The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1847-11-30
Fromths Washington Correspond, Qffhe Phil, Leger
Aboat the Postal Arrangements between
the United States and Great Britain.


the United States and Great Britain.
BY the Acadia, the Postmaster General has receiv-
ed letters from Mr.. Bancroft, our minister in Lon
don, showing that, as yet, but little progress had
been made towards the conclusion OF u postal ar
rangement between this country and Great Britain
The fact is the British Government seems to be but
little Inclined 70 favor such an arrangement, and in
its replies and propositions 10 Mr.. Bancroft, leaves
scarcely more than Just room enough for reasona-
BILE hope 10 be built upon.
What England has offered us is the bargain Of a
shopkeeper In Nhitcchapel, and is altogether
thy OF a Government. England has no objection to
come TO postal arrangement, and to 'share -
with us the and inland postage ON all letters for
warded from one country to another; but how is she
wiling to share II! That is the question. She is
perfectly willing 10 share the inland postage all
letters that we carry in ships the Atlantic,
but on those which she carries the inland postage is
10 belong TO her exclusively each nation to receive
the ship postage the letters carries in its ships
This manifest inequality will not be accepted by
the Department. and ieprsls of the severest kind will
beTecommandedt to Congress-, by the Postmaster Gen
eIah 1heie reprsas, however will tax our own mer-
chants and the corresponding community in general,
VINO win have 70 pay higher postage on their Eu
ropenn letters, bat they VIII not be taxed long, Let
the community bear with it n little while, Just TO
show John Buil that we do not value few shillngs
TO punish m insoent rival and his Government will
be glad enough 10 come with ours TO reasonable
derstand:ng
Meanwhile, the retaIiatory measures already re-
sorted 10 BY the Postmaster General are working out
the object vi their projection Letters from Toronto
ana UtNeT lDWIE III Her Majesty 8 POSSESSIONS IN
North America are pouring into the Departments
requesting nmua!t!@s from the late stringent meas
ures in favor OF trade but the nveriabie answers OF
our firm, go-a-h-dd Postmaster General are that as
negotiations FOR the removal of all these inconve-
niences are now go,r- on in London, his final de-
csion III the premises must necessarily abide their
issue. .>'
But the bcs, ratnlatory measure yet resorted TO
is in regard 20 the British courers and messengers
carrying dispatches from the British Colonial Office
for the Government OF Canada and other British pro-
vinces on this continent. The Secretary has come
10 the conclusion that the dispatches shall not be de-
vered to the carrier Of dispatches but be sent
mail matter TO the frontier Of the British provinces,
allowing the courier simply 10 accompany them
This last measure may however have i,s inconve-
nience, and lead to further retaliatory measures
the part OF England.
Ii is melancholy fact that most of the European
dispatches are forwarded through the obgingness o
the British couriers from ST. Petersburg, Vienna,
Berlin, the Hague, Brussels, &c; saving our Gov
eminent the employment Of extra messenger or
bearer Of dispatches and giving the foreign Office in
Downing street, TO which the packages are first de-
vered before they 90 to cur despatch agent in Lon
don to Grahamtc their contents if they should be
thought worth perusing. | have thought that this
parslmonious way of forwarding our most important
dispatches from abroad TO the Government here
ought to be broken up and If the present step of the
Postmaster General should lead 10 such a change l.
for one, would congratulate the country on the hap
Ply event II is time that we should be independent
OF Great Britain in every respect and most Of all in
the manner OF sending our dispatches.