Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1845-02-20
POSTAGE REFORM BILL.

We take the following abstract If the bill which la,
passed The Senate from he Baltimore sun:
The main feature OF The bill is the establishment Of
uniform rate of postage single letters Of five cents Il
any part Ut the United States Should lie low rate VI
p"slape--that Is uniform charge Of five cens for let
ers nj hall an ounce, and len cents for weight
and 50 ON III the ratio To any pau Of The United
Substantially reduce HE OF hat depart.
meht. and throw upon the common treasury, there
could be no better time To make The experiment. DmI
letters according to the bill that is leprs Tor delivery
IN The ely where they are deposited in the post Office
are IN be charged two cents. II letters advertised
:fey are 10 be charged with the cosis Of advertising two
conls) IN add'ii,n To the postage when delivered.
Newspapers. 1T greater than nineteen hundred
square inches (Which Will coyer all The Baltimore city
papcrs) can be Transmitted through the mail To within
lHy uiles Of where they are published. free Of pos
ogc; II srni thirty miles, the sane pus,ago charged
as AT present
Printed circular letters nnsealcd are subject to pos
age II Two cents
The ranking privilege, as it now exists. is totally
repealed and officers Of Government required In keep
an account OF the business letters which ihfy receive
the passage on which is 10 be paid by the department
which they are attached. Tho assistant ?ostmastes
general are allow ed 10 frank, but mus, endorse their It
lrTs or packages ocla business :" and ii they should
not be on oiileal business. they liable penalty of
thfeo hundred dollars Tor each ,tl,nce. Deputy pst.
masters are 10 haze all the postage they pay on business
letters refunded and II their commissions do
'" '"VUN i've WlhIs per atnHn, lhtn The Postmaster
General Is allowed TOT increase them.
Governors Of States are a,,3oori 10 transmit through
mal Tree nj postage, certain books aud ducunen s. and
member ii Congress, the Secretary If State and Clerk
I" The llonse oi Representatives, frank all public
printed documents aud leaves the thanking privileges Of
ihr Senators aud Representatives all letters and pack
ages not Needing two ounces IN weight the same as it
now ls aud they are also allowed to receive letters and
pacha. es during HE session we'll FIR thirty DAYS
before aud after The The Postmaster General is
to keep All account OF the charge all matter that goes
through the mail free, which is to be refunded from The
contingent fund OF from the Treasury.
Newspapers, pamphlets books aud periodicals, can be
sent cut Of the mall over The mail routes. hy pubis
efs. agents or others without hndrance from the De
partmeni,
Private expresses 10 perform regular trips ON mail
routes, aud transport malahle batter are expressly pro-
hbIt'd under penalty Of one hundred aud fifty dars
fr each offence. Stage coaches, steamboats, rail road
cars, packet boats &c., with their owners. namgers
servants crews. &c, performing regular trips post
routes. are prohibited from carrying letters or other mail
anie matter excepting newspapers. pamphlets or maga
Nhes unless they relate 10 the cargo part ui It,
or To the articles conveyed in the stage coach,
other vehicle, under penalty Of one hundred dollars Tor
each oence 10 be paid by the owner and fifty dollars
by the captain driver or other person in charge, be
ing an owner in whole or in part.
Seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars is appropr
ated from the Treasury be applied 10 the department
IN case Of any deficiency in its income caused by the
general reduction OF postage made by this act.
The remainder OF the bill provides for the carrying
ont OF The provisions above mentioned and there
tore OF any importance 10 the general reader.