Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-12-29

..e, available 90 that suspension curisilneat CT
so,vico IN n limited exirni, becomes necessary.
The restoration Of CONNIE REAL activity, cnndent-
L. anlicpacd may reasonably BE- calculated TO produce
cons darable Improvement during The two last quar-
tiers of the current iisca year, ana hiu'h sieAs "
crease the next year. ,
with rea sonabe expectation of reduction IN the
eynsuses of the transportation, and nearly certainty
Of considerable increase IN IT'S revenues, the future
pro.nec,s Of the Department are highly satisfactory?
Tie present is peculiar crisis in It's financial aIh'fs
re.nI,;n,t f,om III. operation Of causes which nave
endeayoed partially explain add which are not Ike
L. IN the same degree al least, again To occur
There are other of more limited influence
which have contributed To impair the revenue the pas'
veor The greatly enhanced expense OF the transport
alton of the mail upon railroads moi the only way III
which they affect the revenues OF this Department.
The great facilities which they afford for the transnis
sion OF letters and newspapers out OF the mall have
evidently diminished the receipts from postage ms
IS proved by the sudden falling off Of the revenue al
poin,s where these fac,es have recently been pro-
yidcd information has also been received from the
agents Of the Department, showing that letters pack
cts and newspapers, were extensively conveyed onl OF
the mail on the railroad and steamboat lines, and on
many of the stage and coach routes. So far these
PRACTICES detrimental TO the income Of the Depart.
inen, we're believed 10 be in violation of law cnGea-
yored suppress them, regarding Il as my highest duty
% enforce the laws And in respect 10 letters carried
by carriers and drivers these efforts, IS believed have
been generally cilrctua but there is prohibition
against persons conveying letters and packets who may
pass mai routes n the vehicle which trans
ports the mall and the railroads afford grca; facilities
for sending letters in tbs way
For fifteen years preceding the Introduction cf the
new system in Enslnnd the postage tax had rather de-
I'll ned notwithstanding the increase Of population and
business. This was, by many, ascrbed to the high rate
o. the tax bn, the better and prevailing opinion
attributes It 10 the railroads which have gone
into operation.
The practice ofcarrynr newspapers out Of The mail,
wiihou; havn. secured the privilege in The contract
found to be general that could not be suppressed
wtlout great Inconvenience 10 the public and the
ambiguity of the law admitted Of doubts in regard 10
the restriction, concluded that should best discharge
my duty by permitting these practices 10 continue, ana
leave i, for Congress either 10 remove the pr"n.'"
or 10 make the law explicit for ITS enorcemen
As is probable that the enforcement OF the P"hib-
ton would have the effect Of stopping the carrying oil
newspapers on the mail routes rather ihan causing
them to be conveyed III The mail, u would seem both
ius. and polite abolish the restriction entirely
Another source Of detsment 10 the revenue ihr past
vcar has been the exercise and abuse Of the tank'ng
privilege 10 an unprecedented extent. During the last
three quarters liz, free matter constituted very large
norton OF the entire mails. rs the contracts had been
made without reference 10 this extraordinary addition
Ia the bulk and weight Of the na,ls tie burden Of he
transportation was thrown upon the Contractors lie
free matter is not only conveyed without c"nipcnsa
two cents for every free letter sealed packet deliver
ed at Offices where the postmaster commissions do not
exceed FIVE hundred dollars per quartet AT some ON
ces this allowance 10 the postmaster las absorbed his
whole quarterly balance
Tic books of the Department furnish data inr de-
ter,nnng the number al free packets Conveyed IN The
mall as large portion OF them are no entered Oh the
pos, bills Al lie past Office in this :ity account
was ;a.rn ii Tie nnmter and wcinl Of tree letters
and packets DUNG tir,e weeks ending The "a day o!
/. ~. a.. q l.,'.
There we're 22Gi- free letters and jackets irol the
Executive Departments: ~ ..63 free ltcrs from
beers Of Congress; and 392 20 publ: documents and
other irankrd understanding in al iiiO6o The
public documents and packets from. Congress, eS-
elusive Of the letters, weighed 32,bSD pounds-nearly
sixteen and half tons. Taking tins the average Of
the session of ,hirtythr weeks It would appear that
the free letters and packets sent iron the Office IN TINS
city during the late Of Congress, amounted TO
I7-l @ and the two cents allowed to postnasiers Tor
the delivery of free letters would be ,621 This
IS probably above the average Of the session: and tie
,wo cents are not pad at Offices where the pospas.
IL. commissions exceed five hundred dollars per quar-
ter.
Il NAV be estimated that there has been abstract
cd from the revenue the past year. IN tac allowance,
of the two posimasers for the delivery Of free
letters aud packets and the wo cents pad Tor ad"+r-
ts,nr free letters, the sun Of Sl1O,ODO.
And there are facts that have come 70 the know
ledge Of the Department, which show that great abuses
have been pracscd BY those enjoying the privileges,
in the highest well as the lowest stations, IN cover
ing ;hr correspondence Of Others to tie great INJURY Of
lis revenue This and other abuses Of the privilege
appear 10 be rapidly Increasing, and imprrlnusly de-
nand a remedy, either by It's entire abo!'ton Or snch
ricr,ons upon il rs could be enforced by the De-
par.mcnt
The precision IN The act Of -a5, allowing two cents
10 s,tnascrG on cttcro should be abolished,
is unreasonable that those enjoying exclusive PR
yilrrc should derive revenue from the slne privilege
possessed hy others Po,;nasicrs might be property
restricted sending and receiving free letters, 10 their
avn Office II the nature Of al! exclusive PRIV
lcscs into abuse: and hence We fnd that =" the
twelve Of Congress relating 10 the ranking pr,Si-
lege ofits members and officers ia with exception,
have served 10 enlarge the right.
The collection and disbursement Of the revenues
have been conducted with and convenience by
the agents OF the Department, with little trouble TO
them and without charge upon its The act Of
the Ih July last has occasioned material change in
the financial system Of this Department, except sub
sunr the receivers general for the postmaslers, at
some important points, the depostares Of its funds.
But the penal provisions OF the act, which make the
rs ng loaninn the public moneys conversion and
Of them, and punishable ct;lnra!
offence are applicable pcsnasiers. and cannot fail
nf having saiutary influence IN promoting prompt
payment of the quarterly balances, OF winch there has
great improvement the last lew years, ana IN pre-
venting drialca,ions.
The revision Of the tariff Of postage, with the view
reduction and convenience has, for some years past
attracted the public attention, and. on several ncca-
SONS been brought under the consideration Of Con.
rrcss without any definite action. At the Second Ses
of the Tweu;y-hith Congress, the lionse nf Re-
prc>cn taivcs adopted resolutions calling on the Post
master General IT, Fiat" 'swhat, III his npnicn would
b, the effect tr Of the Department. Of the
establishment Of The following tariff Of hostages Of
letters On letters conveyed 20 miles and under, five
cents -n miles and not exceeding 2O0, Ten cents;
over 1lD and not exceeding 400, fifteen cents
I) mes twenty cents and 10 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, # any, IN his judgment,
would be just than tine above. And that he also
state wha. alterations, # any, may be made IN the pre-
sent rates Of postage TN newspapers, pamphlets and
periodicals, 10 promote The REGULATION Of lnfor-
nation without dctrmcnt to the revenues of the De-
partment
It's 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 Po,tmlscf-Grneral to
commission George Pitt Esq Of the special MS
If tins Department, 10 visit Europe for The purpose OF