The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1844-12-16
pOsT MAsTER GENERAL,S Errnnr

Nr w ickiihc begins his report Gy stating ii.ftrr
ing tho whole Of Mr Tyler's ADMINISTRATION, lie ccr.r,
expenses Of the Department hive been met Us m
current revenue and the amount of service roa
g'eater than at the commencement ortEe wear 1871
"Fha total transportation orlle nail BY horse, and
in stages. railroads, aud STEAMBOATS, Cov the year en-!
ing the 3Oih June. 1874 supplying lAl03 post otf-
ces, at cost Of $2,93S, 55l was 35,AO9 GA nic;.
exceed ny the transportation for tho year 1871, y
Il3, 100 mics.
The income Of the Department for the year c.,r,
the 30th June, 1871, was rs follows:
Letter postage, S3G7GIGr.s2
Ncwsp per postage, J4J,7+2.S3
Fines, 1880
Miscellaneous receipts, lI,2ij47
Totrl Revenue reported, SI.2S7.2S5s8
The total amount Of expenditure s-HcI ard rgJ
for the same period is 81 ,296, s67fr."
Mr. Wieklifre still insists that tn, Dogrr,m.r,
should be held to support Itself and reasons ,o,aNy
well upon that question # he or his SUCCESSES
can cary out that idea, and ut the same time give
Us cheap postage for hGt is the question, no or
will complain Of his theory. Ert Heretofore very
many have resisted cheap postage 1ccau'e it woo.I
impair the ability of the Department to sostrn l.'f
and thus great public utility, has been coani"r''I
by theory.
The Report dtscoun;enaces the idea Of adopting
the English postage system, and states Mr. Wicki'e'
views of what may he accomplished here, rs follows
'it may be asked, what il the nature and claoc'
ter Of the reduction Of postage which it il deemed i!
the Department prudent and safe Ut this time to De
adopted;
The answer to this inquiry will depend mainly 1D'
tho fact how Congress will settle the question r'"
mooted, TO the best mode Of de(raying the cSPea
Of the Department Shall it, ms heretofore W
required support ITSELF shall it be thrown as ''
nual charge upon the Treasury?
If the Department is left to lean upon its own =:
sources, am prepared to recommend reduction
letter postage TO five and ten cents the single It0
heretofore recommended by me in report 10 u
Senate Of the United States of the 9th January, 1870
upon the terms and conditions indicated in thai "
port
The Report renews the former rccommeNo""
that the Government should pay postage on !" Wv
correspondence and documents, and that this 'O0,'
be done by the Governments advancing some III"
lions to Rail Road Companies for the pnr'n'"
permanent rights Of carrying the mails MS "''
branch of the project has been avorao'y '','
ed by the people, nor by the Rail Road Corpo'"''.
Thus then, it appears that nothing is wanting
: the reduced rates, but the determination
Government TO pay its own postage i" re'O', =.
do so is easy, but ho0 shall it be done! IN '',
the question practically, we fear there may ~
delay and division Of opinion.
Argumentalive and practical statements .. t."
force, are exhibited respecting tho private n'
tenn. Mr. WickIilfe urgently calls for TURNER '
tive legislation, declaring that the nero reo"'' rIb
rates, however low, will not cause these ''''
ments to cease ,,,
The Report recommends tho policy oil 0",r ,,na d
Government mail steamers on such routes Us w." d
it--thc ships to be so constructed as TO '0'"'
our naval force in case of war.
Town In NlnTIoNi w.