Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1845-06-13
REDUCTION IN POSTAGE.
A ner epoch in the intellectual requirements of



A nep epoch in The intellectual requirements of
our country.
The reduction in the rates of postage. in this
county, is hkeyto prove both salutary to the Go.
vernment and useful to the people. Heretofore,
the postage on letters and newspapers has been
too high and has served, in great measure, to
lessen the beneficial results which naturally arise,
from dissemination of light among the people.
We all must be aware Of the happy infiuence.,
that will necessarily grow out of frequent epsto-
larry intercourse between friend and friend; and
we must also be convinced that, in giving free cir.
culation to moral and religious magazines or nows.
papers, We will be adding new era TO our acquire.
ments-n Observation-Disclosures and learning.
Our object, therefore, in penning this article on
the subject of reduction in the postage of this
country, is, to remind the public of its vast impor.
lance. Ii is an experiment, on the part of our
government, that should he fully appreciated, and
properly tested by the people-because, whilst it
will be doing away with the many frauds now
Practiced upon the Post Office Laws, and indeed
the laws of propriety-it will promote, in a great
degree, higher tone of morals in public function.
aries. Who is il that would call upon member
OF Congress or Head Of department to violate
his sense ofright and Justice, by giving the use of
his Franking Privilege, when il is known that
letters and papers can DO SO cheaply transmitted
after the LIST fJulyi Instead of encouraging such
violence. VIC should try in every way to avoid IT,,
by committing the thoughts, wish to convey
to our friends, TO their proper channels.
Alter the new law goes into operation, the LIST
OF next month, paront may hold converse with
her child nj di.fance oc 2OO r,ilo, n al a., . 1901,
Of only cents. Just think of it Nor is that
all ! An editor may send daily repast. TO his
reader in the ountry-say 80 miles off-entre
ly free Of any cost. in the way Of postage. Do
not these facts present strong reasons for
a system in tho Post Office Laws, which must
prove OF such vast benefit to the country We
presume, no one will deny ~ No one can deny il.
Let us then, look at this thing in lis proper light,
and regard It as blessing upon mankind.
cheap system ofPostage may, at first, lessen
the resources of our government but il cannot long
be so. Soc the immense Increase, in the recources
of other countries. So it will be, in re years,
in this country. Let it be fairly tested, and we
have no fears Of the result. A letter can be sent
from Richmond. for 8 cents, to many places, where
it now costs 1Si cents. And Tor 10 cents, let.
ter may he sent any where in the United States.-
Is that no, oheap-is il not "dirt cheapl'' In al.
fusion to this subject, we beg leave TO adopt the
following remarks Of the New York Tribune
they breathe oui sentiments exactly:
"a correspondent urges General Illumination Of our
Cities and Noges on the evening OF the first day Of Cheap
Postage We think Of tho Illumination which IL t
be effected slowly but surely by the influence Of that Re
form Yet wo trust the People eysry where will testify
their at tho change, and especially Fourth Of July
Celebrations lot u DO freshly remembered"