Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1832-06-08

sage oil TINS b yet whlc the bill establishing routes
will impose upon the department additional burden of
from 100000 TO 23I 900 per annum the passage this
OH VIII deprive II OF the OF sustaining ITSELF by di-
mnishng its revenues more than another 500 600 and
burden with the expense OF transporting the additional
weight OF mails which will be occasioned by the removal
OF postage newspapers. In this of things, the
committee would ask how can il be possible for the de-
partmcnt TO sustain itself? An further facilities must be
abandoned for years probably forever and many that
already IN operation must be withdrawn. With the most
Hg aud persercrng economy, and with the best possible
administration o. the OF the department. would
IN the opinion OF the committee, involve annual
pense OF at least 100000 beyond its revenues
From a careful investigation OF the subject, in all its
bearings, The committee satisfied tina; the provisions
the b be Sustained without an annual approDria-
ton from the treasury; and that appropriation must be in
creased from year for the increase of newspaper
postage Is greater than that of letter postage duplicate
ratio, apd tho increase of the weight of newspaper mails
even lille subject 10 postage, is to the Increase OF the
weight o letter mails about thirty IL must then
be obvious that itc arising postage are
o' sncient TO deiray the expense of transporting both
the letters and newspapers which conveyed in the
mails the deficiency will continue to increase in proper
on AZ The weight OF the mails and the OF their
transportation shall Increase. The would proba-
by, IN few years become seriously burlensome 10 the
Treasury, aud light prove the foundation for pretcx at
no distant day, Tor imposing tax newspapers,
eqWvucn! Tor the expense OF their ransporaou-a
sure which, at this time would the decided disappro
baton ct the whole community
Tho inevitable consequence OF passing this bill would
DC resort 10 the Treasury for the transporon of ncwpa
Pers. such resort there are many end in the opn
ION oil me committee very weighty objections. 1t would
give to the head of the department. discretionary power
over the national Golfers, beyond what ought
ever 10 DC given TO an individual in roc The
appropriations IT true would be subject the control
OF Congress- but neither Congress, nor committee of
Congress, would be able I'M addition To their ordinary din
ties to Investigate the minute and inultifaous concerns
OF that extensive and extending department. with suI-
cent ccrany TO ceIain the required from
year TO year, to meet the public wants in mail facilities
1e necessary IN ms as in other departments o.
the Governments 10 conide principally in the repre- senta-
IONS OF ITS mead lie would no longer have the motive
which now stimulates him, to present the nation an an
nua exhibit of the economy of his department in acil,a
ting intercourse between the distant sections of the
country upon tho strength of lis resources The re-
sponsibiliy he feels in Tic management of those re-
sources, would in great measure be lost. Leaning pon
the National Treasury, the necessity Tor rigid economy
would naturally decline, aud in few years would entire
ly disappear
The to be appropriated for the first year nigh; be
inconslerable, compared with disability of the Treasury
20 meet H. but the experience of this country well as
that OF all others shows that expenses however small in
their beginning continually growing and from the ma
lure CT TINS case 1t appears perfectly evident that if the
national treasury is resorcd for transportation
oil newspapers the increase oexpense from year year.
wl be III rapid progression While the propiev OF re-
ducng the public taxes, this time, be admitted
ny all tho passage of Ibis bill will produce aud
alarming expenditure, which must at no distant ,eod he
come serious burhcu TO the community.
Newspapers cannot he transported without expense and
they generally distributed by the mail at much lower
rate than in any other way that he devised the price
fixed Is much lower than the actual TO the depart
mcnt Ii they were excluded from tho mails the weight
would be so diminished as greatly reduce the expense of
transportation II is the weight OF the mail that subjects
IT To heavy charges for portaon; and from the best
estimate that can be made the weight of the letters trans
ported IN all the mails in the o. States, does amount 10
more than one-heenth part OF the whole wcc hit of the
malls yet the postage letters for the year ending the
LIST of October last, amounted to 81 S23 5S3 o. and tho
postage on newspapers and pamphlets the same period
anoutcd sees SIG S. about one eighth part of The sum
for fifteen times the weight
inc postage on newspapers Is not tax il has more the
nature OF tax than the freight paid merchandise II
Is money paid for fair and full equivalent in service rem
dercd and paid by the persons for whose benefit and by
whose voluntary the service is performed The law
does not require newspapers be distributed bv MALL
only extends TO their propretor that privilege when it be-
comes eir interest TO avail themselves of III preference
TO other more uncertain and expensive modes The sum
paid is less than the real the department. and there
does appear sufficient reason ~ Inv The pubic hoI
distant market than the productions of other kinds of
industry In all cases, the expense must be defrdycd eli
her by tax on the community a large by the persons
Tor whom the service is pcriormeG; and the Committee
cannot perceive more equitable way than for each ono
to pay for the service actually rendered 10 himself for bs
own benefit and by his order.
From whatever tho he appcd TO that
object shall be derived yet it ia drawn the people;
ana IL The bill shall pass 1t WILL in Fact impose on the
people for the transportation of newspapers The greatest
benefit from this tax will him who receives the
greatest number OF distant newspapers. The operation
then. vii not be in favor of the labong commuuty the
and useful farmer and mechanic generally con-
hm.ef with one or two weekly papcrs while Lis
more wealthy neighbor is able TO indulge himself with as
many every day. The measure will, therefore, operate
tax for the benefit of the wealthy, the expense of
his more industrious and useful neighbo The Com
mce do not perceive the justice OF taxing that portion Of
the community who read the ewest newspapers for the
benefit of those who read most.
The effect il will have upon the newspaper establish
ens oil Tie country and indeed upon the political char
acter OF the nation, subject worthy of deep consera-
ton There prevailing curiosity IN The interior TO see
and read the papers which published in large Giles and
TO learn the and rumors which circulated there If
these papers shall be transported without expense i
believed that they will be generally preferred although
all the useful intelligence they contain is circulated
with lew days delay, through the medium of the local
prints The city editors, by fixing agents in the different
towns and villages receive circulate their papers
VIII dcpress, and eventually supPant, the smaller establish
nents
= monopoly Of influence in the largo cities whose po
!Ical atmosphere IS not always congeua to spirit
of Independence, will be the consequences That freedom
that mdnlncss of spirit, which has always characterized
the great body OF the common people Of country and
Wich constitutes The safeguard OF liberties " I'M graz
dualiy decline, and the loss consequent upon such State
OF things cannot be Tccompenscd by savings of peaoe
on newspapers. concentration of political power i'm tc
hands o lcw individuals, l., OF all things most TO be
dreaded III republic. IL j., of itself ar-ocracy
more potent ana dangerous then other and noiDp vii,
tend more cccuy prevent il, the sustaining of the
newspaper establishments in the different towns and villa
gcs throughout the country.
l u imagined by that lie Post Office Department
IS al present charge upon the Treasury of the IT, States
So r from this being the fact were an account oprned
between this Department and Inc Government the ,ne
would be found largely indebted The end each wear
The Treasury of the q. States has, at all times srpcd
Annually The amount necessary 10 dcfay the expenses in
Cured in the General Post Office itself These consist of
the salaries Of the Postmaster General assistants clerks
and messengers which annually about Sol I0O watch
men, d5orers, &c 81 $40; contingent expenses 81 500
making aggregate OF $50 2lO. 10 this sum should be
making, in the whole, S67 2lO: and the fact that Greater
ri he or