commands. As had been read today, the
Supreme Court had given judgment to the effect, that
the statute law of the land binds the Presbytery to re-
ceive on trials a presentee to the Church ; conse-
quently, if the Presbytery reject that presentee without
assigning any reasons—without trials of his disqualifi-
cations, they would be acting illegally.
) Mr. ROBERTSON of Gartley said—The doctrines
which Mr. Allardyce had just advanced were of a most
extraordinary kind. He (Mr. R.) would yield to no
man in his respect for, and obedience to the law of the
land ; but the law of the land must not be supreme
kin everything. It was the duty of all faithful subjects
f to obey the law ; but there were other duties which
they had also to discharge—duties in regard to the great
head of the Church, which they must not overlook.
I Mr. Allardyce's doctrine was like the doctrine of
IHobbs, the atheist, who made the law supreme in every
thing. Now he (Mr. R.) revered the civil magistrate
in his proper place, but he took his stand on the law of
God, which was this—Fear God, in the first place,
and the civil law in as far as it is consistent with the
word of God. They must go to the Bible for every-
thing. It was the rule by which all would be judged ;
1 and, while they " rendered to Cesar the things that
iare Caesar's," they must take care and " render to God
the things that are God's." Here he would describe a
Christian Church. A Christian Church was a divine
) institution, holding its powers and privileges from the
) great head of the Church, and it would be sacrilege
and sin to give them up to any human power whatever.
Mr. ALLARDYCE—Have you any motion to make on
the subject, Mr. Robertson ?
Mr. ROBERTSON—Yes ; and I am now prefacing it,
and intend to go on a little farther before I come to it.
' —(A laugh.) Mr. Robertson then went fully into the
1 standards of the Church, and quoted largely to show
that no civil power had a right to interfere with the
Church Courts, as Church Courts ; and that the civil
magistrates had no civil right to bind the Church
1 Courts,

Mr. Robertson then moved for delay till after the
meeting of the Commission.

Mr. LEITH seconded the motion. Mr. Allardyce's
resolution rested on two grounds—conscience and da-
t mages. With regard to the damages, he could easily
see theta they took the presentee on trials, it would not
certainly be an effectual way of saving themselves from
' damages ; but with respect to conscience, he would con-
fess that he did not see how Mr. Allardyce could recon-
cile it with his conscience to violate the law of the
Church and obey the law of the land.
First—That whereas a presentation to the church
(and parish of Marnoch, by the trustees of the deceased
James Earl of Fife, in favour of the Rev. John Ed.
iwards, preacher of the Gospel, was duly laid before the
Presbytery, and accompanied by all the necessary certi-
ficates, and sustained by the Presbytery's deliverance
thereon, on the 27th of September, 1839, when the
; Presbytery resolved to proceed with Mr. Edwards'
3 settlement with all convenient speed.
) Second—That whereas the said Rev. John Edwards,
having afterwards been rejected by the Presbytery, on
the sole ground of the veto or dissent from his settlement
( as minister of the said church and parish, of the mjor
part of the male heads of families, communicants in
said parish—the said John Edwards(thereupon instituted
a process in the Court of Session against the Presbytery
of Strathbogie and others, in which action a decree
was, on the 15th January, 1839, pronounced—whereby
1
1 it was declared, That the trustees of the deceased
Earl of Fife, by their deed of presentation, dated the
I 6th and 12th days of June, 1837, have legally, va-
lidly, and effectually exercised their right as patrons of
1 the church and parish of Marnoch, by presenting the
I said Mr. Edwards to the said church and parish ; and
1 that the Presbytery were bound to have made trial of
I the qualifications of the said John Edwards ; and that,
in rejecting him as presentee to the said church and
i parish, on the sole ground that a majority of the male
heads of families, communicants in the said parish had
i dissented, without any reason assigned, from his admis-
sion as minister, the Presbytery have acted to the hurt
t and prejudice of the said John Edwards, illegally, and
1 hi siolation of their duty, and contrary to the provisions
of certain statutes libelled on ; as the deed of presen-
tations and relative documents and extract decree of
the Court of Session, all lying on the table of the Pres-
bytery, instruct.

