Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-03-11

4
annr;shino Sunnose The increase is thrce-iod,
ard lha, will give nearly lOo,ooo,ooecc " 'eue.'
annually, which, al an average rae o. iou' en-,
would produce nearly 81, 00oOUo ana d IN, ine
average of IA cents, as il now stahGS :" 'n1 o,
i, would give YOU seven millions. he Wou'u ho'
say, the lower the rate the greater "ouIu oe ~,
revenue; but he was persuaded 'h1' y. I'm
safely 60 lower than the rates na,hco y. :" Ill
But did he think differently on ms loin' ~
believe that the low rate would give 20 -, -
than a medium rate-he should 90 ~ a, - :,
rate, as that was the great object ne ~is..u - %
tain whatever might be lis influence VI .s ho
nue' A system of low postage was what me
people demanded; they believe II 10 DC ieasonaoic
and lust, and they will have H. puDilc oP, ,
is in advance of Congress; we are iaeslnS aiGms
behind it; the people see and appreciate ue ,n'
mense advantages of system oil 10" Poslas
They have had foreasie OF lhese aavan.nses
through the private expresses, ana 'hey VIII n nv
relinouish them. They ask 10 have these au'dh-
taees, now enioyed by few, made seherai over
the whole Union and extend TO all classes alihe.
Il was doing great injustice 10 'nis stea. ieIo:m
measure, 10 look at il only IN us h1ans'a !.
aspect The benefits and blessings Mh'en !"
will bring upon the country, VINO can eS'i'ilale!.
Who has sagacity or wisdom enough 10 ioiesl s
The results OF a great and powerful impulse sua-
ME spread over the largest country IN Inc
world in their business in their social intercourse
in the communication OF their thoughts, ana me
diffusion of their kindred and friendly feelings
who can estimate lis social and moral inluencess
And has il no political bearing2 Will II not
strengthen the bond OF the Union as well as me
ties of friendship? Will it not call forth and
strengthen The affections oiihe people Tor ,he 10
vernmeni and laws under which they live! This
is a SOFT Of frontier Government, it acts upon onf
foreign borders and beyond them; i regulates
your foreign commerce; provides and takes care
Of The public defences; but in the private con-
Germs Of individuals It's action is scarcely
known or felt. This branch of 1.-THE mail
es,ablishmen,-s the only one that comes
home 10 The people; and this reaches ALL,
comes home 10 every family, and every member
of !, Who is there that does not, occasionally,
either send or receive letters through the mail !!
How universal is the interest in this branch oil
the public revenue! All are concerned in IL
The man of business in his acIve pursuits; the
man OF fortune in retirement; The poor as well
as The rich; the foreigner in our borders; ana
those in The most humble condition, and with the
scaptiee, means are interested in The postage lax,
and have TO contribute their mite towards sus-
tanning the establishment As the mail estao-
lishment is 50 extensive in its influence is il not
important that the action of the Government, IN
that department, which comes home TO individu-
ais should be seen and felt only in its benefcence,
nthe good il accomplishes in being cheap and
universal instrument in facilitating The business
and intercourse Of the people
"To obtain 10 the full extent these advantages,
we must adopt The principle of low postage; and
that will, no doubt, give us the most revenue but
if there was much more doubt on that point than
he thought there was, We were called on 10 adopt
it. The public interest required it the voice OF
the people demanded il; and they would have il.
They demand il, because they consider the present
rates unjust and oppressive. They demand it,
therefore, irrespective Gifts influence on the finan-
ces Of The Department. If this reform should
for few years devolve on the treasury some
portion of The expenses OF the mail establishment,
that could be no objection in carrying out mea-
sure OF such great importance, and which public
sentiment 80 imperiously demanded. The bill
makes a contingent appropriation OF $3.50 600
and as il would require time for the low postage
privilege 10 deveopc lis full capacity OF procuring
revenue, he ielt bound to say that, in his ludg-
ment, this sum might be required the first year,
and possibly the second. If low postage cannot
be secured without partial charge 10 the trea-
sury, then that charge should be borne. And is
it moi right and Just? Can any thing be more
unjust and unreasonable than the tax imposed on
mail correspondence? The whole income the
Department, with the exception OF about halt a
million ofdolars is derived from letter postage
whilst the letters constitute but about 10 per cent
Of the whole weight and bulk ofthe mails Some
years since, trial was made to ascertain the re-
ative proportions OF the letter and other parts Of
the mails-and during Two weeks, all mail mai.
ter deposited al several Of the principal post Of
fees in the Union was weighed-and as nearly
as could be determined from this experiment. the
printed matter constituted more than 90 per cent
of the whole mails Well how much revenue is
derived from newspapers and other printed mat
ter? Why, a little over half a million Of dol
lars; but one-hall Of this goes 10 the postmasters
so that bur little more than a quarter OF million
is received for the transportation OF the newspa-
per mail, constituting nine.,enihs Of the whole
The whole expenses of transportation are nearly
100000 and whilst the letters are only about 1O
per cent of the whole mails, they are charged with
more than Two ard halt millions OF dollars for
transportaion-and the newspaper mail, forming
90 per cent, pays less than three hundred ,hou-
sand dollars. Is there any equality or justice in
this? II public policy requires that we should
facilitate the dissemination of intelligence, and
convey newspapers and pamphlets at mere no.
minal charge, let us do it, But why throw the
expense, or that part OF il which exceeds The
newspaper postage, on 10 the correspondence Is
itrisht or Just TO tax one man, who sends a letter
in the mall several times more than The costs, he.
cause yon convey newspaper for another man
for several times less than its cost? If the pub
lie interest requires that printed matter should be
transmitted in the public mail, al charge great
ly below the actual cost, then The additional
charge should be borne by the public equally, like
all other public burdens. II one-haf OF this por-
ton Of the expenditure for transporting the mails
cha hp iron
be no more than just
"But this is not ALL The communications
from the departments, and all The business of The
Government, are conveyed free of postage, and
are paid Tor out Of the income derived lron let.
ter postage Would il not be more just that this
should be transferred as charge upon the Trea-
sury2 In the presen, Furnishing state of the
Treasury, the sum is moi such as 10 be seriously
felt but the principle is objected TO. The depart
ment has hitherto been made 10 depend upon lis
own resources; and this has served 10 regulate
and govern the extent OF its operations. There
was force in this objection; and il had been urged
BY himself, during the short period that he had
The honor 10 be charged with administering thai
department.
s"But Mr.. n. said he had no fears in respect &c
The finances of the Department, if the system OF
low postage was once adopted, and could have a
fair Trial Calculations and estimates were worth
but little on a question OF this kind; experience
was The only thing upon which we could rely
There were many examples tending 10 prove how
lille the estimates and opinions of the most Judi
cious men were worth, on subjects like this. He
would refer TO one: The committee who made
the frsl estimates Of the probable income of The
Liverpool and Manchester Railroad, and which
was The basis on which subscriptions 10 the stock
were obtained, relied mainly on cotton, coal, and
other ireights, but supposed that about one-hal
ofihe persons then carried in coaches from one city
TO the other might be conveyed on the railroad;
and after estimating the income from freish's
add, that an additional sum OF 100000 year may
reasonably be expected from the transportation OF
persons Such was the estimate; but experience
has proved that 100000 have passed over
the road in one year, producing an income pro
baby Of more than million of dollars. Instead
of getting one-half OF The passengers then con-
veyed from one city 10 The other, the whole num-
Der was increased four hundred per cent, by a
cheaper and more rapid conveyance; and the
cheap and speedy transmission of letters had pro-
duced the same result Greater speed as we'll as