Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1841-12-23

Without undertaking To discuss this question at
present. no, prepared IRON the present financial
condition OF the Department, 10 recommend a re
duction Of the rates of postage, fixed by low.
hut invite modification of thcm tar u u make
item eonlotm more generally To the smaller coiu Of
the Uuited States. aud solicta revision Of The laws
reg laiing the postage on newspapers. I do not
desire that the postage on newspapers proper should
though much might be saved To the Department IL
the sysiem Of prcposlage applied to newspapers
provided such equation wa deemed acceptable
10 pablic opinion. I must, however earnestly i'm
vitc your attention. and hope yon will call that OF
Congress 10 the necessity of the enactment OF spmc
law BY which just discrimination may be made
in the imposition Of postage ON newspapers proper
and those mammoth periodicals which assume the
shape and name OF newspapers. but which are. in
fact, the republication Of reviews and novels. sent
through the post office; not always To subscribers
but in large TO agents. 10 vend la the uit-
kcts Of the more distant towns. cities and villages
which greatly increase the size and weight Of the
mails and the expense oftransportaiion. without
corresponding remuneration ~ the Department
The great nnmbcE of these large publications which
have been sent by the mail from Baltimore 10 Wheo
linz has mainly contributed 10 the frequent irregu-
lnriIies ot the Western mails for the last twelve
mlnihs. I respectfully inquire whether il is Just
| taai the United States mail shall be compelled TO
| transport one of these papers. weighing nearly one
pound, for "A cent and a half. from Boston New
York "a louisville, ~. u factor. 10 sell fsr the
benefit Of the Publisher. while te letter of friend
ship or business is taxed with twenty 1--WE eggs
| postage between the Same points.
! have already alluded 10 The establishment Of
what are called private expresses. for the carrying
Of letters packages AMI newspapers upon the posI
roads OF tie United States. Tor pay AMI coinpcnsa-
ton, one cause tendiug greatly % the icdnction
! OF The revenue OF the Department. must beg leave
again TO bring the subject more particularly Ia YOUR
notice, under the hope ihai ysu wall invite that OF
Congress 10 the necessity OF some further itgisla
lion more cil.cunlly ps1tert the interest and the
rights ofihc Geaeral Government ia lis Pet Office
Department.
II there ~ any grant OF exclusive power to Con.
grcss upon which all unite in opnrn, IT is tho Pr
| wcr 70 establish post offices and p,st roads and II
may fairly he assumed an admitted principle
that when Congress. ~ the exercise of that power
has established post road. the right Of Stale or
the individuals Of State, 10 establish lines OF trans
porIaion, Tor letters packages. and newspapers. up
on aud the same road. for CON q nsaiUn, can
mol be su C ,,siully IN am aimed.
How lar this usurped power has been exerc sed
by individuals. and what extent. IAN n u fully
| informed; h-t the Information communicated 10 the
! Department hns induced me 70 avail myself 9th
services of the First Assistant Postmaster General
while on temporary WISH ofbusiaess 10 Pnadr-
fhia 10 collect and report to such information
| upon the subject rs his other engagements would
/ permit; and have the hOnnr 10 submit to yon
his report
| Another RepoIf from the First Assistnn, Posimas
ter General, herewith submitted. viii present yon
with detailed statement of the Of mil scr
vice for the year ending the Both Of June 1871
and the rate of E,r the sam In each State and
Territory. distinguishing between each character of
service. BY tais report IL will appear That the Uni
ted States Mail was transported ON raroads aud
steamboats, 1916 $50 miles 1t a cost ofs55j.si3i
an hoTse an in sulkeys l20So 500 miles aha cost
OF S75l 607; in stages NIL in Coaches l596IaI3
miles ut cusI Of slT9 .63j; making intn agsre
gate Of annual transp 'rilriol Of 3i.996,525 mi les
~ n ratio ofcosi af S3,l59.375
The act Of S3S deelires that coach railroad in
the limits OF the United States which now IL or may
| hereafter be completed shall be post road" and in
that law. and the act ofl8}9 provision limiting The
ainount beyond which the Postmaster Generul i,
prohibited from paying Cor the Transportation OF the
mail on railways will be found.
Grast embarrtssincnis 10 The d parImeni hane
arisen IN 1ho mTSing Of contacts for the ,nsIor
Ia;Ioa Of the mall with mtHy Of the ra roe cum.
ptrIlos under the laws nov in free. Th-so emhlr-
rass0ns nrisc mIniy frOn twJ causes; tho one Iha'
The price which the Department - enabled To paw
whether in relersnceio Is means or the IN l1imum
fixed by the leg:sa,pl vi gre A. h - b,en SEN
cd inadequate by many OF the principal companies
The other a:ises fiona unwllngncss on the plrt
Of sumo o! the com laaIes 20 b. q sche1ule pre-
parcel By the Department; preferring run at snch
times as viii besI sni the tfavel tho roads regar
ding is natural for them To do the carrying Of
tho mail secondary TO the transportation Of pas
J seDgers. The latter evil has been particularly fol,
| in the Great Southern mail; Oh is transit from
Washington City TO New York The mail gping
scuth from New York IS necessarily thrown upon
the Philadelphia and B,tm1re railroad in the night
between Philadelphia md B,iimorc; and The S1Jlh
ern mail FOR Now York IS compelled 90 lie over
4 H.
company be induced 10 run That trip oils in tho
night This they have declined doing. unless The
Department pay them compensation grenier than
Is authorised by the laws of Congress. Under the
hope That some arrangement could bc m1de-IO last
during the session Of Congress. If no onger-I al.
dressed % the Presidents Of the rail road companies
concerned in the transportation OF the mai, between
the city ofWashingiOn and New York letter
copy Of which. and the report Of the FIRST Assistant
Postmaster General upon this subject are herewith
submitted.
"An anx !oUs desire to effect Some permanent nj.
rlngement with tho railroad companies for the
transportation Of the mail, upon n basis which shall
be both just and uniform, considering The nature
Of tlie service performed by each, induced me 10
invite meeting Of the Presidents Of the different
companies, ia ihe cit Of Washington on the LIST Of
January nexii aud am gcatiiad at tho prompt man:
neT m which al who have been heard from have
consented 10 attend, and a hope is cherished that
some arrangement satisfactory 10 all parties and be
ncGcia 10 The public may yet be effected
The improved mode of INSTRUMENTATION by
railroad aud steam operating under chartered rights
granted by the States, aud over which II il not pre-
tended that the General Government much less the
Post Office Department, can exercise any control
imposes upon Congress. IN my OPINION. new duties
aud obligations. which can only he cancelled by
tho adoption OF sDue measure whereby the Post OF
lice Department may, upOIadeqaale consideration
secure by compact the right 10 transport the mail
IN the cars Of railroad companies, aad at The same
time give 20 the Department the power to control
lhe arrival and departure Of the same
There il now paid TO tha different railroad compa.
MES. annually, 100000 Tor the service, with.
out power ia the Department to Regulate the travel
rnvalanI departure Of the mail; aud the constant
nd frequent difficulties. both IN entering aio and
executing contracts are presented.
IL has occurred To me that the present was a most
favorable period for the adoption Of some measure
by Congress, whereby O.secure % the United Suites
the tight to transport The mail upon these roads in al
lime 10 come, free Of any annual charge upon the
Post Office Department. by the advancement Of q
en- in H..I.U -