The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-11-14


WAsHfsoror, Nov. II, lsS7.
The Presenf Peat Office Systsm-Sugs sstiens for The
Formation Of
The letters by the CAledons for Baltimore came to
hand last evening being Eve full days the road from
Boston This Ii not quite no bad a. what happsnsd
some months ago when letters from England by Of
the Cunard steamers persons in this city were sgh
teen days travelling from Boston And yet tran
sportation was never in fourishipg condition 20
must be manifest TO everybody not absolutely blind
Cd by prejudice that far the business communtyis
concerned were better far II the department not
IN EXISTENCE for In that case, private enterprise
hhsckied BY penal restrictions could be employed In
transporting the mails with despatch and regularity
ssmit that the department almost In ono
respect That H. In transporting the mails to
way places n ths Interior where private enterprise
would have little inducement to extendis opcratiops
But the other hand the busnsss Community sufsrs
Now, this post once system has been patched over
patched and botchsd, until at length 1t IL othins
more than an immense ineongruous piece Of patch
General has oobbled at 1t after the manner Of his
predecessors, but with less tact and less courage
manifold evils which dow nom it can Be- rsmsdsS Il
cannot bear further patching Congress must not
leave stone upon another but entirely dsmoish and
sweep away the rubbish Of the old fabric which has
caused much annoyance and much loss to the
munity In its place must be erected sdics Of such
simplicity that even Mr. Cave johnson can manage IT,
for change may be hoped for In the head Of the do
partmsnt during the present administration But lest
build up let me throw out few suggestions ON the
mode OF building up the system In fsshon combining
Let the present system be entirely abolished
Let letters be charged by weight without regard 70
distance, or to the number Of enclosures.
there DO one uniform rate Of postage that rate 10
Let all letters not exceeding half an ounce In WEIGHT
each additional half let additional BE-
charged
Let the foregoing regulation. apply to prepaid .t.sr
but on all letters not prepaid let postage be charged
OF double the amount to which such letters would othsr
Let al newspapers sent from any one place in the
United states to any other be carried In the mails fss
Let all petitions and memorials to Congress bs exempt
Let the frsnIins privl.g. be altogether abolished
Of the mails require thl:s month. 1 notes
| for their sbrogation by either party
Lot every railroad In tho United States be coust,tutsd
ny aot OF Congress post road that the department
may be no longer at the mercy Of the compsuiss A
turnpike road Is ss much monopoly q railroad and
the constitution empowers Congress to establish post
offices and post reads and Congress hitherto made
several turnpike roads post roads 1t IL doubt.
Complaint is made by the Postmaster that the
railroad companies in many instances, refuse to
tract with the Department. and that the latter there
lore continually ut the mercy Of those monopoliss II
their several lines constituted post roads, the De-
parmsnt having the power of transporting the malls
over them at time the companies might refuse to
contract except exorbitant terms allowed by law
would no longer be their interest impose upon the
Department, and We would have plsists Of
the mails being thrown into the street the Post
master General refused to pay the railroad companies
their price. am not prepared TO point out what
sures might be adopted with steamboat owners. In
England they are compelled by act Of Parliament
carry letters and are subj sc to penalty In case Of
refusal Such mode cannot be adopted In this ooun-
try: But the waters on which the mails
isd may be regarded post roads, and there nothing
to prevent government from carrying the mails on
those waters The constitution oonfers Congress
power to establish post offices and port roads, and
furthermore to make laws carry those
ers into effect Congress cannot compel railroad
panies steamboat to carry the mails but
all the Internal waters, where the mails at present
carried, Congress authorize the Post Ooe Depart
ment to run steamboats,, and suoh stsambos may
~ passengers And every railroad which II
Is desirable the mail should be carried, Congress
authorize the department to steam carriages to
tho mails although said carriages oaEry
passengers The waters publiothe railroad track
| Is private property. GALVIENsIS