The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1843-12-08

(" Az AZ 4. -
So in proportion, up to l6 ounces, beyond which
letter will be received, except Parliamentary doc
umenls.
The postage is to be prepaid or the letter will be
r rated at double postage. ~
Pre- payment Of postage Is to be made by money or
by the use of stamps
Single stamps are obtained at the cost Of Is. 3D.
per dozen-double stamps Al a. "a. per Dozen
All foreign letters are ratsd variously, according
TO the countries from which sent.
Foreign and colonial letters rsted III various prices
from 70 66 cents the single letter.
Newspapers printed in England and stamped, are
sent free OF postage Foreign newspapers pay post
Connected with this system was tho abolition of
the Parliamentary Thanking privilege.
Upon 5th December, 1882 the old high rates OF
postage were discon inued, and uniform rate of 4d
substituted That rate ceased on the 10th January,
1910. and the present uniform penny system was put
in full operation.
exhibited by the official rep srs of the Department,
as late the Gath April, 1912, tabular view Of
which is hereto annexed. [6]
The official returns for l843 have not been received
at this Department, nor have been able to procure
them.
These results have not met the anticipation OF the
advocates Of the system in the ratio Of increase In the
number Of letters, the expenses of management or
the amount of revenue.
have selected the number of letters posted for
week in each Of the years 1885, 40, al, '42, from
the returns above referred to.
In week preceding the Gath November, 1885, un-
der the old and high rates postage there were post
For one week ending 22d December, 1889, when
the Uniform rate of 4d was imposed, there were
posted 2,OOS 6o7 letters
The number Of letters posted in the week preced-
ing the gath May, 1910, under the uniform penny
rate, was 3,l38,U35.
The number Of letters for one week preceding goth
June, l84l, was 3,773,l36.
The number of letters mailed for one week pre-
ceding Gath April, 1872 was 1925, 5l3.
This shows an increase of less than q fold upon
the letters posted under the old SYSTEM instead OF ve
fold estimated by Mr. R. Hill, and the other advo-
Gates of the system
II is not for me to say whether three years is suf
fcient length of time to ascertain the maximum in
of letters under the operation OF the penny
system. 1t is doubtless as long period as was con-
templated by the committee when, IN their opinion,
the Of the number of letters would improve
the Post Office revenue"
The annual cost of management of the Post Office
under the old system-say for the year preceding the
5th January, 1839-was s. 1896, 486.
Annual cost for the year preceding 5th January,
Cost Of management for the year preceding 5th
January, l64l, $4,l2l, $50.
Cost Of management for the year preceding 9Th
January, 1912, 81, 500 oil.
Gross revenue for the year preceding 5th January,
1885, under the old rates of postage, was $ll 1862,
1874
Gross revenue for the year preceding 5th January,
l640, under the old rates, except for one month the
4d. rate was in operation, Sll ,475,662.
Gross revenue for one year preceding 9Th January,
l84l under the penny rate &c, 444, 499.
Gross revenue for the year preceding 5th January,
1912, SITS, 592.
for the year preceding 9Th January, 1882 S79656aS
Do. do. 5th January l640, 81, S42 ,067
Do. do 9Th January, l84l, S2,322,370
Do. do 5th January, 1842, S2,675,38O
Int a. tnG lnIo he
of cas-, 1885, for the year 1889, charged to the Gov
eminent for postage
In 1S TO- do. G442 7S.
In l84l do. I907
In 1912, do 9Il3,256.
There has been increase of letters, but not TO
half the extent anticipated, and an increased charge
for the management greater than was estimated.
Instead Of an increase OF revenue to the Crown, as
predicted by the committee there was loss OF
S5,290,26S
The system OF penny postage in England, so far
revenue is concerned has resulted IN loss of near
two-thirds the under the old system, and in
an increase of cost Of management equal TO 80 per
cent
These facts will serve show that the tax, in the
shape of postage, upon the English correspondence
has been essened that the postage upon newspapers
is pail IN the shape of a stamp-duty higher than
the postage paid newspapers in the United States
that the correspondence through the mail has been
increased, and that the derived to the crown
has been greatly lessened And they further prove,
greater than its cost of management Two other
facts should not be overlooked in the comparison Of
the revenue Of the British Post flee under the old
and rates Of postage. The first is, that not only
all foreign and colonial letters which delIye IN
England but those which pass through England, in
their transit TO and from other countries subject
cd TO a heavy postage. The second that by law the
transportation Of letters by private conveyance, ex
cept where the carrier shall himself deliver the letter
to the person addressed prohibited by severe pen
allies.
If the British Crown did not need the revenue, or
if it did, and the subject was willing to be taxed in
the form of stamp duty excise equal 10 the reduc
ton of the rate Of postage, more equal and less
burdensome, will question this right and the
justice of yielding TO the demand to have the pos age
reduced.
1.-THE Post Office Department Of the United States
yielded revenue over its expenses or if the cha &c
of its management was paid from the general Trea
sury, no one would doubt the propriety and justice
of a reduction.
1t is question for Congress and the people to set,
tle whether they will far change The laws of the
United States concerning the Post Office Department
as to direct its expenses to be paid out of the Trea
sury.
The number of chargcable letters delivered, which
annually pass through the Post Office OF the United
States, has heretofore been estimated at "a 5O7 994
The number of similar letters annually posted IN
England under the old rates of postage was estimat
ed by the Committee of Parliament at II 100000.
The number, under the penny rate, OF like letters
may be estimated at 204, 1874 ,676
With view to put Congress in possession OF cor
rect information upon this subject have directed an
accurate account to be kept at each Post Office OF
the United States during the month Of October, of the
number OF lett RS under each rate Of postage the
number of free letters, and by what official ranked,
the number OF newspapers, pamphlets, &c These
returns are not quite complete. Ihope to have them
ready by the LIST January, to be furnished to Congress
if required
The questions connected with this subject, it oc.
cars to me- which it will be the duty Of the Repre-