Third, That whereas a second presentation having
been issued by the patrons of the said church and
parish, in favour of the Rev. David Hendrie, and laid
on the Presbytery's table, on the 4th of July, 1838, the
Rev. John Edwards thereupon applied to and obtained
from the Lords of Council and Session, an interdict
prohibiting and interdicting the Presbytery from pro-
eqeding in stay way to carry into effect the presentation
in favour of the szid Rev. David Hendrie, and from
ad.'iitting him minister of the said church and parish of
Marnoch, either in respect of the said presentation is-
sued in his favour; or upon the pretence of any call or
invitation to him given, or to be given to him, by the
parishioners of the said parish, or any section of them,
or on any other ground or pretence whatever, and from
doing any act or deed prejudicial to the states, rights,
and privileges conferred on the said Rev. John Edwards,
by the deed of presentation in his favour, before men-
tioned ; as the interdict which was duly intimated to the
Presbytery in itself bears

Fourth, That whereas, on the 13th day of June,
1839, there was pronounced by the Lords of Council
and Session, in the action of declarator, at the instance
of the said ILev. John Edwards, against the Presbytery
and others, a farther decree, decerning, and declaring
that the Presbytery are still bound to make trial of the
qualifications of the said Rev. John Edwards, as presen-
tee to the church and parish of Marnoch ; and if, after
trial and examination in common form, he is tnund qua-
lified, to receive and admit him as mini-ter of the said
church and parish, according to law—as the notarial
copy of said decree, duly served upon the Presbytery, in
itself more fully bears.
Fifth,—That [for reasons assigned] the Presbytery do
resolve and sustain the call in favour of the Rev. John
Edwards, which was subscribed in presence of the
Presbytery at their meeting on the 25th October, 1837 :
And, farther, the Presbytery resolved, and hereby do
resolve, to proceed in the settlement of the said John
Edwards, as presentee to the church and parish of
Marnoch.
Mr. Allardyce's motion was carried by a majority of
six (instead of seven) to three, Mr. Walker, of Huntly,
declining to vote.
The Moderator then declared that the Marnoch case
was over.

WOLVERHAMPTON.—Our trade has not im-
proved, and the distress amongst the smaller manufac-
turers appears to be increasing rather than otherwise.
.!, No large orders, and very few small ones, have been
A received by the factors._Staford Examiner.
ATTEMPT TO FIRE A CHURCH.—On Monday
information from the Secretary of State's Office was
dist:am:lied throughout the police districts, offering on
the pa:t of the Government, a reward of 1001. for the
discovery of the wretches who, on the night of Monday,
the 25th ult., .attemptcd to set fire to St. Mary's Church,
, Sheffield by throwing inflammable balls in at the windows.
) The *hove reward is in addition to a reward of 1001.
..! offered for the same purpose by the churchwardens,
,A Messrs. Walter Gilbee and John Parkin. It is stated
t a Iso that the Secretary of State will, in addition to the
)reWards, recommend the grant of her Majesty's pardon
to goy one, but the actual perpetrator of the outrage,
who shall give such information as may lead to convic-
i tion.
-.................K_

PENNY P.O6TAG::.

TO THE EDITOR ()P. THE SU.N.
EDINBURGH, Nov. '29, 1839.

SlR,—Having bestowed some labour in dravvio up
a communichtion to the Lords of the Treasury ;is to
tila new postage arror_eme7;,c... ith the vi,-w cf < tain -
ing one or other of the prizes offereu by their LordsLps
for the two best plans submitted, and which humbly
appears to me to meet and obviate the principal difficul-
ties stated by the recent writers on the subject—it has
occurred that you may possibly not refuse to do me the
favour of giving publicity to the same. In taking this
step, I do not consider that I am guilty of the impro-
priety of attempting to influence their Lordships' judg-
ment, as a month has elapsed since their Lordships
commenced to take the whole proposals into considera-
tion ; and as I observe several of the competitors have
given publicity to theirs, as submitted to their Lord-
ships, in the London newspapers. Their Lordships'
determination as to the merits of the various proposals
may be expected soon to be announced.
In the adoption- of a plan for the operation of the
reduced and uniform rate of postage contemplated (as
stated to their Lordships), I humbly conceive it ought
to be had principally in view—the better to prevent
apprehended defalcation in the public revenue :
1 . Public convenience (including free and unrestricted
choice of paper for correspondence.)
2. The safe transmission and safe and expeditious
delivery of the correspondence of the country, parti-
cularly in cities, large towns, and populous districts.
3. The least possible expenditure in the conduct or
inanag.Tnent of the Post. Office, &c.
The stamp being obviously desirable, inasmuch as
the present mode of collecting the postage, or pay meat
in advance, as at present, the only other plans which
could be adopted, would less injure these particulars
(vide notes 1 and 2), it falls to be considered in what
way it may best be brought into use.
Stamped envelopes I humbly conceive to be obj,--c
tionable on the following grounds :
Because the correspondence of the country thus con-
ducted would not bear the Post-office stamp, most de-
sirable in many cases of importance to establish the
authenticity of communications.
Because the bulk of the mail would be greatly in-
creased (probably one-third) by an envelope, or waste
paper covering on every communication, which, when
the correspondence of the country will be enormously
increased, would be a great disadvantage ; and,
Vide also last objection as to stamped paper.

