Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1845-07-11
THE NEW POSTAGE LAW,

The new postage law is now in operation. and
hereafter the rates for the transmission of nathalie
matter will be so considerably reduced. that everv
body will be enabled to use the means of comtnu
nicatlon The measure has been long and earnest
~ asked Tor by the people, and has been granted
by Congress with the knowledge that. unless the
quantity of correspondence transmitted in the mail
should be greatly increased, the expenses of tho
department could not be paid from the receipts.
We are not of those who think that the Depart-
ment should be made to bear the expense that II
lncurs, because a means of public CONVEYANCE
should be maintained for the benefit il confers
oven though the pockets of the whole people shoulj
be levied on in degree to pay for it. But we
think the Department may be made source Of
revenue, and if liberal spirit prompts the peonlo
much, 1t not all of the expense, may be avoided
The necessities of business call for large cores
pondencc, and, if people will only write when
there is occasion, the business OF the Department.
will, beyond doubt, be increased to that DEGREE
that the overpus in the receipts of the great Offices
Of the principal cities will cover and protect the
man IN It's efficiency in the sparsey settled por.
tons Of the country
The regulations of the law are wise and proper.
end have been matured with care. Practice NAV
shoT defects, and the workings of the new system
may cal. from places and people representations
that will an in imparting greater perfection to Its
details. The time has been well chosen for this.
for with the retun,2 of the operations of the De-
July to September together with the accounts that
may come up during Octobe- and November, the
Congress will be put in possession, at an early
period after the commencement of tie session in
December of facts upon which TO remodel the law,
If any alteration should be found necessary.
It's duty upon the people to sustain the law.
by liberal use OF the means placed at their COM
mand. The business of the country warrants a
great increase in the epistoary communication
sent through the mail and where it may properly
be done, the increase should be made. The pro-
lection of responsible agent, in the active and
efficient performance of its duties, should be con.
sidered as incumbent upon all; and as all men
WRITE or have occason,to write, it is better that
their missive should be consigned to the keeping of
the mail, than to private or irresponsible messen-
gers, against whose encroachments the trainers of
the new law have endcavored to set up guards.
The experiment Of cheap postage has been so
eminently successful in England that a national
testimonial procured by the contributions Of
the people, and presented to the author of the sys-
TEN, Rowland Hill, Esq. 1t may scarcely be
hoped that in this country, the same direct and
beneficial results will attend the operation of the
measure, for the reason that the want of popula-
ton, and the distance between Places afforded but
little profit or none at all, in the way of postage
on letters, papers carried, will absorb the collec-
tons made at places where the population is large
business active and correspondence EXTENSIVE
y. s. Gdz.