Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1845-02-27
which pass through the mail in Great

c"It" pass thoo6" s"o "oh w N'e"'
Britain.
This exposition n nnce indica the
obstacles which prevent active CORES
pondepcs among our citizens. They are
distance snd expense and thesa, com
bned How far each, Of itself, forms
an obstacle, we have no means to ascer-
tain. We have seen the effect in Eng
land Of reducing the expense in the ex-
hibns presented-ihe ingenuity of man
bias no, yet overcome the other, hut j.
fast approaching il. We have il in our
power TO remove one Of The obstacles
bere, and place our people in as iavora-
bic position, in respect to The expense,
as others. The amendment proposes an
approach to il. II must, of course, be
borne in mind, tha, distance is and will
continue a great obstacle to correspon-
dence. People have not The same ac-
Quaintance with their fellow countrymen
living remotely, as with those who are
near them, and, therefore, have not the
same occasion for correspondence. The
SAD is true in England, where letters
have so greatly increased by reducing
pntage. And although it would not be
n the same extent there, under similar
circumstances, the country not covering
90 great a surface, yet the difference in
this respect is more than counterbalanced
by the difference in The habits Of the two
people. There, the population is more
fxed-the people are born, brought up
and die, without scarcely leaving the
smalI tract OF land they cultivate. Here,
IL is quite different Parents are now
living, whose children were the pioneer
settlers Of the West, where States have
grown up, teeming with millions, and
ou,numbering the "Old Thirteen" The
intimate relations between such a people
will produce greater correspondence,
according to their numbers, than among
those brought into this comparison-a
circumstance which should give conf
dence in our expectations Of an incre ase d
correspondence.
There ore various other points Of view
in which this question has presented IT,
self,which have been equally convincing,
That reduction to this point is safest ia
reference to the ultimate ability of the
OPpHftUeHt 10 silNnIl WSeiT
But, sir, suppose ! am mistaken in all
these estimates -suppose' that no in
cronse takes place in the letter cores
pondence of the country, in consequence
oCthis reduction nj postage ; that some
fifty or sixty millions OF letters is all that
will be written, Whatever be the rate OF
postage. What is il our duty to do upon
that supposilion We certainly should
endeavor TO carry what are written. IL
we do not, The establishment will devolve
on the Treasury for nearly the whole OF
its expenses, or il must 60 down entirely.
Lctier-carrying is the only portion Of its
business that pays cost now, 4, and this
will be profitable at the rate proposed -
Prudence, therefore, dictates that we
should secure the carriage Of these
Can you expect 10 do this and retain the
rate Of ten cents, now proposed to be
stricken out
e-iouiihs the letters now carried
III the mail, within distances subject to
this ten cent rate, by the present bill =,
can be, are offered TO be, and are, car
ried by private mails at six cents. Can
you hope to regain the business, aud
charge nearly double DO you expect
10 induce people to patronize your mail
by commencing prosecutions against
them? IL on individual should propose
to do any such thing he would be thought
fi subject for mad house. Why
should the Government change more
than others, for doing such service |
agree thst the Government should have
the preference, at n fair price, and in
sist that it can afford TO carry cheaper
than individuals.
A brief examination Of the elements
ot cost TO this Department will enable us
10 Judge with more accuracy as to the
propriety Of different rates Of postage.
The cost OF the mail service Of the
United States is, in round numbers four
and quarter millions Of dollars-es,i-
mated at one-iourh Of million for the
service done for the various departments
of Government, and four millions for
that done for the people generally.
This fOnr millions is made up Of the
cost Of office service one million, and for
transportation three millions. There is
carried in the mail about thirty millions
ot letters, and about filty-six millions of
newspapers, pamphlets, magazines, &c.
suppose we divide the expense for office
service equally between the letters and
printed matter, and the transportation,
according TO The amount of each, carried
in the mail II costs an average OF
about sixiy-cents per pound for trans
portalion in the mails. The account will
stand thus -
Expense of transporting thirty millions
letters, at weight Of one-thrd of an
ounce each, making fve-eighths of a
million pounds, at sixty cents per b.,
10 1915 900 90
Add half the expense ofofI;ce
service, which is 100000 90
Making, for Office service
and iransporion, $4,000 90
Expense for the transporta-