The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1844-01-19

OF receiving report of the proceedings Of the com
mttee, appointed al a former meeting, and the
transaction of other business in furtherance of the
object. The attendance was numerous and inhu
entail. The proceedings commenced by Mr.. j. p
Ogden being called TO the chair, and the usual for
muarles.
The CHAIRMAN informed the meeting that the
committee appointed on the Gath Of November to
prepare memorial to Congress, and TO take other
measures necessary in the accomplishment of the
object, had a report to present, which he called
upon the secretary to read.
Mr.. WHrrMoRE then read the committees report
which was greatly too voluminous to be inserted in
this place. It stated that immediately after their or
ganization, the committee addressed letters to the
representatives of this city in Congress, requesting
their aid in bringing before that body the necessity
for the adoption of cheap and uniform rate of pos
tage, and all of those gentlemen expressed their
concurrence with the measure as well as their will
EngneSs to forward its success by all the means
IN their power. An address to the people OF
the United States, prepared by the Commit
tee upon this subject had been extensively cir
culated and the petition 10 Congress from Tins
city had been signed by thousands upon thousands
of citizens Other cities and towns In different
States had followed the example OF New York IN
holding meetings and adopting resolutions In favor
OF cheap postage, and the abolition OF the Thanking
privilege and the committee had observed, with
sincere satisfaction that the Legislature OF the
State of New York had unanimously passed resolu-
lutIons in favor of these important Objects. The
Legislature of Alabama had also passed similar re-
solutions, and there appeared TO be no doubt that
the legislatures of the other States would soon fol-
low these examples Several members of Con-
gress had given notice of their intention to bring
in bills upon the subject, but hitherto no SPECIFIC
action had been taken and information re-
ceived from Washington led the committee to be-
leve that Congress was not, at present, dis
posed to meet the wishes Of the people III this re-
spect. The committee were decidedly Of opinion
that the reduction of postage 20 per cent whilst it
would certainly diminish the revenue, would by
no means increase the number OF letters sent by
mail; private expresses would stlll continue, and
no legislation could prevent them. II was, there
tore absolutely necessary for the people express
their opinion, in order that Congress might clearly
understand that nothing short of thorough re-
form OF the present Post Office system would meet
the appreciation of their constituents The re-
naming portions of the report were argumentatlve
and deductlve, the success OF the system in Eng
land being the subject and the document conciu-
dedby requesting the meeting to relieve the COM
mittee rom further duty and appoint new body
TO succeed them.
The report was then received, and it was re-
solved that the committee should, for the future,
consist Of nine instead OF twenty lone members, all
of whom should be subsequently nominated by the
chairman
following resolutions, which he proposed should be
adopted =
Resolved, That expressly disclaim any intention
desire to devove on the Treasury OF the u States the
cost Of ing the letters and papers OF individuals
but insist that the Post Office department shall sustain it.
self hithero by charges on the matter In the
Mails.
Resolved That it is deliberate conviction that the
fost Office cannot longer deiIay its expenses If the
rates OF postage retained and the muplica
lion of improbable Mail Routes is extended for
not be blind to the fact that the correspondence Of the
country is finding for itself. and extensively
cheaper safer and expeditions modes Of
all the most profitable routes and unless this tenden
cy arrested by thorough reform in the management OF
the Post Office, the virtual abandonment OF the mails by
the great bulk OF the business correspondence Of the
country cannot be far distant.
Resolved That while we insist that the Post Office
shall maintain ITSELF and ask that it be permitted to do
insist also that the Government shall support ITSELF
and not cast the burthen oil its immense Correspondence
and that of every body to whom chooses to extend the
ranking privilege upon the private correspondence
the country; which deem 'inreasonat 10 to
pei the commerce of the country to build its Navy gratis
or the farmers distinct class TO snbsst Ats soldiers
and sailors.
Resolved That adhere TO our previously expressed
conviction that charge of Eve cents every letter
veyed the Mails and corresponding for Printed
Matter Will sustain the Department and submit II 10
the wisdom Of Congress TO decide whether these Rates
sha be Uniform for all distances, average-tha is
higher and lower than the standard rate according to the
distance travcsed whieheve, plan appears likely to
the larger transmission OF letters by the Mails ought
be adopted, but conviction is decidedly in IA
Of uniform rate Of five cents single letter. paid
in adv ance
Resolved That call the people OF the whole coun
try speak promptly through letters and pet tons
Congress- in favor OF Reduction oil the Rates Of Postage
assured that the is theirs well oursthe
every citizen who desires the cheap and univ esa d
sicn Of light knowledge and truth and, confident that
the public good must prevail over private privilege and
individual gain, the peoples voice is but heard,
must be If their attention be generally drawn to the
subject.
Mr.. PARK BENJAMIN seconded the adoption Of the
lutions In the of his avocaons he had occasion
day to examine almost all the journals published in
the United States and he glad to state that he found
he address which had been issued by the committee in
of cheap postage, had been copied into than
eight hundred newspapers (Cheers) Resides this
circulation he gratifed to observe that al
most all the editors OF those papers had appended to that
address remarks in favor Of its object and all of them
that the rates of postage should be reduced to
an uniform charge OF five cents per single letter gross
SANDER had been propagaed by the official organ of the
government at Washington, in relation to this movement
aud the SANDER consisted in the that the CHIEF
promoters Of the cheap system newspaper editors
only and the merchants and the power OF the city OF
New York. This was downright falsehood Cheers
could be called nothing else than iasehood Cheers
Tor many gentlemen that room knew 1t 70 be al.
together untrue The fact however that these Sian.
deng people receiving daily benefits from the pre-
sent stem Of postage and hence their hostility (Cheer
Editors and proprietors Of newspapers were daily
in the habit of receiving packages upon packages OF
ranked communications from every part OF the United
states; and time ago the Postmaster General had
given leave to postmasers to frank money for editors and
receive Tor them subscriptions. The consequence
that CO. 100 or 300 letters were daily received from post
masters, free Now editors did not want this to be
hey onld prefer for the sake of its general convenience
pay five upon each Letters and he persuaded
hat that system would be uniformly preferred Let aim
the other hand look the effect OF the existing
upon the mercantile interests OF the city OF New
York One Of the first mercantile houses in this country
Brown Brothers, actually paid last less than $4,000
for hostages! (Cheers) Had they not, therefore, an
in having the charge reduced' Had the whole
mercantile community Ought our large correspondence
with Englan and other parts ofthe world be subject
the exorbitan tax which imposed upon every letter
sent between here and Boston, 1t was unnecessary to
snch arguments. There was no doub; that the
attempt to introduce change would meet with strong
opposition from the Postmaster General and the Postmas
Of the United States but it must be The
Postmaster General indeed seemed welded to the present
SYSTEM and he appeared TO think that there inner
power in his to grind down the people
make them pay what he pleased. He was mistaken
however, and so he would find. lie (Mr. Benamin) ap
proved of the resoutons because they exceeding
well drawn very pertinent and expressive OF the opinion
universally entertained upon the subject.
Mr.. GREELEY again rose and said, that as member Of
the Committee he had recently spent fortnight N Wash
ngton canvassing upon this very subject, and he felt
quite ceta that unless great exert ons immeda ely
plt forth nothing than nothing would be done
y Congress this winter Ont OF doors there strong
esirc for reform The Post Office Committee, however
|, Gan