The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-12-22


The great facilities which they afford for the trans
mission OF letters and newspapers out Of the mail have
evidently diminished the receipts from postage. This
is proved by the sudden falling of ofthe revenue at
points where these facilities have recently been pro-
vided. Information has also been received from the
agents of the Department. showing that letters, pack
cts, and newspapers were extensively conveyed out
OF the mail on the railroad and steamboat lines, and
on many of the stage and coach routes. SO far as
these PRACTICES detrimental to the income of the De
partment, we believed TO be violation OF law, en-
deavored 10 suppress them regarding il my highest
duty to enforce the laws. And in respect TO letters
carried by carriers and drivers, these efforts, Is be-
heyed have been generally ehectaal but there no
prohibition against persons conveying letters and pack
cts who may pass mail routes in the vehicle
which transports the mail and the railroads afford
great facilities for sending letters in this way.
For fifteen years preceding the introduction of the
new system in England the postage tax had rather de
clined, notwithstanding the increase population and
business. This was by many, ascribed To the high
rate of tax, but the better and prevailing opinion
attributes il to the railroads which have gone
into operation.
The practice ofcauyng newspapers out of the mail,
without having secured the privilege in the ntract
found to be general that il could not be suppress
ed without great Inconvenience TO the public and as
the ambiguity of the law admitted Of doubts in regard
to the restriction, Iconcuded that should best dis
charge my duty by permitting these practices to
nue, and leave it for Congress either to remove the
prohibition to make the law explicit for its
orcement As it is probable that the enforcement Of
the prohibition would have the effect of stopping the
carrying OF newspapers on the mail routes rather than
causing them 10 be conveyed in the mail, il would
seem both just and polite to abolish the restriction
tireiy
Another source of detriment to the the past
year has been the exercise and abuse of the Thanking
privilege to an unprecedented extent. During the
last three quarters the free matter constituted very
large portion of the entire mails As the contracts had
been made without reference to this extraordinary ad
dltion to the bulk and weight of the mails the burden
of the transportation thrown upon the contrac-
tors The free matter is not only conveyed without
compensation but the Department is subjected to the
charge of two cents for every free letter sealed pack
ct delivered at Offices where the postmastcrs commits
sons do not exceed five hundred dollars per quarter
AT some offices this allowance to The postmaster has
absorbed his whole quarterly balance.
The books of the Department furnish no data for
determining the number of free packets conveyed IN
the mall as large portion Of them not entered on
the post bills. At the post Office in this city
count taken of the number and weight of free let
tiers and packets during the three weeks ending the I'd
of May the I'd of June, and the 7th day of July last
There 2203S free letters and packets from the
Executive Departments; 20,363 free letters from mem
bers of Congress; and 392 26S public documents and
other ranked packets-makng in all 434,669 The
public documents and packets from Congress- exclu-
sive of the letters weighed 80 $50 poundsnearly six
teen and half tons. Taking this the average Of
the session of thirythree weeks it would appear that
the free letters from Congress amounted to 7Sl $685.
and the two cents allowed to postmasters commissions
exceeded five hundred dollars per quarter.
II may be estimated that there has been distracted
from the the past year. in the allowance of two
to posasters for the delivery of free letters and
packets and the two cents paid for advertising free
letters the sum of $l5O,O00.
And there facts which have come to the know
ledge of the Department which show that great abuses
have been practsed by those enjoying the privileges
in the highest well the lowest stations, in cover
ing the correspondence of Others to the great injury
Of its revenue. This and other abuses Of the prvi-
lege appear to be rapidly increasing, and imperiousy
demand remedy, either by its entire abolition, or
such restrictions upon il could be enforced by the
Department.
The provision in the act of 1926 allowing two cents
to postmasters free letters should be abolished
it is unreasonable that those enjoying exclusive
privilege should derive from the same prvi-
lege possessed by others Postmasers might be pro-
pery restricted in sending and receiving free letters to
their own office II is in the nature Of all exclusive
privilege of its members and officers all, with
ception, have served to enlarge the right
The collection and disbursement of the revenues
have been conducted with success and convenience by
the agents Of the Department with little trouble to
them, and without charge upon its means. The act
the It'll July has occasoned no material change in
the financial system Of this Department, except
substituting the receivers general for the postmastes
at some important points, as the depositaries of its
funds. But the penal provisions of the act, which
make the using loaning the public moneys con-
version and embezzlement of them, and punishable
criminal offence, applicable to postmaslers, and
cannot fail of having sautary influence in promoting
prompt payment of the quarterly balances, of which
there has been great Improvement the last few years,
and IN preventing defacations
The revision of the tariff of postage with the view
to reduction and convenience, has, for years
past attracted the public attention, and, several
occasions, been brought under the consideration of
Congress without any definite action. AT the second
session of the twenty fifth Congress the House of Re
representatives. adopted resolutions calling the Post
master General to state what, in his opinion would
be the effect on the revenues Of the Department. of
the establishment of the following tariff of hostages of
letters On letters conveyed 50 miles and under five
cents so miles and not exceeding 200 ten cents
over 300 and not exceeding 400, fifteen cents
400 miles twenty cents and to state what other tariff,
fixing the rates in federal money, and having in view
the greatest reduction consistent with the necessary
means of the Department if any, in his judgment,
would be more just than the above And that he also
state what alterations If any, may he made in the pre-
sent rates of postage on newspapers, pamphlets and
periodicals. TO promote the circulation Of nforma
ton without detrment to tie of the Depart
ment."
1t is supposed that this resolution, in connection
with the prevailing interest then felt in the of
the experiment. making in England by what is called
the penny system induced the late Postmaster General
to commission George Pitt, Esq, of the special
agents OF this Department to visit Europe for the pur
pose of collecting such information concerning the
new system in England, and the mail establishments
in other European countries, might conduce to the
Improvement of our own system.
Mr. Pitt len the United States on this special ser
vice in June 1889 and returned in August last The
result of his inquiries are contained in the report pre-
pared by him, which s herewith submitted. II con
tains extensive details tending to show the condition
and management of the mail establishment in several of
the most important countries in EUROPE, and many in
teresting facts and valuable suggestions for the i'm
provemcnt of the system in the United States. Many
of the reforms and improvements recommended are
deserving of consideration 1t will be that he
commcnds entire change in our tariff of postage
and to have all mail matter taxed by weight letters |
not weighing half to he rated at five
cents for any distance less than 500 miles and ten