The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1847-01-02

iify against each other, because by so
DONG they may subject themselves to
"A similar penalty. The agents Of the
department have no authority to arrest
the offenders; ;and seize upon their bags
or trunks. and have them examined
before proper tribunal, though moral
ly certain that they contain letters; and
hence convictions seldom take place;
and if they do, a recovry of the money
after judgment, from inability OF such
offenders TO pay,i is as uncertain as the
convictions.
Second.-Advantage is taken Of that
provision of the law which limits the
weight of single letter to half an
ounce, to cover the correspondence of
third persons and even packages ofet-
letters addressed to different individu-
ais are collected together and placed
under single cover, and directed to
some third person for distribution, by
which means one hundred letters thus
enveloped, weighing eight ounces, are
charged under 800 miles 80 cents, and
over 800, 1850, when the department
is entitled to receive, under the law,
five or ten dollars, acc cording to the
distance. These practices can seldom
be detected, and when detected, the
only penalty is the payment of the true
postage. The department is thus COM
PEELED to pay for the transportation,
whilst those who collect and distribute
receive the profits.
Third.--Advantage is taken Of that
provision of the law which authorizes
letters in relation to the cargo to be ta-
ken over mail routes free of postage,
to cover correspondence in relation to
other matters. They are generally
marked on the outside of the letter.
sin relation TO The cargo"-free. Agents
are unable to detect the imposition !;
those engaged in the practice refuse to
disclose the facts, and the corriers are
themselves often ignorant Of the truth
Of the case, and the offenders escape
, with impunity. If that privilege had
been restricted to the bills of lading or
open letters relating TO the cargo, much
abuse would have been avoided on the
principal railroad and steam boat routes
Fourth.--Transient newspapers ad-
vertisements, printed or Autographed
circulars, in great numbers, are address
sed to postmasters, and others not or
dering them, which are not called for,
and if called or,refused to be taken from
the Offices.
These and similar practices to evade
the payment of postage, with the i'm
mense mass of dead letters, averaging
annually between one and half and
two millions in number, cucumber the
mails unnecessarily, and without any
profit to the department.
| To remedy these evils, | respectfully
suggest that the law be so amended as
10 make the single letters weigh one
quarter instead of the half ounce, except
in the case ola letter weighing less than
half an ounce, and written upon sim
gle sheet of paper.
That the same power be given to the
Post Office Department, to prevent
violation of lis revenue laws as is now
given to the Secretary Of the Treasury
against smugglers.
That all letters passing over the mail
routes which relate to the cargo, be
free when they are unsealed, and SUBJ
ject to the inspection of the post office
agents when fraud is suspected.
And that the postage on newspa-
pers be so adjusted as to approach
more nearly the cost of transportation
and delivery, and be made more equal
and Just between the publishers. This
may be accomplished without any ma
terial interference with the policy Of
disseminating intelligence among the
people by their general circulation
When this policy was first adopted,
newspapers were few in number, and
published in the principal cities, and
low postages seemed necessary to Sc
cure the object; and the rates were
| fixed without much regard to the size,
or weight, or the distance they were
to be transported; whilst the letter POI s.
tage was made high. so as to cover the
expense of the transportation OF both.
The reasons upon which this policy
was founded, have, in some measure.
ceased. Newspapers are now pub
lished in the principal villages through
out the Union, and furnish the means
of Information 10 almost every neigh
: borhood. The injustice TO written cor
respondence, by taxing it with the
transportation of newspapers, has been
partially removed by the reduction of
the rates fletter postage. From this
j act Of justice, an injury has resulted to