The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1821-1823, 1822-03-20
Of two years has been, or slrall be hereafter

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Tomato to the expenses and distances of their
transportation, and yet the increase of postage
not 10 be SO great as to effect the circulation of
tnose useful vehicles Of information, so neces-
ssry TO the existence and preservation of free
governments and by subjecting to postage all
newspapers carried in the mail.
| . 1htTdty, TO provide for the better securing
tne hostages on newspapers, the remedy pro-
| posed is to require the payment of newspaper
/ postage before their transmission by mail.
Fou,1hty, by dminution in the expenses of
collection. The commissions at some of the
post-oihces, are greater, it is believed, than
are really necessary.
Ftfthty, BY prohibiting all passengers, as
Well as drivers and owners, in pubIick stages.
which travel on postroad, and all passen-
gers who are conveyed in steam, or other reg
uiar boats or vessels, from carrying letters and
packets, other than such as are open, and re-
late 70 their own Concerns and subiectng all
| such letters as are conveyed by passenger.
oflVer or owner, when delivered into a post
ounce, TO the same postage as if conveyed in
the mail.n
ne post-office establishment was never in
tenoed as source Of revenue, but as pub
lck convenience, and as means of disse,n
mating information among the people--an
OBJECT which is justly considered of primary
importance IN free country, as the perpetuity
OF republican, institutions depends on the in
telllgence and virtue of the people.
ne nrst recommendation ought not to be
ADOPTED, because it would deprive certain
sections OF country fall benefit fronilthe post
once establishment, Which was intended for
inc good of the whole. Beside, the income
rom any particular route affords no criterion
OF Its convenience and importance. either 10
inc inhabitants on that route, or the commune
ty at large.
The second and third propositions; if adopt
ed would XIII at a single blow not less than
one nan, and we think in all probability two
tnirds OF the newspapers in the United States.
Inc puoIck Journ in the inland parts of the
country, winch afford to their proprietors any
'nillg more than bare subsistence, are few,
very le"' m number, while the most of them
are with difficulty sustained at all +: though it
Is oeiieVcd there is not village or section of
country ~ which apewspaper is published
a community in which it has exerted its in1u.
ence, and to whom it has proved a source of
political, scientifck, and general INTELLIGENCE.
that would willingly see it expire. The most
age now established, though but tri1ing upon
single paper, amounts 10 SO much in the year
as to deter many from taking them who other
WISE would; and if the rate is to be increased.
ever so trifingly, the subscription list of every
editor Will soon exhibit considerable falling
on, sufficient in many cases to induce an aban.
comment OF the publication. For those which
might survive such state of things for a time.
the Post Master-General has provided sure and
immediate destruction by two other PROPOSE
TONS. First, to charge postage Oh newspapers
editors receive in exchange, which would
amount TO a tax of from SO to 5000 per am
nun upon each individual and secondly. to
require the postage in all cases before the
papers are transmitted, which can be effected
ohiy oy compelling editors TO pay it in ad-
vance Those who know any thing at all
about the nature Of newspaper accounts, need
not be informed that there is no business so
liable to loss from bad debts as that of which
we are. speaking. Subscribers are scattered
over all parts Of the country, and probably not
one IN twenty are known 10 the proprietors of
the newspaper. 1t is idle TO suppose that they
wonld advance the postage for ANY whose
Responsibility should be unknown, and conse-
qnently by far the largest portion Of their nat
rons would he swept off at a single swoop.
There. is another view in which This subject
should be considered. The whole system
proposed by the Post Mester- General is excel
lently adapted to cut off the means of intelli-
gence ifom al but the rich. No scheme could
be devised better calculated to keep all but
the wealthy in ignorance Of what is going on
IN the world, and no method could be more
efectuai to crush the industry and enterprise
o. the proprietors of new establishments, and
give by law complete monopoly to the fich
proprletors Of newspapers of long standing.
That the scheme would greatly reduce the
post-otice Revenue must be clear to every one.
| The receipts from taxing postage on newspa-
pers exchanged by the editors would be very
inconsderable, for there would be but few pa
pers printed-and the increased postage would
diminish the circulation at least one half
or the fourth proposition we shall say moth
ing, as we are unacquainted with the compen-
sation OF deputy post-masters and the manner
oftransacting business in their Offices.
The fifth proposition could never be carried
into effect, as it never ought and never,wilI be
submitted 20 by a, free people. If the govern
ment is to prohibit persons from carrying letters
or papers from place TO place, they may as
well prohibit or tax us for the air we breathe.
The proposition itself partakes of despotism.
We have perhaps entered rather more At
large on this subject than some NAV think
necessary; but the " suggestions, of the
Head of the post-otHce are of 80 extraordi-
nary a character, that we considered it proper
to point out rhe consequences TO which thew
would lead, that the publick might mark them
with strong disapprobation. AS far as we can
learn from the newspapers, this has been the
case. The scheme has met with no counte-
nance from any quarter, except from one pa
per IN this city, the Evening Post; and we are
unwilling to believe thar lie ed;yor ,,,.,. :. -.