The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1844-06-22

New York. Saturday, june ~, Is44.



Postage Reform-The Next Election.
We are glad to perceive that some of the indie
pendent journals directing public attention t,
postage reform, and the propriety and necessity o
making II prominent question in the next election
AT present, the two great parties are very busy IN
canvassins the merits OF Polk and Dallas on the
one side, and Clay and Frelinghuysen on the other
and il we We're to take for gospel the declarations
of the party prints with respect TO these tour indl-
viduals, we would be compelled to believe that
they are the most abandoned, ,sand lnfa-
nous characters in the country 'puelist"-
gambler" hypocrte"-these are the epithets
applied on all hands, TO these distinguished men,
with as much nonchaLance the part of the SANDER
ers as you would apply the terms "theves' and
"pickpockets" to the inmates of the penitentiary.
more dsgraceful exemplifcaon of the morals
of the party newspaper press was perhaps never
before presented, than that which Is afforded at
this moment, by the party prints of beth factions.
And all this violence, folly, and decentralization,
has been produced by the ignorance, magnity and
avarlce Of the squad of ofice.beggars attached to
both parties. People would suppose that the whole
country was torn and distracted in the effort to
decide who shall be President, and who shall have
the possession of the spols, and who shall plumber
the people,
Now we think it is full time for the people of
this country to look calmly on the present state of
affairs-to discountenance such atrocious conduct
as that just descrbed-and to ascertain what real
reforms wanted and the best means Of obtain
ing them. Amongst all the needed reforms there
Is none more desirable than that which has been
again and again refused by both parties in opposl
ton to the loud and united voice of the people. We
alude to postage reform. We have repeatedly
urged upon the attention of the general government
the necessity OF reduction of the rates of postage
to the lowest standard, and the introduction of that
reformed system of Post Office regulation, which
has been fully submitted to the test of practical
perience, and found to be safe and beneficial in the
highest degree in Great Britain. In this empire
the blessings Of such reform would be still more
widely and universally felt and appreciated than in
England. Here with population of twenty mil
lions, all of whom can read and write, and amongst
whom intercourse by letter is of such Importance
in every point of view, reduction of the rates of
postage would BIZ of incaculable benefit. There
never was more favorable time for adopting mea-
sures to secure this reform. There is at present
surplus revenue rapidly accumulating, and the
insolent and false objections urged by the
department and the administration that a
reduction Of the duty would not be safe,
can hardly be urged again. Indeed, we can hardly
imagine more outrageous insult to the ntelli-
gence of any people than that perpetrated by the
opponents OF postage reform, when, in the face of
the garing fact Of surplus revenue, they refused
reduction of the oppressive postage rates on the
ground that it will be an unsafe dimunition of the
public taxes.
We trust that the people will now take up this
subject con amore-that committees will be esta-
bllshed in every city and town. and that every can
didate for seat in the next Congress, and in the
State Legislatures, will be catechized on this SUBJ
ject, and pledged to support it at all hazards. Let
"Posr OFFICE REFORM be the watchword of the
great masses OF the people, without reference to
the Presidency. Let them regard the struggle for
the Presidency in its real aspect-a scramble by
the ofiice-beggars, and camp-plunderers of both
parties, for the 'spoils.' Let the people awake to
their own interests, and be no longer deceived and
blinded by appeals about the immense importance |
OF the Presidential contest. 1t is time to move |
Let public meetings be at once called Let the |
work of agitation commence in this city. If the |
work be at once commenced in the proper spirit, |
We have no doubt that this great work OF social |
reform-for such it assuredly is-will be effected |
before the next Congress be many weeks in SEES |
sion.