. .
Stamped Paper may be objected. to : Because, in the
case of double sheet, &c. communications, they would
necessarily fall to be enveloped.

Because every form of paper would require to be
stamped, and a proper assortment kept on sale at every
stationer's and post-office in the kingdom ; and great
inconvenience might often occur from a dcficientsupply.
Because the sale of paper would be diminished from
what it otherwise would be ; for it may readily be sup-
posed, that the public generally, in purchasing paper for
correspondence at a penny per sheet, in addition to the
common price, would avoid as much as possible any
waste of the same.

Because, if it were not open to every paper manufac-
turer to have his paper stamped for correspondence,
which would scarcely be practicable, a great injury
would be done to the trade.

Because, if such could be permitted, a great induce-
ment to forgery would thus be presented, as a ready
market would be found in every part of the country for
the sale of such stamped paper to a great extent ; and
Because the expense of stamping would be very con
siderable. Applicable also to Envelopes.
Since my attention has been directed to the subject,
and without being aware that the idea had previously
occurred to any one, I was led to conceive that " public
convenience" would be best consulted, that " the least
possible expenditure in the conduct of the Post-office"
would be effected (as the expense of the production and
circulation of the stamp would be greatly 1 ss than by
the adoption of the other methods) by the stamp being
prepared on small slips of paper (say two by one and a
half inches), to be applied as afterwards to be proposed,
thus leaving the public unfettered, as at present, as to
their choice of paper, and avoiding all the objections
which may be urged against stamped envelopes and
stamped paper, which in general, it is apprehended,
would impede the full and proper working of the system.
These might be kept on sale at every branch of the
Post-office in the kingdom, as also by a suitable number
of stationers or shopkeepers in the cities and towns,
who might he licensed to retail the same.

Although I cannot claim this idea as my own ex-
clusively (stamps to be used separately appearing from
their Lordships' minute to have been already suggested),
I purpose to devise a plan in connection with this pro-
posed mode of bringing the stamp into use, to injure as
far as practicable " the safe transmission and safe and
expeditious delivery of the correspondence of the coun-
try," and which I am not aware has been suggested or
proposed by any one. Great apprehension being enter-
tained, that when numerous batters, particularly paid
letters, do not reach their destination at present
(vide note 3), the letter carrier, in particular,
will, in charge of great additional correspondence,
become more careless about delivery, when the
only proof of delivery (viz the postage to be col-
lected) may be done away with, by prepayment
being made compulsory—it ought to be, and will be, I
humbly think, considered of great importance, that the
best possible evidence may be obtained, consistent with
expeditious delivery, that the correspondence of the
country is safely and duly delivered.
Proposed, that the stamp slip or label suggested shall
be inserted in the back fold of every letter at either end,
with the wafer or seal, leaving the portion of the slip
on which the stamp is impressed loose ; or in order to
prevent it being ruffled off in sorting the correspondence,
the slip may be introduced loosely into the fold of the
letter, and wafered separately.
Proposed, that it shall be imperative or strongly
urged (directions might be given with the stamp), that
a duplicate or abridgment of the address of every letter
be written on the said stamp slip, over or under the
stamp, with date of transmission and initials of writer,
if advisable.

Proposed, that the loose part of the stamp slip
(bearing address as suggested), shall be pulled out of
the fold of the letter, and detached or torn
of (scissors might be used), by the letter carrier, or
party to whom letter addressed on delivery, and
placed by the letter carrier on a file to be ap-
pended at his breast, for reception of same. This
would be the work of a moment. Small wire file (bear-
ing stamp slips) to have a protection from wet when
necessary. Also, that country Postmasters shall be re-
quired to collect, and return to the Head Offices of
their respective districts at stated intervals, the stamps
on all correspondence transmitted them for delivery.
Proposed, that an officer in the sorting department of
the Post-office in cities and towns, shall number the
letters taken in charge by each letter carrier for deli-
very, and on his return to the office, number also the
stamps returned in his file, which, adding number of
dead letters, if any, ought to correspond. Al.O, that
the number of letters, forwarded to each country post-
master of the district for delivery, shill be taken, and on
the stamps being returned, numbered also, and compared
with the number of letters forwarded of the period.

