New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1844-09-17
Reduction OF Postage-Correspond
with the Postmaster General.


Der OF Commerce, through Messrs. jas. D. P Os-
den, James G. King, C. ". Lawrence, and James
Lee, Committee. and Hon. Z. A. Wickiifs. Post
master General, Of which the following y bFiei
abstract.
TIE Chamber of Commerce, under date 22d Au
gust. express great satisfaction in rendering their
thanks 20 Mr. Wicsii6e. Tor having. in accordance
with the request Of the Chamber, changed the loca
,ion Of The Post Once of this City; adding that tie
mercantile community nave always claimed the ear
hest receipt and the latest period Tor depositihg their
letters, rot merely as matter OF accommodation
but as a right absolutely required BY the interests OF
Commerce. Tney avail themselves OF the occasion
ihus presented to press uPoa the consideration OF
The Department the urgent necessity OF an early ara
material reduction Of postage. They express her
concurrence in the general opinion mat the foHt-
Office Department should be 80 adjusted as 10 pay
lis own EXPENSES but II the proposed reduction III
the rates OF pos:s.e should create temporary de-
fcencv thev thnk tha5 deficiency should oe
met by an appropriation irom the reasury.-
They d.clare their conviction that the system
of private expresses can never meet the wants OF e
people except the great thoTougntaTes, ana lha'
The authority and the shield, no less than the re-
sponsibility and the meara OF the National Govern
meat are the only proper and efficient safeguards
whereby 10 secure 10 ali portions OF the Unlon the
urompt safe and regular cOn7e! ance OF Inc mans
In order ,c regain he confidence and favor OF the
public they recommend that the rates OF postage be
reduced rs soon possible. ana with special ieef
ence 10 suoerscde private expresses, 20 hve cents or
single letter for any distance under I'VE hundred
! niles and 10 ten cents for al! greater distances
vhs- eynress the hope that IN respect 10 postage
| on newspapers, pamphlets, &c. proper lloerhHiy
NAV be extended, and suggest the expectancy oi the
preoaym ent Of ali transient newspapers. Congress,
~. 1-r,1 rftIp-1 tho
exclusive right 10 carry letters for hire, and make
aootopria,ions for TIC transportation OF The letters
and documentary correspondence Of the several De-
oar,m.nts of Government They also recommend
the regulation and restriction of the tranking PRIV
lere which, on account OF gross aDllse, has become
serious burden on the service. ne ittteI con-
cludes hv acknowledging the promptness displayed
IN conveying and delivering the letters by the last
foreign steamer from Boston and with request 10
he favored with the views OF the Posimaster-uenersi
on the subject OF reduction OF postage:
The reply of Mr.. Wicklitie is dated August 10Th.
After expressing his era fcation that the recent mr.
ranremont for the Post Office in ihis City meets WIN
the appreciation Of the Chamber of Commerce, and
The satisfaction he feels upon the information re-
ceived from al quarters, that Is approved by me
whole community, and acknow Lodging bis indebted
mesa TO the Postmaster here Tor ala IN carrying that
arrangement into effect. he proceeds 10 say that ne
is gratiied 10 ind that the views OF the Chamber IN
relation 10 g reduction in the rates OF posnge har-
monize so we'll with his own. He entirely agrees
Win them in the opinion that the business OF estab-
lishing Post Offices and Post Roads nsht'uliy be-
longs TO Congress, and can he best conducted under
the control OF the Federal Government, and that the
DEPARTMENT should be so regulated as TO sustain II
sell. He assigns the 'ideplorable financial condi-
,ion' of the Department in 1871 as the circum-
stance which admonished him Of the necessity OF
strict ECONOMY as we'll as the rgld enforcement OF
those laws in relation 10 postage. He complains
that gross injustice has been done him by the lmpn-
taton that he s opposed To ali reduction OF postage
npon any terms or conditions, and quotes from his
official reports to show thGthc has urged upon Con-
sress the proprieiy OF relieving the Department
from the expense of railroad transportation OF The
mail, by some permanent and suitable arrangement
with these companies, as n console alton Tor me
TRANSFORMATION OF the public correspondence and the
ranking privilege ceanied public officers With
desire 10 place the Department, in reference 10 lis
liabilities md revenue, in Il condition 10 adopt
system of reduced postage. He AYERS that IN
compliance with resolution OF the Senate, IN
July 1872 he submitted the conditions on which
The rates OF postage might be reduced TO and III
cents, but that Congress adopted no measure III
relation thereto. He had not recommended the
adoption OF the system of Great Britain, because
was satisfied from the sparseness OF our poPuia-
ion, and the immensely increased distances and
worse roads, which service extends, that II
would not yield sufficient revenue to deiray The
expenses of the Department. His opinion was the
result of most laborious examination OF the penny
system of England, with the most ANXIOUS desire
that his Judgment would enable him 10 recommend
us Adoption nv the United States. The bull winch
passed the Senate q; the last session OF Congress
was objectionable in many particulars; pnrlcnlrri.
hst feature of ii which established the rate OF pos
are by weight and ne could reconcile II 10 his
views of Justice that the extensive ranking privile-
,es which il reserved 10 The members OF Congress
snd orhers, should, under the reduced system be
drown as u burden upon the business and domest
correspondence Of the country. tie was also salts
fed that the Senate bit! would not produce revenue
sufficient hy one million .e hundred thousand dol
lars 10 deray the expenses OF the service. eOn lr
bill. contained no provision to supply such deficiency
Mr. "icklifie concludes b, expressing the hope
that the Chamber Will see III the course he has por-
sued, an entire Willingness 10 meet the demands OF
JUS, public sentiment by reduction OF Inc rates
of postage; while, Us the head OF so important
brunch of the public service, he would have been
Justly obnoxious 10 censure, had he recommenueu
uny such reduction, without the adoption Vi u's
corrective measures 10 which ne aah aiiu"ru "'.ii
the evidence before hi-; TIKI they were necessary 10
save the Department from bankruptcy, and the pup
tic from the evils incident 10 detective and uissts
factory exercise of its functions
~ The great Agricultural Fair and Cattle
Snow commences at Poughkeepsie this day, and
will continue through tomorrow and the day follow
The great interest eIt III EAs "" Wv
facilities for pleasant trip to Poughkeepsie will no
doub, induce an immense number OF people 10 ut
tend this exhibition. Our Reporter Will furnish US
with ar early account of whatever may be OF gen
erai inreres; and importance
~ GRAHAM's MAGAZINE for October was sent
rs Yesterday by the New-York publisher, VIM. Fl.
Graham, 100 Nassap-sreel. tits ne usual benuti-
inlly embeished and its contents are from the pens
OF some our best writers. Among other articles
we notice a very interesting one on American
Artists in Florence by }. T. Headly, and poem
of uncommon merit by J. B. Taylor, young
journeyman printer VINO evidently is man OF true
genius.
~ The IXti No OF Hurpers illustrated Bible
published this morning. 1t contains some as fms
7nsravings as have Yet appeared in this costly and
beautiful! work.
u A Bowl Of Punch consisting OF extracts
| from the Londoa Charivar with numerous engra-
wings, has been sen, US by VIM. H. Graham. 100