The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1843-10-02

Wednesday, with fifteen days later intelligence
from all parts Of Europe.
The Postmaster General and the Post
ONCE Arrangements
The miserable management which seeks to
nance the revenues OF the post office department,
which was established for the convenience of the
public, by making it the instrument of oppression
and exaction, rather than public benefit, cannot
be toe severely dealt with. The high rates of
postage, which have always been charged, have
ever since the formation of the government, in
duced attempts TO send letters by some cheaper
mode of conveyance but while there were no rail-
roads, and comparatively few steamboats,, these
efforts effected the revenues but in very small de-
gree; consequently up to 1927, the of the
department constantly exceeded the expenditures.
From that year up to the present. the receipts have
equaled the expenditures, with the exception
of the three years of general extravaganza, 1885,
1886, 1897. At the close OF the last named year,
there a surplus in the department of $3.50 POS
The then postmaster earnestly pressed upon Con-
sress, the necessity of reducing the hostages but
instead OF selzlng that moment to put the depart
ment upon proper system, the surplus was only
devoted ID extending the routes. About that time
q element came into existence, growing out OF
the fact that old posi- office system was totally
behind the age, and utterly inadequate to the wants
oi me community. This was the establishment of
Harnden's Express, for the purpose of carrying
packages. This business grew rapidly, and be-
coming important, he soon made arrangements
with steamboats, and railroads, mutually beneficial,
on the establishment of Cunard's line of steam
boats. He was rendered and accepted the
exclusive freight agency of that line. This
made the establishment of branch in Liverpool
necessary Out Of this arrangement grew an i'm
portant enterprise In former years almost the only
mode of forwarding foreign letters from this coun-
try, to drop them in the bag Of the news rooms
In each city, by the keepers OF which they were for
warded sometimes through the mail, but mostly by
private hand, to New York, TO arrive on the day of
the sailing OF packet. Very frequently these pack
ages would arrive in New York too late, and lay
over TO the sailing of the next The establishment
of Harndens express opened sure channel of COM
municaton for these letters, and his branch in Lii
verpool affords etill greater advantage. II is that
the postage Of letter can be paid to him in any
of the Atlantic cities in advance, any part of Eng
land or the continent Harnden will carry the let.
ter, say from Philadelphia to Boston, pay it at Bos.
ton to Liverpool and his agent there will pay it to
any place between Liverpool and Vienna The
promptness, regularity, and Skill with which Harm
denis business is conducted, are well known to the
public. His line of expresses is quite as important
to it as the mserably managed post office arrange
ments. So sensible is the department of this, that
the Philadelphia postmaster writes to Mr. Wickliffe
as follows s.
"a highly respectable and extensive merchant of
Philadelphia informed me, That 10 his certain know
ledge, Harnden was In the habit of conveying by
his express, muttudes of letters which ought to be
transmitted by mail II an opportunity should be
large commission dry goods merchants, either in
Philadelphia, New York, or Boston, there would
not be the slightest difficulty in establishing the fact
OF Handens gross violations OF the post Office laws
and / am firmly conp,nced thatD he and adams be
NOT put docn, they ,cM ere long put doon the post
office department."
Now, Harnden, by his enterprise, has partly met
the great want of the community, viz cheap and
expeditions mode OF conveying letters The world
has advanced sixty years since the old and made
quate system now in operation, was established,
and II Is falling into decay. In this state of affairs
how s II that the present Postmaster General seeks
TO retrieve Its affairs BY seeking TO increase the
facilities afforded to the public! Far from it. He
sues Harnden for carrying bundles, and forbids the
transportation OF newspapers except at charge 80
onerous as 10 prohibit them altogether 1t
y possible that public man can be so narrow mind
ed, 30 tar behind the age, much pulled up with a
little authority, to imagine that he can put down
public opinion, and roll back the tide of enterprise
Already line of coaches has been established be-
tween Baltimore and Washington, to carry the pa.
pers prohibited on the Railroad by Mr.. Wicklffe-
Public enterprises will be stimulated by oppression
all directions, until Mr.. Wickife is buried beneath
the ruins of his abused department. No department
of the government will be tolerated any longer than
il serves the people. The moment it becomes an.
tagonist TO the public interest it must perish. II
private enterprise can do better than the govern.
ment arrangements, the latter must cease.
CANADIAN AFFAIRs-The Provincial Parliament
Of the United Provinces Of Canada. commenced ON