Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-12-16

M, wholly true that The larger cities furnish the
entire surplus which is elsewhere expended. Though
the returns show large amount OIL postage coiirce -
these points, much of that amount is pad by the eA
tremss in commercial connection win them. -.
Connected with this subject, IN snme degree, 70 ~.
of TRANSPORTING ne wspopers by contractors, ou
of the mail over mail routes, IN violation oil law
When appealed To by pos'Tas,eIs ana c"n,rac.''s -
instruct them in their duty upon this SUBJECT address,
ed I, the contractors circular letter, IN which gave
bam nv ooinon of what the law of Congress was upon
his subject, copy OF that letter 4) accompanies TINS
report :, h;s
The correctness of the opinions confined IN th's
letter has been quettonrd was conscientious ~ .,s
views expressed; believed them t. be correct mo !. Il
i, a public duty to publish them when called Tor by
those to whom the duty OF transporting the mill was
confded Though am not distinguished by tie Pr'de
of opinion in official and legal matters an ernl'
fled 70 find the views have taken oil The acts OF
CONGRESS fully sustained by the official opinion OF The
a,n5,ey General TO whom the subject has teen re-
lened by the President. copy oil tnaI opnloI Is as
annexed. (5)
There is a, the present moment cons derabb aqua
ton in the public mind on the suo)ect OF lhe ieooo'
ton of postage and it seems to be expected o. eoms
that the Postmaster General should recommend the re-
duction of The rates of postage. My opinions upon
this subject were gwen TO Congress- IN answer TO re
solution, at the last session. Thes1 opinions were nc
ces.arly hypothetical, and accompanied oy distinct
annnncniion tina, if any consideraoi reaueuon ~ o
gress, it shoul be preceded by provision to relieve
the Departmen nj from certain heavy annual fesPonsoi
ties and accompanied by proper regulation ana re-
strclion Of The Thanking privilege Wthout such re-
lief aud modification OF the exsune la"s, II was NY
opinion then and il is my opinion STILL that any con
siderable reduction in the rates of postage made,
The mail service would not yield su!ciency OF revenue
t. meet its own expenditures upon TIE 'eh anu pre-
sent existing scalc of operations
1t is contendcd by many, whose Opinions are eht
- 4 q
postage to a uniform and low rate woud oe followed
by an increase of lis revenue equal 10 the annual
wants of the service, its present OASIS extehoeu
from time to time, tile demands oil the PuCc shai'
require. =,
concur in the correctness and ju!tIce OF The posi-
ton tina, the Post Office Department should not be re-
garded as source Of to the government thai
# its receipts were greater than its expenditures tue
rates Of postage should he reduced and the annual sur
plus if any, should not be carried inlo Inc teasuiy
1t seems 10 have been principle nt le 'ouHua,I"h
Of the mail system Of the United aes, thai the De-
patiment should sustain itself by its Own income. ~
the soundness of this principle am fully persuaded
and should regard lis abandonment as mpoi't'c u a"y
time, particularly al The present moment, wheh tue ma
tona income is unequal TO the ordinary demands up
on It.
If this principle should be abandoned, and the fost
Office Department made TO lean upon the Treasury of
support, should fear that that constant vigilance 80
necessary to its useful administration would De aoan,
doned by those charged with its affairs, and degree oil
wastefu expenditure and extravaganza ensue, whohy
inconsistent with our republican institutions
ANY reduction of the present rates OF postage, oy
which the Department is left in the possession OF an
income to meet its expenditures, shall be pleas
ed 10 made.
The example of England, in the reduction OF posn &c
to penny is relied upon rs sufficient To Justy the
United States, in at making similar reduction IN
The rates of postage.
Without ob,ruding any opinion of my own upon this
subject, have thought would best suoseve Inc pup
lie interest by submitting the facts which belong 10 ie
question of reduction of postage in England, and the
results of that reduction far they have been deve
oped and the facts which it is believed bear upon the
question in this country.
/, should be remembered, that at the time of the re-
ducton of postage England, and al the present peri
od the Post Office Department regarded, as 1t was
in fact of revenue 10 the Crown. lis whole
expense Of management paid out oil the public
Treasury and its whole receipts paid IN the same
Treasury.
In the United Kingdom the annual transportation oil
the mai! is about 90 5000 OF miles 10 the u D II
amounts t, So $50, sos miles.
In 1885, when the subject Of reduction of postage
under consideration in Parliament, the whole an
nuel expense of management Of the Department was
So 353,43
The whole amount of cost of management (expendl
tures of the mail service of the u s. for the year 1913
was 81 ,374, 7l3 75.
The gross income Of the British Post Office was
81 ,42l ,9O7 The gross revenue of the u s. Pest
lie Blush Post Office yielded nett revenue to the
Crown, beyond its expenses, of S7,965,6i5. The U.
States Post Office receipts about equal TO lis e1Pen-
ditures.
The cost Of mail conveyance, in Great Britain and
Ireland is much less than in this country. The aver
age cost for all grades, except the railway and packet
service, (Which am unatle TO asceit,in0 is scarce J
five cents a mile. The coach conveyance of the mall
s Just five cents per mile. In the United States, the
average cost exclusive OF railroad and steamboat trans
por,ation is nearly seven anda half cents per mile
for mail conveyance in coaches, the cost is three and
four ffths OF cent per mile grener in the United
States, than in Great Britlin.
The rates Of postage in Engllnd, which produced
this enormous revenue, were as follows
Rates of rpnea inland hostage single any dis