Proposed that the files of stamp slips (with addresses)
so returned to the Head Post offices of the districts,
shall be classified and arranged as much as possible,
and preserved for a reasonable time (say fourteen days),
to admit of search being made for corresponding stamp
,And address, on any individual complaining that his
letter may be lost or mislaid, &c. Thereafter the whole
may be destroyed, as the period to be determined on for
their preservation shall expire. [A suitable number of
files (which would cost but a trifle) being prepared to
file the whole stamps for the period, every day a portion
of the oldest stamp slips would fall to be destroyed—
thus providing empty files for taking up the stamps of
the days on delivery of correspondence. A single file
would probably be sufficient far each of the great ma-
jority of country postmasters in taking up the stamps of
the correspondence for the period, and the stamps of
each day could be separated by a larger blank
sl p of paper being placed on the file. The
files bearing the stamp slips of 100,000 correspond-
ence could be arranged in a very small space.]
Thus, if complaint were mat's at the head offiee of the
district where the delivery ought to have been made,
that a letter, even from any part of the kingdom, had
been lost or mislaid, &c., these files of stamp slips,
bearing addresses Vali the correspondence entrusted for
delivery in each district of the period, being arranged,
say hung on the walls of any apartment to be in charge
of a confidential officer, it would be at once discovered
on referring to the files of stamps of the period of trans.
mission (which would fall to be given), whether it bad
arrived at, passed through, or simply been for town de
livery in such office, and would lead to the discovery of
the party to blame. Should the stamp slip, with ad-
dress sought for be not found, and no stamp be or have
been missing of the period of transinistion of the letter,
the fault would lie at the Post-office from which letter
transmitted, and this leads to a further suggestion, that
for additional security the address of a letter might be
required to be recorded, or receipt given at the office
from which transmitted, on the payment of a trifling fee.
Thus, also, if forgery of the stamp may be appre-
hended, a more leisure opportunity may be obtained for
the examination of the stamps (on return of the files),
than in the hurry of despatching or of sorting the cor-
respondence for delivery ; while the whole used stamps
being returned to the various Post-offices to be destroyed
atfer being preserved for a time, would prevent the pos-
sibility of any being used a second time, which might
also be *tempted.
Admitted, that the plea suggested, which I have
humbly thought is completely practicable for insur-
ing the safe delivery of correspondence, would not,
if adopted, give complete security that all the corre-
spondence was safely delivered—as the letter carrier,
or country postmaster, could not at once be detected
of destroying letters, if he brought back or returned
all the stamp slips on his file—neither can he at
present at once be detected of destroying letters if
be account for the postago of unpaid letters of the
correspondence entrusted to him for delivery ; but

lno would s,:::Arcely venture with Fowl; liberty. even
with what he might consider an unimportant commtnii•

:.,ttion, when he must ohvintirly either deliver all the
letters in his charge, or briug or send hark evidence to
lay at the Post-office for which would undoubt,
ecily lead to his conviction in the event of complaint
"I",de of a 1:1-Iti7 1.3;-1 or orl:Xivere,l in

!istrict. In tht- case of var.-delivery of letter he
complained of, and on examination of the files, the stamp
slip (bearing address, &c.) found in the office of the
district of delivery, the declaration of the party to whom
letter addressed, that no such letter was delivered to
him of the period, would establish the guilt of the letter-
carrier.

