Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1843-11-29
Proposed alterations in The Postage Lar.

The people of New York have held meeting
on this subject, and appear TO have entered scri-
ously upon the matter We annex sketch Of
their proceedings, as the subject is of interest
/ to every member of the community
PAIN BENJAMIN, Es, and read the following rcsou.
tons, which he said he had been requested
meeting.
Whereas the presen, esorbant rates Of postage are
brthensomc and unequal upon the literature trade and
social comforts OF the people Of the L. =. which should be
no longer tolerated. and whereas cheap and uniform
tenn OF postage be adopted with advantage both TO the
people and the Post Office Department which has been sa
lstacoiy demonstrated by the experiment made in Great
Britain where letter weighing half ounce NAV be- sent
10 any part OF the United Kingdom Tor the small sum of Two
cents and whereas II believed that the exercise
OF the ranking privilege the causes ut the connu
Of the present burhen,omc system; and whereas i, i
not only the right but the duty Of the people 10 represent
10 Congress their Of this ntoeahe grie and ask
Tor immediate redress. Therefore:
Resolved That the ranking privilege now exercised To
an improper extent u calculated pepcuae burdens
now imposed upon the business and comforts OF the people
generally anu should therefore b, immediately abolished
Resolved That the present brdensome and unequal sys
ten of postage should be changed and one established
which will afford TO the country regular safe and cheap
mode OF conveying letters, periodicals and pamphlets 10
every part Vi the United States.
Resolved That nd I, fellow. gr.
Morally to call public meetings, prepare and forward Pc
huons To Congress expressive Of their ishes-and
Ne all, both male and female young and old to unite in
pehuoning Congress to adopt Immediately cheap system
. OF postage
Resolved. That the Members of Congress from mi. city
DC earnestly requested TO bring this subject be-
fore Congress at IT. session. to use their utmost
eAeE"os 10 Abolish the innAng privilege aud TO reform
the present pos. oiiice laws.
Resolved That committee OF five person. be appointed
by the chairman OF this meeting the necessary funds
aud To- make such arrangements they deem expedeui
Tor the speedy accomplishment OF the wishes this meeting
Having read them he said
Gentlemen The gentlemen who handed me these reso
uuons requested that should follow them up with few
remarks. The sub is with which all are so familiar
that despair OF giving you any light upon them Every
lFtUF nj Hi.
IA the city, and in the country, oil alike interested in il
aud 10 be benefited equally by any Improvement in its
details. The Post Master General has brought abouta
crisis which trust, gentlemen. wall eyentuate the
shnen Of good system Of cheap postage. Various at
tompts have been made by him prevent the carving Of
what he demonstrates "maable matter" Of the mails
Though there members Of Congress who consider shirts
and stockings maiable NATTER yet whether the Postnas
terteneral thinks these articles SUCH does appear
believe Of the sapient letters prOmu gated by that Of
hcer, from time time AppIausel
Bd'prnted tnstter,"-paPer with ink upon IT, this il
what excluded from all other modes OF conveyance than
the mails No" the paper comes TO the printer Of the
mills, b.ank,-and goes back printed and would re-
sure very acute metnPhyscan say why there should
DC any difference between the legal mode OF conveying the
paper IN tins and in that Applause Yet the Post
master General assumes THE ground IN his to
his deputies.
very e.pocaJe house in this cilv-he Harpers-sert
bundle OF books by public conveyance "ousoi the mail"
This package Of books because the books had paper covers
was seized By order OF me Postmaster General aud was
sent 10 toe Post Office That officer by way OF usiying
himself for !cb pTycc=ing letter he has Published by
aycrrng h1 he does but carry the letter the law II
Congress regulating the Post ofico Department Other
Posma'icrs General have deemed their duty nor
thought worth their while impose burihcus onerous
upon the people and in attempts Of the kind
have been made. IL time post, they have sisnny eied
And 50 will This new attempt trust IAppiause.l
when tneTe scarcity Of specie the country, the
eurhen Of the postage under the existing law extremely
heavy. When this the case, IL nOtonous!y wa.
few years ago, instances occurred the West where the
scarcity most deeply felt, Of and daughters being
actually unable TO obtain the specie in which postage il
qured q, be- paid % pay for letters from their parents
On the Atlantic; and n one case son. from this cause did
not hear from MS father for five years. have been ini1r
med since came into the
Now gentlemen, tue Poet Office department should not
be bultIcu % the county, instead Of nd-aB ayaut-
Why should BE- made announcement, onerous
aud expensive transaction 10 convey letter. printed
ter than barrel oi Hour other rchnndlsi fNppnu.s
l. 10 not right 10 be heard subsc s Ot ~ grave
imponuco' not tic disparity between Inc conveyance
Of our letters ahd our papers, seryu. infection upon this
community
Nov, gentcmen, how easy j. % to establish au entirely
ne" system pi postBgc,Oi cheap, uniform postage, like
Ia which hu- been abshed aud which hos worked Nj,
satisfactorily aud probably in England f. has realized
the highest hopes dat formed d t, by d. projectors
md th' revenue o o POET Office r greater under this pen
y system az rnsoec, tlsn under ioi which supcr-edcd
Every gentleman who hos been in do habit u travelling
300 tar country much us io, '-e the annoy nuco
o bcu, a-od 20 tukc Issr- put the post
office u ie place which be- b. going 70 be sure. letter
b. not barrel oi Hour, but B.. hardly les nc0n,eniont to
take 'ud take care Of end 20 deliver Laughter and ap.
ly,s unreasonable high, that pile willing a. do almost
ony thing by way 81 transmitting their letters. than send
item By the mail. The pisagc Of system u cheap poe.
g'vuud certainly ensure the cessation ol @ annoyance,
and OF ihc same time prove productive e. the Treasury
. than tHr present system.
There lies before inc. gcntem'n the form Of petition.
which uos been drawn up with inuri delJcratiou, po.
ton 90 CInuc-s ~ take ihoso into couaidcrao
and 9" give f',i 0 the community, hy the enactment ol
lnw t. the elect have aircndy described Its not written
yOu will 600 ers the ordinary oi such memorial
IL dos o.. beg bssccrh, commands, servants
whom have placed IN Congress make good md salu
ay laws, o. do the will ~ or masters, this psrculnr
Gront applause, We send hcrn In his the voice Of DO,
people, mater having the least shadow Ut partisan
choractorbut in which all alike interested ant
concerned, without division oi s'y, ~ standing az Of inter
est Byn such IL will trust, be- signed Its rs follows
To N, SsHas and Hosss OF R,lr,,Hotres Of He Unite,
Sfohss
Tho undersigned ciflons and payers Of Postage respect
folly rprr.cut-
!. Ihattho of postsgo imposed by 'ho govern
mcut f' 'tDfbHni, oppressive ~ Che people, and calruia
tod % defeat their ayOwci object Of making the Post Ofc
y Department ply be own expenses:
q That the fr1nking privilege, os its authorized
cxeTcscd ~ UNJUST unequal, antfopUbioan, md ought
b. abolished except NJ 1t ~ be oxpedent 10 GLOW it
yer the strictly oicsl correspondence u Ito Poe, ofie
z Department Itself
That not one hHd of lie correspondence Of the cour