The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1845-02-11
THE POST OFFICE BILL.

We stated, in our Congressional abstract OF
Saturday, that the bill reducing the rates OF
postage and modifying the ranking privilege,
had passed the Senate by vote of SO TO l2-
more than three TO one. The bill, of course,
will have 10 be acted on by The House, before il
eau become law. There is, however, already a
| bill in the House, reported by Mr.. Hardin, of
the Committee on the Post Office and Post
| Roads, and which, from the genlleman's own
words, is entirely different from that of the Sc
nate We were about TO prepare an abstract of
the bill passed by this body, bat were relieved
by finding the following in the Baltimore Sun
Of this morning. viz:
"'The main feature Of the bill is the establishment
OF uniform rate Of postage single letters of five
cents to any part of the United States. Should the
low rate OF postage-that is, uniform charge of five
cents Tor letters OF half ounce and ten cents for
ounce weight, and in the ratio, to any part
OF the United States materially reduce the
OF that department, and throw it upon the common
treasury there could be no better time to make the
experiment. Drop letters according to the BILL that
Is letters for delivery in the city where they de-
posted in the post office, to be charged two cents
If letters are advertised they TO be charged with
the costs OF advertising 1.-TWO cents in addition to the
postage when delivered.
"Newspapers of no greater size than nineteen hun
dred square nches (Which will all the Baltl-
more city papers) can be transmitted through the
mail to within thirty miles Of where they pub
shed, free of postage; if sent thirty miles the
same postage charged as at present
Printed circular letters, unsealed subject to
postage of two cents.
he Thanking privilege, as it now exists is totally
repealed, and officers OF Government required to
keep account Of the business letters which they
ceive, the postage on which is to be paid by the de-
partment to which they attached. The assistant
posmasters general are allowed to frank, but must
endorse their letter packages 'oficial business"
and II they should not be- on official business, they
are liable TO penalty Of three hundred dollars for
each offence. Deputy postmasters are 10 have all the
postage they pay on business letters refunded, and if
their commissions do not amount to twenty five dol
lars per anDum, then the Postmaster General IS al
lowed 10 increase them.
Governors of States allow ed to transmit thro
mail free of postage, certain books and documents !;
and members of Congress- the Secretary of Stale, and
Clerk of the House of Representatives can frank all
public printed documents, and leaves the frankng
privileges of the Senators and Representatives all
letters and packages not exceeding two ounces in
weight, the same as 1t now Is, and they also al
lowed to receive letters and packages during the
sion as well as for thirty days before and after the
same. The Postmaster General is to keep
count Of the charge all matter that goes through
the mail free, which is to be refunded from the
tlngent fund, or from the Treasury.
Newspapers, pamphlets, books and periodicals,
can he sent out OF the mall over the mail routes by
publishers, agents, others, without hindrance from
the Department.
Private expresses, to perform regular trips on
mail routes, and transport mailabe NATTER are e1-
pressly prohibited under penalty of one hundred
and fifty dollars for each offence. Stage coaches,
steamboats, railroad cars, packet boats &c. with their
owners, managers servants, crews, &c, performing
regular trips post routes are prohibited from carry
ing letters or maIlabe NATTER excepting newspapers,
pamphlets or magazines unless they relate to the cargo
some part of it, to the articles conveyed in the
stage coach, car, other vehicle, under penalty of
hundred dollars for each offence, be paid by The
owner, and fifty dollars by the captain, driver, or
other person IN charge not being owner in whole
or in part.
Seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars is APP
propnated from the Treasury to be applied to the De-
partment, in 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 carry
ing out the provisions above mentioned and is not
therefore of any Importance to the general reader"