It is ant conceived that the public would refuse ta-
undertake the additional trouble of marking a duplicate,
or abridgment of the address, on the stamps accompany-
ing their various correspondence, when the plan for in-
suring the safe delivery of same was unfolded, for no indi-
vidual despatches any communication but what he desires
shall be delivered. Parties neglecting to do so would not
have it in their power to convict the party to blame in
the event of their letters being lost or mislaid, &c. The
plan suggested, would, in effect, if adopted, compel
every individual to register the address of his letter in
the Post-office, to be preserved for a time, and would be
infinitely superior to another I had in contemplation to
submit alone, that individuals anxious about the safety
of their communications, might obtain, if required, a re
cord of the addresses of same, or a receipt in a book en
be kept by themselves for the purpose, on the paymen-
of a trifling fee. This, it is obvious, could not be gene-
rally acted upon, and even acted upon, the party to
blame in the event of non-delivery could never be dis-
covered, unless separate instructions were to accompany
such letters to the Postmasters of the district of deli-
very, and receipt also taken on delivery, which would
scarcely be practicable. Great additional duty would
also result at the Post-office. (Vide note 4.)
This branch of the subject. I have humbly thought,
ought to be, and will be, considered as very important.
S..ould the plan suggested, or a better one (I have
heard of no one being proposed), for ensuring the safe
delivery of paid correspondence, not be adopted, it is
feared that ultimately, in the absence of any check,
great liberties will be taken with our correspondence.
particularly by letter carriers and country postmasters,
not only in the hope of money inclosures, but to avoid
trouble of delivery, &c. Such a plan it is not conceived
would impede the working of the proposed measure,
but the opposite—would give better security than existe
at present for the safe delivery of our whole correspond
ence, and would be attended also wah the advantages
already adverted to, of furnishing a better opportunity
for the examination of the stamps, and of effectually
preventing same being used more than once. Probably
one individual would be sufficient to undertake the
duty suggested in every office out of London. A search
(which would not be a laborious one, as the files of the-
date of transmission could only require to be examined)
under such a system, holding out almost certain con-
viction in the event of non-delivery being complained
it is not conceived would often occur, and a small fee
might be charged for same, if considered advisable.
In the event of their Lordships, notwithstanding the
objections urged against stamp envelopes and stamped
paper, determining upon the adoption of either, they
could be prepared and cut in a form to admit of the
portion bearing the stamp being detached ; and the
plan proposed for insuring the safe delivery of corre-
spondence could be acted upon with either. In regard
to the correspondence of public offices and of individuals
adopting the envelope, as at present, which could not
be prevented, the slip stamp, it is obvious, could be fitted
to same on envelopes being prepared.
Having not in the preceding observations touched
upon two of the points to which their Lordships
have directed attention in minute of 23d August.
viz., security from forgery and the expense of the
production and circulation of the stamp, I beg humbf)
to remark, that the stamp being determined on, the•
best security from forgery would probably be in
the manufacture of a particular paper for the pur-
pose (Dickenson's Patent suggested), bearing cer-
tain marks to be readily distinguished on inspection
of the stamp slip or other mode adopted, and by licensing
only a limited number of respectable shopkeepers in the
cities and towns, in addition to the various Post Offices
to retail same. Thus any attempt at forgery, to be
successful, would require combination and great outlay,
and could not be successful to any extent even with the
best imitations, as it might be arranged that the whole
stamps should be issued only to the retailers from the
Stamp-office, or Head Post-office of the respective dis-
tricts. It is not to be expected, that any individual
would think it an object or incur the hazard and ex-
pense to attempt a forgery merely to evade his own
postage. Their Lordships have not desired any design
as to the stamp itself, and probably there could be no
stamp determined upon but what might be success-
fully imitated. The preventive checks proposed, of
a licensed and limited number of retailers only being
permitted, &c., would, in the absence of any market
for the extensive introduction of forged stamps make
any attempt at forgery a failure. An additional check
in the event of the correspondence passing through the
Post-office being numbered as proposed, would be,
comparing the number of stamps issued for any giver.
period with the number of the correspondence for the
period, which could be returned from the various
offices, allowing for those on hand.—(Vide note 5.) As
to the expense of the production and circulation of the
stamp, I am not prepared to give any estimate. It
must be obvious, that such would be greatly less with
the slip or label stamp than if stamped envelopes or
stamped paper may be adopted. Were a dozen or
more fac similes prepared (and probably this will be
necessary to keep up a sufficient supply), so many could
be struck or thrown off on the same sheet of paper at
once. (The necessary preliminary outlay which would
attend twelve or more stamps being used in produc-
tion, would be another protection from forgery. And in
regard to circulation, in addition to what has been sug-
;rested, applicable to towns, mail guards might be licensed
as retailers and could carry even in their pockets a
supply of the slip stamp sufficient to meet the wants
of the country districts. As I infer from their Lord-
ships' minute, that it is in contemplation, should the
stamp be adopted, to make an additional charge for
same to meet the cost of production, I humbly sub-
mit, that it would be desirable to have the stamps
retailed at a penny neat, and the cost defrayed from
the Post-office revenue. Retailers, however, might
be permitted to charge a commission of a halfpenny or
penny per dozen. ( N.—Were copperplate designs to
he supposed not more liable to attempts at forgery,
the expense of the production of these would be com-
paratively small.)

In conclusion, I ventured to remark farther on the
subject, that although compulsory pre-payment by stamp
would be most desirable, in ordtx that the various Post-
masters and Clerks being relieved from all pecuniary
responsibility, and their duties generally lessened, a
reduction of their salaries, &c. may be effected, as well
as to avoid the delay to the delivery, which would be
consequent on the postage being collected as at present,
&c. Yet, as many communications are made, the
postage of which ought to fall on parties to whom ad-
dressed, which might thereby to a certain extent be
prevented, it may be important to consider whether
pre-payment should be enforced or not. A general
postage of twopence on unpaid letters would be per-
haps sufficient to prevent any great number of such
being transmitted.