Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1845-07-05

the bill which materially denacts from its easy
working, il will from its success. The intro
ducton, however, Of the stamp and the pre- paid sys-
tenn would tend to render these privileges Of less
importance, and might induce honorable members
to cling TO them with less tenacity.
| The transmission of printed documents along the
great routes and between the principM cities might
easily be provided for, without incumbering or i'm
peding the mails with them. The difficulty Of get
ting them, in more thinly inhabited parts of the coun
try, ought to be regarded as one Of the disadvan.
tages necessarily arising from residence there, and
must be taken as drawback from the great amount
OF advantages which induce to such residence. An
inhabltant OF Western city or village has no more
right to expect that his facilities for receiving print
ed documents from the seat of Government are to
be increased, to the Inconvenience and expense OF
any other portion of his fellow citizens, than he has
to expect that the luxuries OF New York, the re-
finements of Philadelphia, the literature of Bos
ton, shall be brought to his door along with his let
tiers and his newspaper. The transmission of let
tiers should stand alone and distinct great object
OF every enlightened Government. If along with IT
can be blended that of newspapers, pamphlets, and
other printed matter, without rearding increasing
| the expense of the letters, let the objects be so
blended But not without. Ii is not going too far
to say, that if the transmission of letters sepa
rdfeiy attended to, the rate of postage might be
duced to two cents, for then the machinery and ex-
penses of the Office might be most materially reduce
| ed ; and the newspaper and printed document de-
partment might be arranged under another head so
to adequately meet the public exigencies, without
probably increasing the present aggregate amount
of the whole, and causing each branch to pay its
own expenses, whilst the public 1.-THE great mass of
the citzens would receive the benefits of the cheap
est possible postage on their letters.
One word more in favor Of the use of n sfamn I.
that is, the convenience which such stamp affords
for the payment of small amounts of money to cor
respondents at distance. The stamp being for the
alquot part OF dollar, and fifty of them not weigh
ing more than single sheet Of paper, any amount
from five cents to two dollars and half might be
transmitted in letter for single letter postage the
stamps furnishing universal circulating medium
OF small change, of par value in all parts Of the
Union.
ms leads us to notice the communication of our
correspondent G. w. relative to the Moneu Ser
cace OF the British General Post Office. The sys-
tenn OF post Office orders has long existed in Eng
land, but since the establishment of the penny post
Its sphere of operation has been very benecialy ex
tended. No part of the plan has been adopted from
the French, for it was in operation in England more
than forty years ago. The advantages and conve-
nences OF this method of traDsactine business are
very great, and although the rapid extension of the
operations will necessarily tend to the increased
employment of clerks, &C., yet it is certain that
the small commission paid by the parties who de-
rive the advantages of the establishment will album
dainty cover the increased expenses.
The details of the Post Office Money Order De-
parfnenf, as this branch is denominated are very
SIMPLE. Ii at Hull wishes to pay small amount
Of money to at Birmingham, he pays to the post
master at the former place the in question to-
~ her xyIfh tho
from him on the upper part of sheet of paper an
order Tor the same amount payable the person to
whom ne wishes to send it, by the Postmaster at
birmingham. Precautionary measures, known only
70 the initiated, are taken to avoid forgery orfaud
scarcely any instances have occurred of the orders
having fallen into wrong hands, and none where
the money has not eventually accrued SO far as the
post office was concerned, TO the rghtful possessor
The mode of keeping the accounts is extremely
smple and much facilitated by the regular advices
transmitted from Office to Office, whenever these or
ders are gwen, SO that when order is presented
lot payment, the person who has to pay it is well
acquainted with all the circumstances attending IT,
Monthly or other periodical advices are forwarded
OF all these orders, by all the Offices to the General
Post Office in London, and it is there where the
great bulk Of the labor and the final adjustment of
the accounts has to take place. How far this mode
OF doing business is applicable to this country we
are al present little doubtful we are certain that
II would not be prudent to try it to its fullest extent
through the length and breadth of the land. The
ofhclals OF our post Offices too rapidly changing
and their qualifications as bookkeepers and account
ants too uncertain, to think Of increasing their pre-
sent duties. These objections, however, would not
OBTAIN IN our larger cities, and we think the plan
might be there adyantageously adopted.
we have sometimes thought if Subtreasury
al. II
our postmasters, having one branch OF the revenue
under Their control, might as well also be employed
IN The other; and we do not know but that one re-
spons6le fiscal officer in each place, and one only
"ouiu De great Improvement in the present system
Oh 'hlngs. Al all events, think good would arise
rom trial, IN our large cities, Of the British
Post Office Money Order Department"
LoSDoy PAcKErs.-Messrs. Grinnel, Mnturn and M,
John Grswold, Of New York, intend aid Immediately r
new ships to the London Line Of Packets so ha ship will
sail weekly from each porsay the ls sth 9th and