Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1840-12-16

The extent of the post routes in the United States
covered by mail service, on the 30ih June last as
near can be ascertained was 155 ,739 miles. The
annual trans portation these routes at the rate
existing on the 3Oth day of jane last, was about
SO $40 776 miles.
The annual cost Of transportation, estimated at
the ratio of pay existing at the close of the year.
By horse and sulkey I2is2Aa5 7se66s
BY stage and coach, 20. o9,27S 1911 $50
By steamboat and railroad, s,sse,o5s 5eS,s5s
Total, sSs7o776 ss2e6s76
In addition to this service, the mails BY steam
boats and other vessels, under the 9Th and 9th Sec
tiops of the act of 1875 estimated to have cost,
the last year, about 900; aud there has been paid
for ship and ~ay letters, about SO 900.
Receipts last year, Sl5s9265
Expenditures &" 4.759,ilo
Excess of expenditure s2Ie si5
The practice Of carrying newspapers out of the
mail, without having secured the privilege in the
contract, found TO be so general that it could not
be suppressed without great in con senience TO the
public and, as the ambiguity Of the law admitted
Of doubts in regard TO the restriction concluded
that should best discharge my duty by permitting
these practices to contncs, and leave Il for Con-
gress either 10 remove the prohibition, or to make
the law explicit for its enforce ment. As il is
probable that the enforcement Of the prohibition
would have the effect of stopping the carrying Of
newspapers the mail routes, rather than causing
them 10 be conveyed in the mail, it would seem
both just and polite TO abolish the restriction en-.
tirely.
The revision Of the tariff Of postage, with the
view to reduction aud convenience, has, for some
years past, attracted the psblic attention. and,
several occasions, been brought under the conside-
ration Of Congress without any d. finite action -
At the second session Of the twenty fifth Congress-
the House OF Representatives adopted resolutions
calling on the Postmaster 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 30 miles and under, five cents; over -
miles aud not exceeding 200, ten cents; over 2)0
and not exceeding 100, fifteen cents over 400
miles, twenty cents and TO state hat other tariff,
fixing the rates IN federal money, and having in
view the greatest reduction consistent With the
cessary means Of the Department, II any, in his
Judgment, would be more Just than the above. And
that he also states what alterations any, may be
made in the present rates OF postage on newspa-
pers, pamphlets, and periodicals, as TO promote
the circulation OF information without detriment 10
| the revenues Of the Department"
II Is supposed that this resolution in connection
with the prevailing interest then felt in the
| Of the experiment making in England by what 10
called the pensy system, induced the late Postma
ter.General to commission George Pitt, Esq one
Of the special agents Of this Department, TO visit Eu
| rope for the purpose Of collecting such informa.
tion concerning the new system in England, and
/ the mail eStablis hment in other European coun-
tries, as might eonduee to the improvement Of our
/ own system.
| 3 With the view TO remove many Of the growing
evils Of the mail establishment, and secure the re-
ductien Of letter postage, ! respectfully propose
| change in the system. on the following bases.
l. The entire abolition Of the ranking privilege,
a. an exclusive personal right, with the exception
| Of the Executive and the heads Of departments.
! 2 \ limitation by law Of the maximum rate ri
/ compensation for all steamboat railroad and coach
service.
g. The equalization Of postage newspapers aud
other printed matter, with an advance Of one hun
dred per cent
g. A revision Of the tariff Of letter postage, with
a reduction Of twenty five per cent.