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

voked 70 carry letter for IS cents daily between
PhiadelPhia and 81 Louis, or from Chicago to Sa-
vannah, or from ST. Augustine, Florida, to Burlng-
ton in Iowa.
If the great thoroughfares between commercial
cities are left to the operations Of private posts
the extreme points, whose connections in business
and commerce tend to swell the postage collected
at the cities, must suffer, the to reach them
by the mails be furnished out Of the general Trea-
sury.
Ii is not wholly true that the larger cities furnish
the entire surplus which is elsewhere expended
Though the returns show large amount of postage
collected at these points, much of that amount paid
by the extremes In commercial connection with
them.
Connected with this subject, in some degree is the
business Of Transporting newspapers by contractors
out of the mail over mail routes in violation of law
When appealed to by Posmasters and contractors to
instruct them in their duty upon this subject, | add
dressed to the contractors circular letter. in which
gave them my opinion of what the law of Congress
was upon this subject. copy of that letter Al ac-
companies this report
me correctness OF the opinions contained in this
ietter mas been questioned. | was conscientious in
ans views a expressed believed them to be correct
ana iei IL pubic duty to publish them when called
for by those TO whom the duty of transnortinp the
mail was confded. Though | am not DISTINGUISHED
by the pride OF opinion in official and legal matters
am gratifed to lind the views have taken of the
acts OF Congress fully sustained by the Official on;n;on
oil the Attorney General, to whom the subject has
been referred by the President. A COW of that on
Mon is also annexed (5)
There Is at the present moment considerable apita-
ton in the public mind the subject of the reiuc
ton Of postage, and It seems to be expected by some
that the Postmaster General should recommend the
reduction OF the rates Of postage. NV opinions upon
THIS SUBJECT were given to Congress, In answer to
resolution, at the last session. These opinions were
necessarily hypothetical, and accompanied by dis
tnct annuncation that any considerable reduction
10 The rates Of postage should be deemed advisable
Dy Congress. Il should be preceded by provision to
relieve the Department from certain heavy annual
responsibilities, and accompanied by proper regua
ton and restriction Of the ranking privileges With
out such relief and modification OF the existing laws
Il was my opinion them and it is my opinion still,
that II any considerable reduction in the rates of
pos tage was made, the mail service would not Weld
sufhcency Of revenue to meet its own expenditures
upon the then and present existing scale of opera
tons.
It is contended by many whose opinions are enti
tied to respectful consideration, that reduction of
postage to uniform and low rate would be followed
oy an Increase of its revenue equal to the annual
wants Of the SERVICE on its present basis extended
from time to time as the demands of the public shall
require.
concur in The correctness and Justice of the posi-
ton that the Post Office Department should not be
regarded as source Of revenue 10 the Government
that its receipts were greater than its expenditures
the rates of postage should be reduced and the annu
al surplus, il any should not be carried into the Trea
sury.
1t seems TO have been principle at the foundation
Of the mail system OF the United States that the De-
Partment should sustain itself by its own income Of
the soundness of this principle, am fully persuaded,
and should regard its abandonment as impolitic at
any time, particularly at the present moment, when
the national income is unequal to the ordinary de-
mands upon it.
II this principle should be abandoned, and the Post
Ofhce Department made to lean upon the Treasury
Tor support should fear that that constant vigilance
so necessary to its useful administration would be
abandoned ny those charged with its affairs and a
degree OF wastefu expenditure and en-
sue wholly inconsistent with our Republican institu-
tiOns
Any reduction of the present rates of postage, by
which the Department is left in the possession of an
income 10 meet its own expenditures, | shall be
pleased to see made.
The example OF England, in the reduction of post.
age to one penny, is relied upon as sufficient to us-
~ the United States, in at once making similar re-
ductlon In the rates Of postage.
Without obtruding any opinion of nv own upon
tins SUBJECT, have thought would best suberve the
public interest by submitting the facts which belong
10 the question OF reduction of postage in England
ard the results OF that reduction far as they have
been developed, and the facts which it is believed
bear upon the question in this country.
1t should be remembered that at the time of the
reduction OF postage in England, and at the present
PERIOD the FOst Otlcc Department was regarded as
1t was IN fact, source Of revenue to the Crown Its
whole expense of management was paid out of the
public Treasury, and its whole receipts were paid in
the same Treasury.
In the United Kingdom the annual TRANSPORTATION
OF the mail Is about 10000 900 of miles In the Uni
ted States it amounts to 35 252 8O5 miles
In 1888, when the subject of reduction of postage
was under consideration in Parliament the whole an
nual expense of management of the Department was
1853 ABA
III
Inc whole amount of cost Of management (expen-
ditures OF the mail service of the United States for
the year lSi3, was $4,374,7l3 u.s.
Ihe gross income Of the British Post Office was
Sll All 9OI TIE gross revenue of the United States
rost Once may be stated at 81, 1916, 925 49,
The British Post Office Welded ne, revenue IN
the Crown beyond its expenses of a. ,96564S The
United States Post Office receipts are about equal to
its expenditures.
The cost of mail conveyance in Great Britain and
ireland IS much less than in this country. The ave.
rage cost Tor all grades except the railway and pack
e! service (Which am unable to ascertan) scarce.
ly hive cents mile. The coach conveyance of the
mail IS Just i've cents per mile. In the United States
the average cost exclusive Of railroad and steamboat
transportation, is nearly and half cents per
mile Tor mail conveyance in coaches the cost is
three and hiths OF cent per mile greater in the
United States than in Great Britain
The rates of postage in England which produced
tins enormous revenue were follows:
Rates of general inland postage on single letters on
any distance not
Exceeding miles % equal to 4 cents.