The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-07-09
CON GREs sIoNAL.
REMARKS OF MR.. NILES,
OF CONNECTICUT.

OF the senator, Mr. SfElGHfi OF Mlshlsslppl,I Dul
must first notice the observations which had pre-
ceded them, and which he had heard with no small
degree Of surprise. The senator as denounced the
act of the last session Of Congress reducing the
rates Of postage and introducing other reforms into
our mail system, in the most sweeping and unquali
fed terms He says, il has deranged the whole
mail service in his section Of the country, driven
postmasters to resign, broken down post routes and
post Offices, and every way diminished the mail ae-
commodations Of the people; and in addition to all
this has deprived them OF their stage lines which were
almost an indispensable convenience to the public
All these evils, he says have been produced without
any accompanying advantages or benefits to the
people at large that the change has been productive
Of no good except TO the people Of the commercial
cities, who alone complained Of the old law, and TO
crafty them the whole country had been subjected
10 great inconvenience and injury. These seri-
Gus charges, and II they have any foundation IL
truth, they certainly deserve the attention and
nest consideration Of Congress. But 10 his judy
ment never wers charges made more at random, or
more entirely unsustained by the facts of the case,
or by the operation Of the old and the new system.
Is il true, sir, that the system of low postage is
beneficial To the people Of our cities onyi Never
was there greater error. II is the peculiar re-
commentator Of that law, that its benefits
have been enjoyed by all, and by all equally, so
far they may have occasion TO make use
of the public mails. That law is not partial in
its provisions in its operations; il does not confer
benefits on one class one section ofth Union at
the expense Of another; but Is beneficial TO ALL and
to all alike IL the commercial portion Of the COM
munity are most benefited, il is only because they
have the most occasion 10 avail themselves of mail
accommodation. and this only proves that they suf-
fered the greatest injustice under the old system,
which, in Justification Of its professed principle
which was, that the mail establishment should
tain itself-taxed private correspondence double
yes, fourfold the actual expense attending it. Nu-
l. IL - L.
dence the free letters, the little more than nominal
postage on newspapers, and the direct aid afforded
TO stage lines and railroads, were thrown upon that
department, and the expenses attending them were
not paid from the general treasury, but by an In
creased tax on correspondence. Was there any JUS
tiee, any equality in this. And it is because these
unjust burdens have been in part removed that the
senator now complains. This law has broken up
the stage lines in mississippi. How sol Is there
anything in the law for interruprng embarrassing
stage nes' Has the Postmaster General interfered
with and stopped theml Oh, no; but he does not
support them at the expense of the department. when
it is found of no use to the mail service. The law
no longer evies tax on the people of my State and
other States in the northern and middle sections Of
the Union to support stage lines in Mississippi. Is
not this CRYING injustice? Are not the constitu-
ents of the senator TO he accommodated with stage
lines at the expense of the people Of another section
of the Union IL Motif this gross injustice is in
Psi' le'o'eo' surrey ''e So"a'oi has Jus. oauss
., company Dut .ne MAJ, aeG1h,,nouauohS o.
part at the charge Of the people in other States as
the hostages in that State fall short of the expenses
more man t~enty-hve Per cent wnch IS cnarge
vi INC PeoP'e oi o,he' o'a'es waeie tho 'eSenue
more thah solncien' 70 pay me charges OF tne esao
he that the people of other States should sup
port the stage lines in Mississippi and their rail-
roads. Do the people of the cities at the North |
az oelhg aAec on neir Io'resPonuenee Io'
~ oJeo' INC 'ni'' - uIy uo' u,o so""'oi 'inn'
they are most unfeasohapie, anu nat inc act winch
mas renewed 'hen is the most UNJUST law.
ihe senator was not mere ,ast session ~heh tne
act referred 10 was passed, ana perhaps ID not well
acquainted with the considerations which led to re-
form IN me old system. There were three OBJECTS
enuea'oreu 10 De secured oy that act the nrst ana
principal one to secure to line people the advantages
" low postage; Inc oher Two were IN ala OF this one
10 reieVe tne department from unnecessary charges
NOT properly belonging 10 the mail service; ana the
h'Iu 10 oreaK up the private expresses which so
materially injured the mail service 10 remove those
charges the sixteenth section OF the act
PROVIDED tnat IN future all contracts for the trans
iora'loh OF the mai shou'd he made on the lowest
terms, without reference 70 the MODE IN winch the
mai should be conveyed otherwise than IN respect
TO Its CELEBRITY and safety. This is the provision of
which the senator complains as having broken down
me stage lines. But does ne complain that the mail
Is not as expedtlously and safely conveyed hear
no such complaint Many OF the stage lines were
thrown as charge on to the Post Office Depart
nent which were in no way necessary for the con-
Veyance OF the mail, as that could be transported in
some other and cheaper mode as safely and with
expedition. The stage lines were only wanted TO
accommodate travellers and where they were not
numerous enough to support them, they were
thrown as charge on TO the department We
nave seen the operation of this provision in the law
m the lettings in two sections Of the Union, which
nave since taken place; 1t has produced saving of
more than thirty per cent, amounting in one-half
d me Union to something more than half million
d uohars ana II as successful in the other two sec
Mons, VIII reduce the expense of mail transporta-
ION more than one million of dollars--or from three
millions to two.
But the senator says the Post Office Department
SOY this law TO be thrown as charge on the treas
lry and wishes to know if the Pos, Office Commit
zee are not intending to report bill to re-estabsh
ne old law. lie IS IN great error as to the depart
nent becoming charge upon the treasury; it is in
All probability IN much better condition than it
would have been had the old law remained in force;
rs Tor several years there had been deficiency in
rs revenues OF something like quarter of mil